There shall be a Municipal Planning and Zoning Commission which shall consist of five (5) members, all of whom shall be electors of the Municipality not holding other public office, who shall be appointed by the Mayor, subject to confirmation by a majority vote of members of Council, for a term of five (5) years. At the end of each expired term, appointments to the Planning and Zoning Commission shall be made in a manner to retain the initial pattern of five (5) staggered terms with one term expiring each year.
A vacancy occurring during the term of any member of the Planning and Zoning Commission shall be filled for the unexpired term in the manner authorized for an original appointment.
The Planning and Zoning Commission shall meet at least once a month. Each year the Planning and Zoning Commission shall meet with Council by January 31 for the purpose of discussing upcoming Planning and Zoning issues.
The Planning and Zoning Commission shall have such powers and duties as shall be conferred upon it by ordinance of the Council or general laws of the State of Ohio, concerning:
(a) the plan, design, location, removal, relocation and alteration of any buildings or structures or land owned by the public, Municipality or private institution, or located on public streets or public property;
(b) the location, relocation, widening, extension and vacation of streets, parkways, playgrounds, parks, or any other public places;
(c) alterations to the drainage of any land;
(d) approval of plats for the subdivision of land;
(e) the planning for and the zoning of the Municipality for any lawful purpose or purposes.
(f) the upgrading of the zoning map of the Municipality.
Council shall not pass any ordinance or resolution pertaining to land use and zoning without first receiving the recommendation of the Planning and Zoning Commission, and the Planning and Zoning Commission shall act upon request of Council within sixty (60) days after receipt of any such request for a recommendation unless additional time is granted by Council. The Planning and Zoning Commission shall be required to conduct a public hearing prior to recommending to Council any change in the zoning ordinance or zoning map of the Municipality.
Any recommendation made by the Planning and Zoning Commission to Council shall be introduced at the next regular Council meeting following the receipt of any such recommendation by the Clerk, and any such recommendation shall be introduced in the form of an ordinance by the President of Council.
The Planning and Zoning Commission shall adopt and recommend to Council a comprehensive general plan for the physical development of the Municipality. In addition, the Commission shall make and maintain plans and maps of the whole or any portion of the Municipality which relate to the planning of the Municipality.
The Planning and Zoning Commission shall be required to make a comprehensive review of the zoning ordinances of the Municipality and shall recommend to City Council such revisions or amendments to the zoning ordinances as it deems necessary to preserve the development of the physical character of the Municipality and to plan for future growth and development of the Municipality. Such initial comprehensive review shall be completed not later than December 1, 1993, and thereafter, the Commission shall conduct comprehensive reviews of the zoning ordinances as it deems necessary, provided that a complete review of the zoning ordinances shall take place not less than once every five (5) years.
At the first regularly scheduled meeting of City Council in each calendar month, the Planning and Zoning Commission shall submit to Council a written report of its activities during the previous month.
(Amended 11-3-1981; 11-6-1990; 11-7-2000)