[Amended 2-9-2009 by Ord. No. 142]
A. The Mayor, with the approval of the Town Council,
shall appoint a Planning and Zoning Commission consisting of five
members, plus one alternate, one of whom may be a member of the Town
Council, who shall serve concurrent with his/her Town Council term.
B. The terms of members who are not also members of the
Town Council shall be three years, or until their successors are appointed.
Appointed members shall live, work, be a property owner, or be a business
owner within the Town limits of Leonardtown.
[Amended 5-9-2011 by Ord. No. 149]
The Planning and Zoning Commission shall be
responsible for the following:
A. Final approval authority on subdivision of land and
site plans. Any appeal of the Planning and Zoning Commission's decision
may only be taken to the Circuit Court of St. Mary's County, Maryland.
B. Waivers, modifications. The Planning and Zoning Commission
may waive or modify provisions of the Zoning Ordinance, Subdivision
Regulations, Road Ordinance or any other ordinances over which it has authority, on
a case-by-case basis. The Commission may allow waivers or modifications
only when it finds that such waiver or modification of a standard
does not harm the environment or violate the spirit of Leonardtown's
Development Regulations.
C. Approval authority on interpretation of the Subdivision
Regulations, Zoning Ordinance, Road Ordinance, Stormwater Management
Regulations; exterior architectural plans. Any appeal of the Planning
and Zoning Commission's decision must be taken to the Town Council.
Appeals of the Town Council's decisions may only be taken to the Circuit
Court of St Mary's County, Maryland.
D. Recommendation to the Town Council required. Rules
and regulations governing the development of land within the Town
can only be adopted or modified by the Town Council. However, prior
to final action by the Town Council, the Planning Commission must
review and make recommendations to the Council on any adoption or
amendment to the following:
(1) Comprehensive land use plan.
(3) Zoning Ordinance and Development Regulations, including,
but not limited to, the Road Ordinance, Stormwater Management Regulations
and Architectural Standards or any other land development regulations
the Town may adopt.