(A) Immediately following their appointment, the members of the Plan Commission shall meet, organize, elect such officers as it may deem necessary, and adopt and later change or alter rules and regulations of organization and procedure consistent with City ordinances and state laws. The Commission shall keep written records of its proceedings, which shall be open at all times to public inspection. The Commission shall also file an annual report with the City Council, setting forth its transactions and recommendations.
(B) Said Plan Commission shall have the following powers and duties:
(1) To prepare and recommend to the City Council of Mt. Vernon a comprehensive plan for the present and future development or redevelopment and growth of said City. Such a plan after its adoption by the City Council will be known as the official plan of Mt. Vernon, Illinois. Such plan shall include reasonable requirements with reference to streets, alleys, and public grounds within the corporate limits and in contiguous territory outside of and distant not more than one and one-half miles from such limits, and not included in any municipality, such requirements to be effective whenever such lands shall be subdivided after the adoption of such plan.
(2) To prepare and recommend to the City Council of Mt. Vernon from time to time, such changes in the plan or any part thereof, as may be deemed necessary by the City Council or by the Plan Commission.
(3) To prepare and recommend to the City Council from time to time, plans and/or recommendations for specific improvements in pursuance of such official plan.
(4) To give aid to the officials of the City of Mt. Vernon, charged with the direction of projects for improvements embraced within the official plan, to further the making of these projects, and generally to promote the realization of the official plan.
(5) To arrange and conduct any form of publicity relative to its activities for the general purpose of public understanding.
(6) To cooperate with municipal or regional planning commissions and other agencies or groups to further the local planning program and to assure harmonious and integrated planning for the area.
(7) To exercise such other powers germane to the powers granted under authority of an act of the General Assembly of the State of Illinois entitled, “The Illinois Municipal Code” and in particular, §§ 11-12-4 through 11-12-12 (65 ILCS 5/11-12-4 through 11- 12-12) thereof, as amended, as may be conferred by the City Council of Mt. Vernon, Illinois.
(Prior Code, Art. 14, § 14.4)