The planning and zoning commission shall have the following powers and responsibilities:
A. To prepare and recommend to the city council an official comprehensive plan for the present and future development or redevelopment of the city, which plan shall be known as "The City Of Highwood Official Comprehensive Plan". Such plan may be adopted in separate geographical or functional parts, each of which, when adopted, shall be the official comprehensive plan, or part thereof, of the city. The official plan may include reasonable requirements with reference to streets, alleys, public grounds and other improvements hereinafter specified. The plan, as recommended by the plan commission and thereafter adopted by the city council, shall be applicable, by the terms thereof, to lands situated within the corporate limits and contiguous territory not more than one and one-half (11/2) miles beyond the corporate limits of the city, and not included within the limits of any other city, village or incorporated town, which shall be designated on the official map of the city. Any ordinances of the city: 1) establishing reasonable standards of design for subdivisions or resubdivisions of unimproved land and areas subject to redevelopment in respect to public improvements as herein defined; or 2) establishing reasonable requirements governing the location, width, course and surfacing of public streets and highways, alleys, ways for public service facilities, curbs, gutters, sidewalks, streetlights, parks, playgrounds, school grounds, size of lots to be used for residential purposes, stormwater drainage, water supply and distribution, sanitary sewers, and sewage collection and treatment shall constitute part of the official plan of the city. The official plan may also include a plan designating land suitable for annexation to the city and recommending the zoning classification for such land upon annexation.
B. To prepare and recommend to the city council, from time to time, such changes in the plan as may be deemed necessary by the council or by the planning and zoning commission.
C. To prepare and recommend to the council, from time to time, plans for specific improvements pursuant to the provisions of such official plan.
D. To prepare and recommend to the council an official map of the city and to prepare and recommend to the council from time to time revisions in said map.
E. To call upon any officials of the city for aid and advice upon any matter properly within the scope of interest of the plan commission and to give aid to the officials of the city charged with direction of projects for improvements embraced within the official plan, to further the making of such improvements and, generally, to promote the realization of the official plan. If the planning and zoning commission shall deem it advisable to secure technical advice or service, it may do so upon authority from and by the council and appropriation by the council therefor.
F. To prepare and recommend to the corporate authorities schemes regulating or forbidding structures or activities which may hinder access to solar energy necessary for the proper functioning of "solar energy systems", as defined in section 1.2 of the comprehensive solar energy act of 1977, or to recommend changes in such schemes.
G. To conduct all hearings as required pursuant to the city zoning ordinance.
H. To hear applications for variations and special use permits, as required by the city zoning ordinance, and appeals from and review any order, requirement, decision or determination made by the zoning administrator charged with enforcement of title 11 of this code.
I. To exercise such other powers germane to the powers granted by this chapter as may, from time to time, be conferred by the city council.
J. Notwithstanding the above, the planning and zoning commission shall have no powers or responsibilities which have been otherwise delegated to the Fort Sheridan joint plan commission, pursuant to title 11, chapter 3, article A of this code. (Ord. 15-O-11, 3-17-2015, eff. 5-1-2015)