A.
Creation. Pursuant to the provisions of Title 7 of the Government Code, there hereby is created and established a Planning Commission.
B.
Composition. The Commission shall consist of seven members who are not officials of the City.
C.
Appointment and Removal. Members of the Planning Commission shall be appointed as follows:
1.
Each Council member shall appoint one Commission member whose term shall run concurrently with that of the Council member so appointing; provided, however, that each member of the Commission shall serve until his or her successor is appointed pursuant to the timing of terms established in subsection D below. If the office of a member of the Commission appointed by a Council member becomes vacant, the appointing Council member shall fill the vacancy by appointing a Commission member whose term shall run concurrent with that of the appointing Council member.
2.
Two members of the Planning Commission shall be appointed by the City Council at large upon a motion, a second, and an affirmative vote of at least three members of the Council. If the office of a member of the Commission appointed by the Council at large becomes vacant, the City Council shall appoint a member to fill the vacancy upon a motion, a second, and an affirmative vote of at least three members of the Council.
3.
All members of the Commission serve at the pleasure of the City Council and may be removed from office, without cause, by affirmative vote of at least three members of the City Council. No public hearing need be held prior to removal.
D.
Terms of Members. The term of office of each member of the Planning Commission shall be four years and each term shall begin on July 1st and end on June 30th. If a vacancy shall occur other than by expiration, it shall be filled by appointment for the unexpired portion of the term. In order to establish staggered terms of office for members first appointed, and to facilitate a transition in the way appointments to the Planning Commission are implemented, members first appointed pursuant to subsection C above may be appointed for various terms of one-, two-, three-, or four-year terms, and upon expiration of such designated terms their successors shall be appointed for full four-year terms as provided above. Each member, unless sooner terminated, shall serve until his or her successor is appointed and qualified.
E.
Jurisdiction. Except as otherwise specified in this code, the Planning Commission shall conduct hearings and shall make recommendations to the Council on all planning matters, and, when so provided, the Planning Commission shall make determinations on planning matters which shall be final unless timely appeal is made to the Council.
F.
Powers and Duties. The Planning Commission shall:
1.
Assist in developing and maintaining the General Plan;
2.
Assist in developing such specific plans as may be necessary or desirable;
3.
On or before March 1st of each year, review and make recommendations to the Council concerning the deletion, addition and priority of items in the City's capital improvement program;
4.
Recommend to the Council the initiation of ordinances, resolutions, agreements, or programs concerning planning matters;
5.
During April of each year, a commission representative shall appear before the City Council to report on work accomplished in the past year and to outline work to be done in the coming year. Such report, at the discretion of the Council, also may be required to be submitted in writing;
6.
Perform such other functions as the Council and the law may provide.
G.
Procedure. The Planning Commission shall hold regular meetings during each calendar year at such time and place in the City as the Commission may fix by resolution. In addition, the Commission shall adopt rules for conduct of its meetings in accordance with law and prepare and maintain a public record of its transaction of business which shall include its findings and determinations on matters within its jurisdiction.
H.
Composition. Actual expenses reasonably incurred by a Commission member on authorized Planning Commission business shall be reimbursed. The procedure for reimbursement shall be as set forth in the rules and policies of the City Council.
(Prior code §§ 2-7-16—2-7-23; Ord. 1644 § 2, 2019)