[Adopted 3-3-1969 by Ord. No. 31]
[Amended 2-14-1983 by Ord. No. 97]
There is hereby created the Harris Township Planning Commission. It shall consist of seven members, all of whom must be residents of Harris Township, and at least five of whom must be "citizen" members, which shall mean that they are not officers or employees of the Township of Harris. All appointments shall be made by the Board of Supervisors of Harris Township, and each appointment shall be for a term of four years, except that in case of a vacancy occurring during a term on the Commission, the appointment to fill such vacancy shall be for the unexpired portion of the term, and except that in the case of initial appointments provided for in § 1-3.12 below, the appointment shall be for the term therein specified. All members whose terms expire shall continue to serve until such time as a replacement is duly appointed. The membership, compensation, appointment, removal and conduct of business of the Planning Commission and its members shall be in accord with Article II of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, 53 P.S. § 10201 et seq.
In conformity with Article II of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, the initial membership of the renewed and enlarged Planning Commission for Harris Township and their names and the dates when their terms expire are as follows: ...[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Here followed the names, addresses and terms of the first appointed members.
The bylaws for the operation of the Planning Commission shall be adopted only by the majority vote of all members (by four votes or more) and shall be adopted soon after the effective date of this article. These bylaws shall provide for officers for the Planning Commission and shall conform to the Pennsylvania Municipalities Code and this article shall set the quorum for transacting business at four members.
The minutes of all public meetings shall be kept in a permanent record book. All resolutions and motions regarding planning acts and other official business of the Planning Commission shall be noted in the minute book. All official planning correspondence received by the Planning Commission shall be logged in the official Township log. When the Planning Commission has finished action on an item, official documents for permanent record shall be forwarded to the appropriate parties or turned over to the Planning Department for filing. Working papers of value may also be given to the Planning Department for filing.
The Planning Commission shall, where required by law, ordinance or where good practice of public planning dictates, hold public hearings after suitable preparation and public notice.
The Planning Commission may obtain planning services from the Centre County Planning Commission or the Centre Regional Planning Commission or the Centre Region planning staff or any of their agencies or the Harris Township Planning Department and the legal and engineering services provided by the Township. Such services shall be in accord with the planning budget and should ordinarily be coordinated through the Planning Department of Harris Township. When budgeted funds are insufficient for such services, the Commission or the Planning Department should request allocation of additional funds in accord with the procedures of appropriating Township monies. There shall be no separate fund for planning services or in the hands of the Planning Commission. All appropriations shall be from the Township general fund and any funds held by the Planning Commission as of the effective date of this article shall be returned to the general fund.
In the fall of each year, the Planning Commission shall consider the budget for planning activities by Harris Township contemplated for the next calendar year and shall, with staff assistance of the Planning Department, prepare a proposed budget request. The budget request shall be submitted to the Board of Supervisors in conformity to the form and schedule prescribed by the Manager.
[Added 2-14-1983 by Ord. No. 97]
The Planning Commission shall have such powers and duties as are authorized it by § 209.1 of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, 53 P.S. § 10209.1.