(A) Members. The Planning and Zoning Board shall serve as a board of appeals on zoning matters as provided by statute and the city’s planning commission. This Board shall consist of 7 members to be appointed by the Mayor by and with the advice and consent of the City Council. A Chairperson and a Secretary from the membership shall be appointed by the Mayor, with the advice and consent of the City Council.
(B) Term. The members of the Board of Appeals shall serve for a term of 5 years, provided that the terms shall be staggered as provided by statute.
(C) Powers and duties. It shall be the duty of the Planning and Zoning Board to hear and decide any appeal of any decision, order, or interpretation by the officer whose duty it is to enforce the zoning regulations, and it shall have such other powers and duties as may be delegated to it by statute or ordinance, provided that it shall have the power to reverse any decision of that officer on a concurring vote of 4 members. The Planning and Zoning Board shall also have the following powers and duties:
(1) To prepare and recommend to the corporate authorities a comprehensive plan for the present and future development or redevelopment of the city. This plan may be adopted in whole or in separate geographical or functional parts, each of which when adopted shall be the official comprehensive plan, or part thereof, of the city. This plan may include reasonable requirements with reference to streets, alleys, public grounds, and other improvements herein specified. The plan, as recommended by the Planning and Zoning Board, and as thereafter adopted by the City Council may be applicable, by the terms thereof, to land situated within the corporate limits and contiguous territory not more than 1-1/2 miles beyond the corporate limits of and not included in any other municipality;
(2) To recommend changes, from time to time, in the official comprehensive plan;
(3) To prepare and recommend to the corporate authorities, from time to time, specific improvements in pursuance of the official comprehensive plan, and to issue recommendations concerning such improvement plans as may be proposed by officials of the city or by private groups or individuals and to make recommendations to the City Council with regard to the feasibility and propriety of such improvement plans, and the relationship of the projects to the official plan within 60 days, or less, if so designated by the City Council.
(4) To give aid to the municipal officials charged with the direction of projects for improvements embraced within the official plan to further the making of these improvements, and, generally, to promote the realization of the plan;
(5) To prepare reports based upon research and study of planning problems of the city;
(6) To submit to the City Council recommendations with respect to;
(a) Each proposed municipal project involving the dedication, opening, widening, extending and vacating of streets;
(b) The design, location, placing, erection, and acceptance of public monuments, memorials or statues placed or sought to be placed or erected in any street, public place, or on other public property;
(c) The general location and layout of all redevelopment and renewal projects in order to determine their conformance to the comprehensive plan of the city;
(d) The acquisition of land for conservation, park and recreation purposes, monuments and other public purposes;
(e) The designation of land suitable for annexation to the city and the recommended zoning classification for the land upon annexation;
(f) To exercise all powers granted to the Planning and Zoning Board by the city zoning ordinance;
(g) The acquisition of any space, public building, or structure; and
(h) The preliminary approval of plats for subdivision or resubdivision of land, and to advise and assist the City Council in final approval, pursuant to the ordinances of the city and statutes of the State of Illinois.
(7) To arrange and conduct any form of publicity relative to its activities for the general purpose of public information and understanding;
(8) To cooperate with city and regional planning commissions and other agencies or groups to further the local planning program and to assure harmonious and integrated planning for the area; and
(9) To exercise any other powers germane to the powers granted under authority of an act of the General Assembly of the State of Illinois, entitled “Illinois Municipal Code,” ILCS Ch. 65, Act 5, as amended, as may be conferred by the city.
(D) Contemplated action to be submitted to the Planning and Zoning Board for recommendation before approval by the Council. The City Council shall take no action authorizing or approving the acquisition of any park, other public ground, space or public building or structure, or authorizing or approving any map, plat, or replat of land lying within the corporate limits or in contiguous territory not more than 1-1/2 miles distant from the limits, or change any provisions of the zoning ordinance, accept the dedication of any public street or grounds, or vacate any street until the contemplated action shall have first been submitted to the Planning and Zoning Board for its recommendation. If the Board shall fail to submit its recommendation within 30 days, the Council may proceed without one.
(E) Procedure. The Planning and Zoning Board shall adopt rules and regulations pertaining to its procedures, consistent with the ordinances of the city and the statutes of the State of Illinois. The rules and regulations shall be forwarded to the Administration Committee of the City Council and may be reviewed by the City Council and repealed by the Council upon a 2/3 vote of the members present. The rules and regulations shall be made available to the public upon request.
(Am. Ord. 2013-67, passed 12-9-2013; Am. Ord. 2014-36, passed 9-8-2014)
Statutory reference:
Similar provisions, see ILCS Ch. 65, Act 5, § 11-13-3