(A) Membership.
(1) All members of the Commission shall be residents of the city. The Commission shall be made up of seven members as follows, per I.C. 36-7-4-207(b), as the same may be amended:
(a) Three members appointed by the Common Council who must be elected or appointed municipal officials or employees in the municipal government.
(b) Four citizen members, appointed by the Mayor, of whom no more than two may be of the same political party.
(c) If and when the city exercises its jurisdiction outside the incorporated area of the municipality, as provided for in I.C. 36-7-4-205, two additional members shall be appointed by Dearborn County pursuant to I.C. 36-7-4-214.
(B) Reciprocal representation.
(1) A designated representative of the Commission shall serve as an advisory member of the Dearborn County Plan Commission.
(2) The representative of the Dearborn County Plan Commission appointed to serve as an advisory member of the Lawrenceburg Plan Commission shall have all the privileges of membership, except the right to vote.
(C) Term of office.
(1) The term of office for those members appointed pursuant to division (A)(1)(a) of this section shall be governed by I.C. 36-7-4-217, as the same may be amended from time to time.
(2) The term of office for those members appointed pursuant to division (A)(1)(b) shall be governed by I.C. 36-7-4 217, as the same may be amended from time to time.
(D) Commission organization.
(1) At its first regular meeting in each year, the Commission shall elect from its members a President and Vice President. The Vice President may act as president of the Commission during the absence or disability of the President.
(2) The Commission may appoint and fix the duties of a Secretary, who is not required to be a member of the Commission.
(3) A quorum consists of a majority of the entire membership of the Commission who are qualified to vote.
(4) Action of the Commission is not official, unless it is authorized at a regular or special meeting, by a majority of the entire Commission membership.
(E) Powers and duties.
(1) Per I.C. 36-7-4-401, the Plan Commission shall:
(a) Supervise and make rules for the administration of the affairs of the Commission;
(b) Prescribe uniform rules pertaining to investigations and hearings;
(c) Keep a complete record of all the Commission proceedings, including meeting minutes, which shall be public records, on file in the office of the Commission;
(d) Record and file all bonds and contracts and assume responsibility for the custody and preservation of all papers and documents of the Commission;
(e) Prepare, publish, and distribute reports, ordinances, and other material relating to the activities authorized by state law;
(f) Adopt a seal; and
(g) Certify to all official acts.
(2) In addition, the Commission shall:
(a) Review and make recommendations to the Common Council on those matters required by state laws, including but not limited to, amendments to this chapter and the city’s comprehensive plan;
(b) Review and determine those applications that, by this chapter, require final review by the Plan Commission;
(c) Be authorized and empowered to do and perform any act which is required or allowed under state law;
(d) Review and make recommendations to the Board of Zoning Appeals on conditionally permitted use applications.
(e) Hold annual meetings with the Lawrenceburg Board of Architectural Review to consider matters of mutual interest or matters referred to the two bodies by the Common Council; and
(f) Hold annual meetings with the Board of Zoning Appeals to consider matters of mutual interest or matters referred to the two bodies by the Common Council.
(F) Meetings.
(1) The Commission shall hold regularly scheduled monthly meetings.
(2) Special meetings may be called by the President or by two members upon written request to the Secretary, who shall send a written notice to all members at least three days before the special meeting indicating its time and place. Written notice is not required if the date, time, and place are fixed during a regular meeting attended by all Commission members.
(Ord. 99-14, passed 12-20-99; Am. Ord. 16-2003, passed 11-17-03)