[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Council of the Town of Middletown 11-9-1972 (Ch. 2, Art. VIII, of the 1972 Code); amended in its entirety 7-9-2018. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
The Town hereby creates a Planning Commission in order to promote the orderly development of the locality and its environs. In accomplishing the objectives of Code of Virginia, § 15.2-2200, the Planning Commission shall serve primarily in an advisory capacity to the Town Council.
A. 
The Town Planning Commission shall consist of five members appointed by the Council. Structure of the Planning Commission shall mirror the process used by that of Town Council in that there shall be four voting members and a Chairperson who votes only in the event of a tie. Those appointed shall be residents of the Town qualified by knowledge and experience to make decisions on questions of community growth and development; at least 1/2 of the members so appointed shall be owners of real property in the Town. Knowledge and experience should include building trades, historic preservation, architectural history, local government, planning experience or training as a planner or other equivalent experience.
B. 
The Mayor shall appoint a member of the Town Council to serve as a nonvoting liaison to have input into matters of discussion and convey matters of concern to the Council, whose term shall be coextensive with the term of office to which he has been elected or appointed, unless the Mayor appoints another to serve as their representative.
C. 
The remaining members of the Commission shall serve for terms of four years each. Vacancies shall be filled by Council appointment for the unexpired term only. Members may be removed for malfeasance in office. Notwithstanding the foregoing provision, a member of the Planning Commission may be removed from office by a majority vote of the Town Council without limitation in the event that the Commission member is absent from any three consecutive meetings of the Commission, or is absent from any four meetings of the Commission within any twelve-month period. In either such event, a successor shall be appointed by the governing body for the unexpired portion of the term of the member who has been removed.
All members of the Town Planning Commission shall serve as such without compensation. This does not preclude the Town from covering their expenses for attending training.
The Town Planning Commission shall elect its Chair and Vice Chair from among its appointed members for a term of one year, with eligibility for reelection, and may create and fill such other offices as it may determine.
The Town Planning Commission shall hold regular meetings each year, and must meet at least once per year.
The Town Planning Commission may adopt rules and regulations for the transaction of business. A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum and no action of the Planning Commission shall be valid unless authorized by a majority vote of those present and voting.
The Town Planning Commission shall keep a record of its resolutions, transactions, findings and determinations, which shall be a public record. The Town shall, through its Town Clerk, provide facilities for the holding of meetings and the preservation of plans, maps, documents and accounts.
The Town Planning Commission shall exercise long-term planning, coordination of transportation plans, responsibility for working with Town officials on the Zoning Code, Subdivision Ordinance, Transportation Plan, Comprehensive Plan, and Capital Improvements Plan and, in general, such powers as may be necessary to enable it to fulfill its function, promote planning and carry out the purposes of the law, as well as those provided by Code of Virginia, § 15.2-2221, and its successor statutes.
In January of each year the Town Planning Commission shall make an annual report to the Town Council concerning its activities during the preceding year.
The Town Planning Commission may authorize its members to attend planning conferences or meetings of planning institutes or hearings upon pending legislation or to visit other communities.
The Town Planning Commission may request additional assistance for special survey work of the Town Council, which may, at its discretion, assign such work to Commission members or the staff of any administrative department or direct such department to make such special studies.
The Zoning Administrator may enter upon any land in the Town in the performance of her functions, and make examinations and surveys and place and maintain necessary monuments and marks thereon, and in the discretion of the Zoning Administrator may have members of the Planning Commission accompany her.
The Town Planning Commission, working with the planning services of state planning, shall make and adopt a Comprehensive Plan for the development of the Town. Such plan with the accompanying maps, plats, charts and descriptive matter shall show the Town Planning Commission's recommendations for the development of the territory covered by the plan, and may, among other things include:
A. 
The general location, character and extent of the streets, bridges, waterways, boulevards, parkways, playgrounds, parks, squares, aviation fields and other public ways, grounds and open spaces.
B. 
The general location of public buildings and other public property.
C. 
The removal, relocation, widening, narrowing, vacating, abandonment, change of use or extension of such existing or future ways, grounds, open spaces, building, property, utilities or terminals.
D. 
A zoning plan for the control of height, area, bulk, location and use of buildings and premises.
E. 
The general extent and location of slum clearance and urban development projects.
The Town Planning Commission may promote public interest in and understanding of the Comprehensive Plan and, to that end, publish and distribute copies of the plan or of any report, conduct public hearings and employ such other means of publicity and education as it may determine.
The Town Planning Commission shall consult and advise with public officials and agencies, public utility companies, civil, educational, professional and other organizations and with citizens with relation to the protecting or carrying out of the Comprehensive Plan.