(A) There is hereby established a Zoning Board of Appeals as authorized by Public Act 12 of 2008, as amended.
(B) The Zoning Board of Appeals shall consist of 7 members appointed by a majority vote of the members of the Township Board.
(1) One member shall be a member of the Planning Commission.
(2) One member shall be a member of the Township Board.
(3) The remaining regular (5) members, and any alternate (2) members shall be electors of the township who shall reside within the township.
(C) Members selected to serve on the Zoning Board of Appeals shall be representative of the population distribution and of various interests present in the township.
(D) Each member shall be appointed for a term of 3 years, except that the term of office of the members who are also members of the Township Board or Planning Commission shall terminate if their membership on the Township Board or Planning Commission terminates.
(E) The Zoning Board of Appeals shall elect a Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, and Secretary. The Township Board member may not serve as Chairperson.
(F) The Township Board may appoint 2 alternate members for the same term as regular members to the Zoning Board of Appeals.
(G) An alternate member may be called, as specified in the Zoning Ordinance, to sit as a regular member of the Zoning Board of Appeals in the absence of a regular member, if a regular member is absent from or unable to attend 1 or more meetings.
(H) An alternate member may also be called to serve in the place of a regular member for the purpose of reaching a decision of a case in which the regular member for the Board has abstained for reason of conflict of interest.
(I) Having been appointed, the alternate member shall serve in the case until a final decision has been made.
(J) The alternate member shall have the same voting rights as a regular member of the Zoning Board of Appeals.
(K) A member of the Zoning Board of Appeals may be paid a reasonable per diem as established and approved by the Township Board.
(L) A member shall disqualify himself or herself from a vote in which the member has a conflict of interest. A member’s failure to disqualify himself or herself from a vote in which the member has a conflict of interest constitutes malfeasance in office.
(M) Upon written charges and after a public hearing, a member of the Zoning Board of Appeals may be removed by the Township Board for misfeasance, malfeasance, or nonfeasance in office.
(N) A vacancy on the Zoning Board of Appeals shall be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term in the same manner as original appointments.
(Ord. 99, passed 11-18-1996, § 24.01; Am. Ord. 157, passed 7-17-2007; Am. Ord. 174, passed 11-10-2008)