The combined plan commission and zoning board of appeals shall have the following powers:
A. To prepare and recommend to the corporate authorities a comprehensive plan for the present and future development or redevelopment of the municipality. Such 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 municipality. This plan may include reasonable requirements with reference to streets, alleys, public grounds and other improvements hereinafter specified. The plan, as recommended by the plan commission and as thereafter adopted in this municipality in this state, may be made applicable, by the terms thereof, to land situated within the corporate limits and contiguous territory not more than one and one-half (11/2) miles beyond the corporate limits and not included in any municipality. Such plan may be implemented by ordinances:
1. Establishing reasonable standards of design for subdivisions and for resubdivisions of unimproved land and of areas subject to redevelopment in respect to "public improvements" as herein defined;
2. Establishing reasonable requirements governing the location, width, course and surfacing of public streets and highways, alleys, ways for public service facilities, curbs, gutters, sidewalks, streetlights, parks, playgrounds, school grounds, size of lots to be used for residential purposes, storm water drainage, water supply and distribution, sanitary sewers and sewage collection and treatment; and
3. May designate land suitable for annexation to the municipality and the recommended zoning classification for such land upon annexation.
B. To recommend changes, from time to time, in the official comprehensive plan.
C. To prepare and recommend to the corporate authorities, from time to time, plans for specific improvements in pursuance of the official comprehensive plan.
D. 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 projects and generally, to promote the realization of the official comprehensive plan.
E. To exercise such other powers germane to the powers granted by this chapter as may be conferred by the corporate authorities.
F. To hear and decide all matters upon which it is required to pass under all of the provisions of this code, including, specifically, but not by way of limitation, all zoning matters and subdivision matters upon which it is required to pass, including, in general, amendments to this code, and including, specifically, amendments to the zoning ordinance of the city and the zoning map.
G. For purposes of implementing ordinances regarding developer donations or impact fees, and specifically for expenditures thereof, "school grounds" is defined as including land or site improvements, which include school buildings or other infrastructure necessitated and specifically and uniquely attributable to the development or subdivision in question.
H. To hear and decide appeals from any order, requirement, decision or determination made by the building and zoning administrator/inspector under the zoning title.
I. To hear and pass upon applications for variations from the terms provided in the zoning title in the manner prescribed by, and subject to, the standards established therein.
J. To hear and decide all matters referred to it and upon which it is required to pass under the zoning title or any other title of this code, and/or as prescribed by the Illinois municipal code or any other statute. (Ord. 2007-16, 3-26-2007)