A. Purpose: A planning commission is hereby created pursuant to the terms hereof. It is the intent of the city council that the commission represent the concerns of diverse citizen groups, as well as the broad interests of the community as a whole; that membership of the planning commission represents a fair cross section of the community and provide balanced representation in terms of geographic, professional, neighborhood and community interest; and that a wide range of expertise relating to development of a healthy and well planned community be sought when establishing or altering the composition of the membership of the planning commission. It is also the intent of this title that the activities of the planning commission and of its subcommittees, if any, be conducted to maximize the convenience and accessibility to the citizens of the city.
B. Appointment: The planning commission shall be constituted and appointed as follows: shall consist of seven (7) members and one alternate member, who shall be appointed by the city manager with the advice and consent of the city council.
C. Term And Term Limitation: Members of the planning commission, including the alternate member, shall serve a term of three (3) years and shall not serve more than two (2) consecutive terms.
1. Each term shall begin on July 1 of the year of appointment and shall end on June 30 of the year when the appointment term expires.
2. The terms of planning commission members shall be staggered. A planning commission member may be appointed for a term of less than three (3) years to provide for staggered terms or to complete a vacated, unexpired term.
D. Geographic Representation: In order to promote geographic representation on the planning commission, one member of the planning commission shall be appointed from each of the five (5) city council districts in the city as established in section 2.08.050 of this code, and two (2) members, plus the alternate member, shall be appointed at large. No more than two (2) members of the planning commission shall reside in one city council district.
E. Residency Requirement: All members of the planning commission must be bona fide residents and qualified electors of the city.
F. Compensation: Each member of the planning commission shall receive twenty five dollars ($25.00) per meeting as compensation and as reimbursement for expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties; provided, however, that such compensation and reimbursement not exceed one hundred dollars ($100.00) per month. The alternate member of the planning commission shall receive twenty five dollars ($25.00) per meeting as compensation as set forth above for each meeting at which the attendance of the alternate member is requested by the chair of the planning commission.
G. Removal And Vacancies: Members of the planning commission may be removed for cause by the city manager, upon written charges and after a public hearing (if a public hearing is requested by the member being removed). Cause shall include, but not be limited to, violations of the Utah municipal officers' and employees' ethics act, Utah Code Annotated section 10-3-1301 et seq., or its successor. Any vacancy occurring on the planning commission by reason of death, resignation or removal shall be promptly filled by the city manager with advice and consent of the city council for the unexpired term of such member. Any vacancy occurring on the planning commission by reason of expiration of term shall be promptly filled by the city manager with the advice and consent of the city council.
H. Officers: The planning commission shall annually elect a chairperson and such other officers it deems advisable from among its members. The chairperson and such other officers elected by the planning commission shall serve for a term of one year and shall not hold the position of chair for more than two (2) consecutive one year terms.
I. Quorum: No action of the planning commission shall be official or of any effect except when a quorum of the members is present. Four (4) members of the planning commission shall constitute a quorum.
J. Procedure: The planning commission shall adopt policies and procedures for the conduct of its meetings, the processing of applications, and for any other purposes considered necessary for the functioning of the planning commission.
K. Powers And Duties: The planning commission shall have the following duties to:
1. Prepare and recommend a general plan and amendments to the general plan to the city council;
2. Recommend land use ordinances and zoning maps, official maps, and amendments to land use ordinances and maps to the city council;
3. Act as a land use authority as provided in this title;
4. Act as an appeal authority as provided in this title;
5. Advise the city council on matters as the city council directs;
6. Exercise any other powers necessary to enable it to perform functions delegated to it by the city council, or conferred upon it by state statutes.
L. Meetings:
1. The planning commission shall meet at least once each month. Any member who cannot attend any meeting of the planning commission shall so notify the chair of the planning commission, who shall direct the alternate member of the planning commission to fill the vacancy at such meeting.
2. The alternate member may participate in a meeting at which all seven (7) regular members of the planning commission are present but may not vote.
3. All meetings, including any necessary public hearings, shall be held after the regular working hours of the city.
4. All meetings and public hearings of the planning commission shall be public meetings, and shall comply with the provisions of Utah Code Annotated section 52-4-1 et seq., as amended.
5. Such meetings shall be held in a public place designated by the planning commission and shall be of sufficient size to ensure public access.
6. The planning commission shall keep minutes and a recording of the commission's proceedings as provided in Utah Code Annotated section 52-4-203, as amended.
7. The official record of all commission meetings shall be the written and approved minutes.
8. Copies of the minutes and any recordings may be provided, if requested, at the expense of the requesting party. If minutes are available but not yet approved by the commission, they shall be clearly identified as "unofficial". (Ord. 2012-15, 9-20-2012)