There shall be a Planning Department headed by the City Manager. The City Manager shall have the following responsibilities:
1. 
To advise the City Council on any matter affecting the physical development of the City;
2. 
To formulate and recommend to the City Council a comprehensive plan and modifications thereof;
3. 
To review and make recommendations regarding proposed Council action implementing the comprehensive plan pursuant to Section 6.04;
4. 
To participate in the preparation and revision of the capital program provided for in Section 5.05; and
5. 
To advise the City Planning and Zoning Board in the exercise of its responsibilities and in connection therewith to provide necessary staff assistance.
[Amended Ord. No. 42, 12-17-1975; Ord. No. 990 §§ 1—2, 8-20-2012]
A. 
Appointment, Vacancies, and Organizations. There shall be a City Planning and Zoning Board consisting of nine (9) members, including the Mayor, a member of the Council, selected by the Council, the Director of Public Works who shall be a non-voting member, and six (6) citizens appointed by the Mayor and approved by the Council.
1. 
Citizen members. Members shall serve without compensation and shall serve for a term of four (4) years; provided however, the first (1st) members appointed upon passage of this amendment to the Charter shall be appointed as follows:
2 for a term
4 years
1 for a term
3 years
1 for a term
2 years
1 for a term
1 year
Vacancies shall be filled for the unexpired term of a member by appointments. The Council may remove any citizen member for cause stated in writing and after public hearing.
2. 
The Board shall elect its Chairman and Secretary from among its citizen members. The terms of Chairman and Secretary shall be for one (1) year with eligibility for re-election.
3. 
The Board shall adopt from time to time such rules and regulations as it deems necessary to carry into effect the provisions of this Charter.
B. 
Power and Duties. The Board shall make recommendations to the City Manager and the City Council on all matters effecting the physical development of the City and shall be consulted on the comprehensive plan and information thereof as provided in Sections 6.03 and 6.04 and shall have the powers and duties granted in Chapter 89, RSMo. Statutes, as amended.
A. 
Content. The Council shall adopt, and may from time to time modify a Comprehensive Plan setting forth in graphic and textural form policies to govern the future physical development of the City. Such plan may cover the entire City combination of plans governing specific functions and services or specific geographic areas which together cover the entire City and all of its functions and services.
B. 
Adoption. Upon receipt from the City Manager of a proposed Comprehensive Plan or proposed modification of the existing plan, the Council shall refer such proposal to the City Planning and Zoning Board, which shall within a time specified by the Council, report its recommendations thereon. After receipt of the recommendations of the Planning and Zoning Board, the Council shall hold a public hearing on the proposed Comprehensive Plan or modification thereof and shall thereafter adopt it by resolution with or without amendment.
C. 
Effect. The Comprehensive Plan shall serve as a guide to all future Council action concerning land use and development regulation, urban renewal programs and expenditures for capital improvements.
A. 
Land Time and Development Regulations. The Council may by ordinance adopt land use and development regulations, including but not limited to an official map and zoning and subdivision regulations.
B. 
Urban Renewal. The Council may by ordinance provide for redevelopment, rehabilitation, conservation and renewal programs for: (1) the alleviation or prevention of slums, obsolescence, blight or other conditions of deterioration, and (2) the achievement of the most appropriate use of land.
C. 
Council Action. Before acting on any proposed ordinance concerning zoning, land use and development regulations, urban renewal or expenditures for capital improvements, the Council shall refer the proposal to the City Planning and Zoning Board. The City Planning and Zoning Board may hold public hearings on such applications and shall return its findings and recommendations to the Council within sixty (60) days after the date of referral unless an extension of time is granted by the Council. The recommendations of the Planning and Zoning Board shall not be binding on the Council Board's findings provided however, that the affirmative vote of five (5) members of the Council shall be required to adopt any amendment, modification or revision contrary to the recommendation of the Planning and Zoning Board.
No modification, amendment or revision of the zoning ordinance or any ordinance concerning land use and development regulations, urban renewal or expenditures for capital improvements shall become effective unless and until a public hearing in relation thereto has been held by the Council. The Council shall cause a notice of the time, place and purpose of such hearings to be published in two (2) consecutive issues of a newspaper of general circulation in the City, the first notice of which shall be published at least fifteen days prior to such hearing, the Council shall cause to be mailed a written notice of the last known place of abode of the owners of all property under consideration. Upon adoption of any such ordinance, the Council shall make findings and a report on the relationship between the ordinance and the Comprehensive Plan and, in the event that the ordinance does not accord with the Comprehensive Plan, the plan shall be deemed to be amended in accordance with such ordinance.
The Council shall by ordinance establish a Board of Adjustment and shall provide standards and procedures for such Board to hear and determine appeals from administrative decisions, petitions for variances in the case of particular and unusual circumstances which would prevent the reasonable use of land and such other matters as may be required by the Council or by law.