The membership of the Planning Commission is hereby increased from five
to seven members. All members of the Planning Commission shall be residents
of Franconia Township. At least five members shall be citizen members who
are not officers or employees of the township.
All members of the Planning Commission shall be appointed by the Township
Board of Supervisors.
The term of office for each of the members of the Planning Commission
shall be four years, or until a successor is appointed and qualified to fill
the term of a member whose term has expired, except that the terms of office
of the two additional members created by this chapter shall be established
so that no more than two members shall be reappointed or replaced during any
future calendar year.
If a vacancy in office shall occur by death, resignation, removal from
the township or removal from office, it shall be filled by appointment for
the unexpired term.
Any member of the Planning Commission, once qualified and appointed,
may be removed from office for malfeasance, misfeasance or nonfeasance in
office, or for other just cause by majority vote of the Board of Supervisors
taken after the member has received 15 days' advance notice of the intent
to take such a vote. A hearing shall be held before the Board of Supervisors
in connection with the vote if the member shall request it in writing.
The Planning Commission shall elect its own Chairman and Vice Chairman
and create and fill such other offices as it may determine. Officers shall
serve annual terms and may succeed themselves.
In January each year, the Planning Commission shall establish a schedule
of meetings for the year. Additional meetings may be held as required by the
Board of Supervisors. All meetings shall be open to the public.
A member's absence without excuse from two successive scheduled meetings, or absence without excuse from four scheduled meetings in a calendar year, shall constitute just cause for removal from office as provided in §
26-5 of this chapter.
The attendance of four members at a meeting shall be required for a
quorum for the transaction of business.
The affirmative vote of four members of the Planning Commission shall
be required for approval or disapproval of any matter brought before the Planning
Commission for review. Where, due to lack of a quorum or other cause, the
Planning Commission fails to approve or disapprove a subdivision or land development
plan or otherwise fails to take action on a matter requiring review, the subdivision,
land development plan or other matter shall be referred to the Board of Supervisors,
and the Planning Commission's failure to take action shall have the effect
of no recommendation.
The Planning Commission may make and alter bylaws and rules and regulations
to govern its procedures consistent with this chapter and the laws of the
commonwealth. The Planning Commission shall keep a full record of its business
and shall annually make a written report by March 1 of each year of its activities
to the Board of Supervisors. Interim reports may be made as often as may be
necessary, or as requested by the Board of Supervisors.