A. Generally: The planning commission shall be the planning agency and shall have the powers and duties given such agencies generally by Minnesota state statute 462.354. The planning commission shall also exercise the duties conferred upon its members by this chapter.
B. Physical Development And Planning: The planning commission is charged with the duty of formulating, preparing and proposing for adoption, plans, programs and policies relative to the present or future physical development and planning of the city and relative to any other planning and development activities authorized by Minnesota statutes. This includes, but is not limited to, zoning ordinances, subdivision regulations, and other policies related to physical development and planning.
C. Comprehensive Plan: It shall be the concern of the planning commission to recommend to the city council reasonable and practical means for putting into effect the comprehensive plan or any section thereof in order that it will serve as a pattern and guide for the orderly physical development of the city and as a basis for judging the timely disbursement of funds to implement the objectives. Means of effectuating the plan shall, among other things, consist of a zoning ordinance, subdivision regulations, capital improvement programming and technical review, and recommendations of matters referred to the planning commission by the city council. The commission shall review, formulate changes, and, from time to time, revise the comprehensive plan and shall submit the same to the council for its consideration as developments or changes indicate.
D. Variances: All applications for variances shall be referred to the planning commission which shall have the powers of a board of appeals and adjustments as provided for in Minnesota state statute 462.357, subdivision 6, as it may be amended from time to time, and shall act in a manner advisory to the city council. Applications shall be forwarded, with or without recommendations, directly to the city council for its decision. Variances may be granted from the literal provisions of an ordinance only where strict enforcement would cause undue hardship because of circumstances unique to the individual property under consideration as authorized by Minnesota state statute 462.357, subdivision 6(2), as it may be amended from time to time.
E. Other Planning Matters: The council shall refer to the planning commission all petitions for annexations, all petitions for zone changes, all concept plans, plats and replats of lands in the city, all petitions for the vacating of streets and alleys, requests for conditional use permits under the terms of the zoning ordinance, and other related planning matters for recommendation prior to final approval by the Frazee city council.
F. Work With Other Boards, Departments And Agencies: The planning commission shall coordinate with all of the city boards and departments and other governmental agencies and private utilities with respect to needs for public lands, easements and streets and coordinate other planning and zoning matters before making a recommendation to the council.
G. Limits Of Authority: The function of the commission shall be advisory only, except in those instances where it is given specific authority to act by the council. (Ord. 145, 1-10-2011)