Pursuant to Town Law § 271, there is hereby created the Town of Walton Planning Board consisting of five members to be appointed for five-year terms by the Town Supervisor with the approval of the Town Board.
Any resident citizen of the Town of Walton who is over the age of 18 years, except Town Board members, shall be eligible for appointment to the Planning Board.
A. 
The initial members of the Planning Board shall be appointed to serve as herein provided: one member whose term shall expire December 31, 2012; one member whose term shall expire December 31, 2013; one member whose term shall expire December 31, 2014; one member whose term shall expire December 31, 2015; one member whose term shall expire December 31, 2016. At the expiration of the term of each member first appointed, his or her successor shall be appointed for a term of five years.
B. 
At the annual organization meeting of the Town Board, the Town Board shall appoint an eligible person to fill the five-year term of the member whose term has just expired.
C. 
So long as they are eligible for appointment, Planning Board members may be reappointed.
D. 
At the annual organization meeting of the Town Board, the Town Supervisor, with the approval of the Town Board, shall appoint the Chairperson of the Planning Board for the ensuing year. Such appointment shall be for a term ending on December 31 of the current year.
E. 
If a vacancy shall occur otherwise than by expiration of term, the Town Board shall appoint a new member for the unexpired term.
Once appointed, Planning Board members may only be removed for cause. The Town Board shall have the power to remove a member for cause after a public hearing. Cause for removal shall include, but is not limited to:
A. 
Noncompliance with the minimum requirements relating to training and education as established by the rules adopted by the Planning Board;
B. 
Noncompliance with the minimum requirements relating to attendance as established by the rules adopted by the Planning Board;
C. 
Failure to comply with the residency requirements set forth herein;
D. 
Failure to disclose conflicts of interest;
E. 
Physical or mental impairment affecting the Board member's ability to perform;
F. 
Failure to comply with the ethics code of the Town of Walton;
G. 
Such other causes established by law.
A. 
The Town Supervisor shall have the authority to appoint, with the approval of the Town Board, up to two alternate members to the Planning Board.
B. 
Such alternate members shall enjoy the same rights and privileges as the regular board members, including the right to participate in all decisions, in the event of a conflict of interest or other factor such as illness, vacation or other absences.
C. 
The alternate member(s) shall be appointed by resolution of the Town Board for a term of five years.
D. 
When a board member has been disqualified, the Board Chair shall authorize said member's voting authority to the first alternate member. Such designation shall be entered into the minutes of the initial Planning Board meeting at which the substitution is made.
E. 
All provisions relating to Planning Board member training and continuing education, attendance, conflict of interest, compensation, eligibility, vacancy in office, removal and service on other boards shall also apply to alternate members.
F. 
Any further reference herein to "board" shall include any alternate member.
A. 
All meetings of the Planning Board shall be held at the call of the Chairperson and at such other times as such Board may determine.
B. 
Such Chairperson, or in his or her absence, the Acting Chairperson, may administer oaths and compel attendance of witnesses.
C. 
The Chair, or Acting Chair, shall supervisor the affairs of the Planning Board, shall preside at all meetings of the Board and shall appoint committees and subcommittees as necessary to carry out the duties of the Planning Board.
D. 
The Chair shall call upon alternate members to act in the place of a Board member who has been disqualified from an action due to a conflict of interest.
The Planning Board may recommend to the Town Board regulations relating to any subject matter over which the Planning Board has jurisdiction by referral or under any local law or ordinance of the Town. Adoption of any such recommendations by the Town Board shall be by local law or ordinance.
The Town Board may by resolution provide for the referral of any matter, or class of matters, to the Planning Board for review and to report thereon, within a reasonable time, to be fixed by the Town Board in said resolution.
The Planning Board shall adopt rules governing its procedures, which rules shall be submitted to the Town Board and approved by the Town Board prior to the time such rules (or amendments thereto) shall become effective.
Members of the Planning Board shall serve without compensation except that they shall be reimbursed for their mileage and other disbursements pursuant to established Town policy.