(A) Organization. The Planning Commission shall consist of seven members who shall be appointed by the Board of County Commissioners. In addition to the regular seven members, the Board of County Commissioners may appoint, one non-voting, ex-officio staff member to serve as liaison between the Board of County Commissioners and the Planning Commission and provide administrative support to the Planning Commission. Board of County Commission members may not serve as regular members of the Planning Commission.
(B) Term of office.
(1) The term of office for regular Planning Commission members shall be staggered so that the terms of at least one member and no more than three members expire each year. As the term of each regular member expires, the vacancy thus created shall be filled by a majority vote of the Board of County Commissioners for a term of four years, so as to maintain the succession of staggered terms of service.
(2) Terms of all regular members begin on January 1 and expire on December 31 of the fourth year following the year of appointment. If the Board of County Commissioners has not appointed a new member(s) to the Planning Commission at the expiration of term, the current Planning Commission member(s) will remain on the Planning Commission until replaced by appointment of the Board of County Commissioners.
(3) The ex officio member shall be appointed by the Board of County Commissioners and shall continue to serve until replaced by appointment of the Board of County Commissioners.
(4) If a vacancy occurs other than by expiration of term, the Board of County Commissioners by majority vote shall appoint a new member to fill the unexpired term.
(5) Planning Commission members may be removed for cause from office by two-thirds’ vote of the Board of County Commissioners prior to the expiration of the appointed term.
(C) Method of appointment. In early November of each year, the County Administrator shall cause notice of appointment(s) to be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the county. The Building and Zoning Department shall be responsible for the costs of such advertisement. Such notice shall state the nature and term of the appointment(s), the qualification for such appointment, request written statements of interest and qualifications, and establish a deadline for submittal of such statements, which time shall not be earlier than 15 days from the date of publication.
(D) Qualifications. Each Planning Commission member shall be a legal county resident for at least two years prior to appointment.
(E) Powers and duties. The Planning Commission shall have the following powers and duties pursuant to UCA § 17-27a-302. Each county-wide planning commission shall, with respect to the unincorporated area of the county, make a recommendation to the county legislative body for:
(1) A general plan and amendments to the general plan;
(2) Land use ordinances, zoning maps, official maps and amendments;
(3) An appropriate delegation of power to at least one land use authority to hear and act on a the land use application;
(4) An appropriate delegation of power to at least one appeal authority to hear and act on an appeal from a decision of the land use authority;
(5) Application processes that may include a designation of routine land use matters that, upon application and proper notice, will receive informal streamlined review and action if the application is uncontested; and shall protect the rights of each applicant and third party to require formal consideration of any application by a land use authority; applicant, adversely affected party, or county officer or employee to appeal a land use authority’s decision to a separate appeal authority; and participant to be heard in each public hearing on a contested application.
(Ord. passed 9- -2011)