[Amended 4-6-1987 by L.L. No. 2-1987; 6-25-1990 by L.L. No. 1-1990; 11-26-1990 by L.L. No. 3-1990; 3-8-1995 by L.L. No. 1-1995; 12-11-2006 by L.L. No. 3-2006; 9-10-2007 by L.L. No. 3-2007]
[Amended 11-13-2017 by L.L. No. 1-2018]
A. 
There shall be a Department of Planning and Development, the head of which shall be the Director of Planning and Development.
B. 
Minimum qualifications:
(1) 
A Master's degree in planning, engineering, urban geography; landscape architecture, Public administration, environmental studies or a related field; OR
(2) 
Graduation from a regionally accredited or New York State registered four year college or university with a Bachelor's Degree in planning, engineering, urban geography, landscape architecture, public administration, environmental studies or related field and one year of experience in municipal, community or regional planning.
C. 
Duties of the Director of Planning and Development:
(1) 
Performs research and conducts studies on planning issues including housing, recreation, transportation, tourism, land use regulation, community development and environmental concerns;
(2) 
Participates in comprehensive projects involving research, data collection, investigation and analysis of sociological, economic and environmental factors related to community planning concerns;
(3) 
Reviews and critics proposals and requests for land use changes, site plan development applications, subdivision, variance and rezoning;
(4) 
Participates in meeting with civic and business leaders, neighborhood groups and planning committees to determine community planning needs and provides technical assistance on land use regulations and related planning concerns and makes presentations on planning proposals and issues;
(5) 
Participates in the preparation of promotional literature and grant applications and grant administration processes.
[Amended 11-10-2014 by Ord. No. 16-2014; 8-19-2019 by L.L. No. 3-2019]
There shall be a Board of Planning and Development, which shall be constituted and empowered as a Planning Board pursuant to General City Law, Article 3. The Board shall consist of five members appointed by the Mayor and City Council for such terms as are specified in § 27 of the General City Law. An alternate member with the same authority and responsibilities shall also be appointed by the Mayor and City Council for the purpose of achieving a quorum. The Board shall make recommendations to the City Manager and the City Council on all matters affecting the physical development of the City, shall be consulted on the Comprehensive Plan and the implementation thereof and shall exercise all other responsibilities as may be provided by law.
A. 
Content. The City Council shall adopt and may from time to time modify a Comprehensive Plan setting forth in graphic and textual form policies to govern the future physical and economic development of the City. Such plan may cover the entire City and all of its functions and services or may consist of a combination of plans governing specific functions and services or specific geographic areas which together cover the entire City and all of its functions and services.
B. 
Adoption. Upon receipt from the City Manager of a proposed Comprehensive Plan or proposed modification of the existing plan, the City Council shall refer such proposal to the Board of Planning and Development, which shall, within a time specified by the City Council, report its recommendations thereon. After receipt of the recommendations of the Planning Board, the City Council shall hold a public hearing on the proposed Comprehensive Plan or modification thereof and shall thereafter adopt it by resolution with or without amendments.
C. 
Effect. The Comprehensive Plan shall serve as a guide for all future City Council action concerning land use and development regulations, urban renewal programs, community and economic development programs and expenditures for capital improvements.
A. 
Land use and development regulations. The City Council may by ordinance adopt land use and development regulations, including but not limited to an official map and zoning and subdivision regulations.
B. 
Development. The City Council may by ordinance provide for redevelopment, rehabilitation, conservation and urban renewal programs for:
(1) 
The alleviation or prevention of slums, obsolescence, blight or other conditions of deterioration;
(2) 
The achievement of the most appropriate use of land; and
(3) 
The improvement and development of the City's tax base.
C. 
Council action. Before acting on any proposed ordinance concerning land use and development regulations, urban renewal or expenditures for capital improvements, where such ordinance refers to a matter covered by the Comprehensive Plan, the City Council shall refer the proposal to the City Planning Board, which shall, within a time specified by the City Council and prior to the public hearing on the proposed ordinance, report its recommendations thereon. Upon adopting any such ordinance, the City Council shall make findings and report on the relationship between the ordinance and the Comprehensive Plan and, in the event that the ordinance does not accord with the Comprehensive Plan, the plan shall be deemed to be amended in accordance with such findings and report.
[Amended 11-10-2014 by Ord. No. 16-2014; 11-13-2017 by L.L. No. 1-2018; 8-19-2019 by L.L. No. 3-2019]
There shall be a Board of Appeals which shall be constituted and empowered as a Board of Appeals pursuant to the General City Law, Article 5-A. The Board shall consist of five members to be appointed by the Mayor and City Council. An alternate member with the same authority and responsibilities shall also be appointed by the Mayor and City Council for the purpose of achieving a quorum. Such members shall serve for terms of three years pursuant to § 81 of the General City Law. The Board shall hear and decide appeals from administrative decisions, petitions for variances to City Council ordinances in the case of peculiar and unusual circumstances where practical difficulties or unnecessary hardship would prevent carrying out the strict letter of any such ordinances and such other matters properly coming before it pursuant to the General City Law and other laws applicable thereto.