(A) Creation of the Planning and Zoning Board.
(1) There is hereby created the Planning and Zoning Board consisting of 7 members appointed by the Mayor, by and with the consent of the City Council. Upon the adoption of this chapter, the 7 members shall be appointed to serve respectively for the following terms: 1 for 1 year, 1 for 2 years, 1 for 3 years, 1 for 4 years, 1 for 5 years, 1 for 6 years, and 1 for 7 years, the successor to each member so appointed to serve for a term of 5 years.
(2) The amount of compensation to be paid to members, if any, shall be fixed by the City Council. Subject to the approval of the City Council, the Mayor may remove any member for cause and after public hearing. Vacancies shall be filled for the unexpired term of the member whose place has become vacant.
(3) All meetings of the Planning and Zoning Board shall be held at the call of the chairman and at such other times as the Board may determine. The chairman, or in his or her absence the acting chairman, may administer oaths and compel the attendance of witnesses. All meetings of the Board shall be open to the public. The Board shall keep minutes of its proceedings, showing the vote of each member upon every question, or if absent or failing to vote, indicating that fact, and shall also keep records of its examinations and other official actions. No hearing shall be conducted without a quorum of the Board being present, which shall consist of a majority of all the members. Every rule, regulation, every amendment or repeal thereof, and every order, requirement, decision, or determination of the Board shall immediately be filed in the office of the Board and shall be a public record.
(B) Duties of the Planning and Zoning Board.
(1) The Planning and Zoning Board shall hear appeals from and review any order, requirement, decision, or determination made by the Building and Zoning Administrator. In hearing the appeals, the Board is authorized to recommend to the City Council interpretations of the meaning of these regulations in case of ambiguities and to recommend rulings with respect to the application of these regulations.
(2) The Planning and Zoning Board is authorized to hear petitions for variances from the strict terms of the zoning regulations where a genuine and unique hardship would result if the zoning regulations were to be strictly applied. The Planning and Zoning Board may recommend that the variance be granted only in those instances in which the variance would be in harmony with the general purpose and intent of these zoning regulations and in accord with general or specific rules written into these regulations.
(3) The Planning and Zoning Board shall conduct hearings and make recommendations to the City Council on applications for conditional use permits specifically listed in the district regulations of these regulations.
(4) The Planning and Zoning Board shall conduct hearings on proposed amendments to the zoning regulations and zoning maps.
(Am. Ord. 2014-36, passed 9-8-2014)