(A) Establishment; jurisdiction. There is established a board known as the Dare County Planning Board, whose jurisdiction shall include the area within the limits of the County as the law provides.
(B) Composition; appointment of members; terms; vacancies; attendance at meetings. The Planning Board shall be composed of 7 members, who shall be residents of the County and who shall be appointed by the Board of Commissioners. The Planning Board shall consist of 1 member from each of the 4 districts defined in division (C) below, and 3 members-at-large. Except for the Chairperson and members-at-large, members must reside in the district for which they are appointed. All members shall serve for a term of 3 years and members may be appointed for consecutive terms. Vacancies occurring for reasons other than expiration of terms shall be filled as they occur for the period of the unexpired term. Faithful attendance at the meetings of the Board is considered a prerequisite for the maintenance of membership on the Board. The Chairperson and members shall serve at the pleasure of the Board of Commissioners. The Board of Commissioners shall designate 1 member of the Planning Board to serve as the Chairperson.
(C) Composition of Districts.
(1) District One: The mainland and Roanoke Island.
(2) District Two: Town of Nags Head and all of Bodie Island south to Oregon Inlet; Town of Kill Devil Hills and adjacent or nearby to the west including but not limited to Colington Islands and Baum Bay Harbor.
(3) District Three: Town of Kitty Hawk, Town of Southern Shores, all the remainder of Dare County west and north of the Town of Southern Shores.
(4) District Four: Hatteras Island.
(D) Organization; rules and records; meetings generally; quorum. The Planning Board shall meet as needed, and all of its meetings shall be open to the public. There shall be a quorum of four members for the purpose of taking any official action required by this section. The Planning Board shall follow the same rules of procedures as those adopted by the Board of Commissioners. A copy of these adopted rules of procedures shall be maintained by the Planning Director and posted on the Dare County website.
(E) Powers and duties generally.
(1) The Planning Board is designated as the planning agency. The Planning Board is designated as the planning agency for the unincorporated portions of Dare County and shall have the following assignments:
(a) Prepare, review, maintain, monitor, and periodically update and recommend to the Board of Commissioners a comprehensive plan and other such plans as deemed appropriate, and conduct related research, data collection, mapping and analysis;
(b) Facilitate and coordinate citizen engagement and participation in the planning process;
(c) Develop and recommend policies, ordinances, development regulations, administrative procedures, and other means for carrying out plans in a coordinated and efficient manner;
(d) Advise the Board of Commissioners concerning the implementation of plans, including but not limited to, review and comment on all zoning text and map amendments as required by G.S. § 160D-604;
(e) Exercise any functions in the administration and enforcement of various means for carrying out plans that the Board of Commissioners may direct;
(f) Provide a preliminary forum for review of special use permits, provided that no part of the forum or recommendation may be used as a basis for the Board of Commissioners in deciding on special use permits; and
(g) Perform other related duties that may be assigned by the Board of Commissioners.
(F) Public comments. A public comment period shall be provided at the beginning of each Planning Board meeting for citizens to present comments on any land use matter in general or on specific proposals that may be under consideration by the Planning Board. Public comments may also be mailed by U.S. Postal Service or electronically delivered to the Planning Board.
(G) Oath of office. All members of the Planning Board shall, before entering their duties, be sworn in by the Planning Board Clerk or Clerk to the Board of Commissioners when initially appointed to the Planning Board and at each subsequent re-appointment.
(H) Conflict of interest. The conflict of interest provisions of Section 22-73 of the Dare County Zoning Ordinance shall apply to all Planning Board actions.
(Prior Code, § 152.10) (Ord. passed 1-6-1997; Am. Ord. passed 3-18-2019; Am. Ord. passed 6-1-2021)