(A) A Village Commission is hereby created pursuant to the provisions of Public Act 285 of 1931, being M.C.L.A. §§ 125.31 through 125.45, as amended. It shall be known as the Pinckney Planning Commission.
(B) (1) The Planning Commission shall consist of seven members. One member shall be a member of the Village Council who shall be selected by the Council to serve as a member ex officio and six members shall be appointed by the Village President subject to the approval of the Village Council by majority vote. An appointed member shall not hold another municipal office, except that one appointed member may be a member of the Zoning Board of Appeals.
(2) The appointed members of the Planning Commission shall have three-year staggered terms with new terms commencing on January 1. The initial appointments after the adoption of this section, and in 2007, may have their terms varied in length to establish three-year staggered terms thereafter. An appointed member shall hold office until his or her successor has been appointed. The term of the Council member shall be determined by the Council, but the term shall not exceed the Council member's term of office as a Village Council member.
(3) Vacancies in appointed member positions occurring for reasons other than through expiration of a term shall be filled for the unexpired term by the Village President, subject to the approval of the Village Council. Vacancies in the Council member position occurring for reasons other than through expiration of a term shall be filled for the unexpired term by the Village Council.
(4) The Village Council member shall have full voting rights on the Planning Commission.
(5) All appointed members of the Village Planning Commission, excluding the Village Council member, shall serve as such with compensation as the Village Council shall prescribe.
(C) Removal of member. After a public hearing, an appointed member of the Planning Commission, other than the member selected by the Council, may be removed by the President for inefficiency, neglect of duty or malfeasance in office. The Village Council may for like cause remove the member selected by the Council.
(D) Meetings and records. The Pinckney Planning Commission shall annually elect its Chairperson from amongst the appointed members and create and fill the other of it offices as it may determine. The Commission shall hold not less than four regular meetings each year. It shall adopt rules for transaction of business and shall keep a record of its resolutions, transactions, findings and determinations, which record shall be a public record and open to inspection in the office of the Village Clerk.
(E) Contracts for services. The Pinckney Planning Commission may contract with village planners, engineers, architects and other consultants for the specialized services as it may require. In addition, the services of regular village employees may be obtained as found necessary for its work. Provided, however, the Pinckney Planning Commission shall not expand any funds or enter into any contracts or agreements for expenditures in excess amounts appropriate by the Village Council. The Village Council may appropriate the funds for village planning as it may deem advisable.
(F) Powers and duties of Pinckney Planning Commission. The Planning Commission shall have the powers concerning the preparation and adoption of a master plan or any part thereof, the making of surveys as a basis for the plan, the approval of public improvements, the carrying out of educational and publicity programs, zoning and the approval of plans and the other rights, powers, duties and responsibilities of Zoning and Planning Commissions as are provided in Act 33 of 2008, being M.C.L.A. §§ 125.3801 through 125.3885, as amended; and in Act 110 of 2006, being M.C.L.A. §§ 125.3101 through 125.3702, as amended; and as provided in the Village Code, as amended, including within Ch. 152: Zoning. The Planning Commission shall also serve as the Downtown Development Authority Board of Directors and shall have all rights, powers, duties and responsibilities as are provided in Act 197 of 1975, being M.C.L.A. §§ 125.1651 through 125.1681, as amended, and as provided in the Village Code §§ 31.25 through 31.33 and § 153.01, as amended.
(G) Gifts. The Pinckney Planning Commission may receive gifts for purposes of carrying out its objectives and may expend and funds received in the form of a gift in such a manner as it may deem proper.
(H) Reports and recommendations. The Pinckney Planning Commission shall make reports and recommendations to the Village Council; provided, however, that no recommendation shall be binding upon the Village Council.
(Ord. 19, passed 9-2-1971; Ord. passed 5-9-1983; Ord. 76, passed 1-1-2007; Ord. 93, passed 2-8-2010; Ord. 129, passed 4-11-2016)