[Ord. 327, 4/10/1991, § I]
The Zoning Hearing Board presently in existence shall continue
and be constituted as the Zoning Hearing Board under this Part. Matters
pending before the Zoning Hearing Board (hereinafter referred to as
the "Board") at the time this Part becomes effective shall continue
and be completed under the law in effect at the time such Board took
jurisdiction of them.
[Ord. 327, 4/10/1991, § I; as amended by Ord. 406, 3/13/1996]
1. Members; Qualifications; Terms. The membership of the Board shall
consist of three residents of the Township of Northampton appointed
by resolution of the Board of Supervisors. The terms of office of
a three-member Board shall be three years and shall be so fixed that
the term of office of one member shall expire each year. Members of
the Board shall hold no other office in the Township of Northampton.
Further regulation of membership and organization shall be as provided
in the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, 53 P.S. § 10101
et seq., as now in effect or as hereafter amended.
2. Alternate Member. The Board of Supervisors may appoint by resolution
at least one but no more than three residents of the Township to serve
as alternate members of the Board. The term of office of an alternate
member shall be three years. Duties, rules and procedures of the alternate
members include:
A. When seated, pursuant to the provisions of the Pennsylvania Municipalities
Planning Code (MPC), an alternate member shall be entitled to participate
in all proceedings and discussions of the Board, to the same and full
extent as provided by law for Board members. Specifically, alternate
members shall have the right to cast a vote as a voting member during
the proceedings and shall have all the powers and duties set forth
in this Part, and as otherwise provided in the MPC, as now in effect
or as hereafter amended.
B. An alternate member shall continue to serve on the Board in all proceedings
involving the matter or case for which he or she was initially seated
until the Board has made a final determination of that matter or case.
C. An alternate member shall hold no other office in the Township of
Northampton, including, but not limited to, an exclusion from membership
on the Planning Commission or service as Zoning/Code Enforcement Officer,
during his/her term of office.
D. When designated to sit by the Chairman of the Board due to the absence
of a quorum by reason of disqualification or absence of a regular
Board member, the alternate member shall receive the same rate of
compensation as a regular Board member for each meeting in which he
or she participates, as fixed under this Part.
E. When not designated by the Board Chairman to sit, the alternate member
may not vote and shall not be compensated but may, at the discretion
of the Chairman, participate in any proceeding or discussion of the
Board.
3. Rules and Regulations. The Zoning Hearing Board may make, alter and
rescind rules and forms for its procedures such as are consistent
with the ordinances of the Township and the laws of the Commonwealth.
The Board shall keep full public records of the rules, regulations
and forms it adopts. Such records shall be the property of the Township
and shall be made available for inspection by any interested person
in the Township Building.
4. Compensation. Regular and/or alternate members of the Zoning Hearing
Board shall be compensated at a rate to be established by resolution
of the Board of Supervisors.