(A) Meetings of the Planning Board will normally occur on the second Tuesday of the month at a time and place designated by the Board and shall be open to the public. A quorum shall consist of four members of the Board.
(1) All items requested to be considered by the Planning Board or Board of Aldermen shall be filed with the town in a timely manner and as set forth by the filing deadline schedule established by the town. Such filing deadline schedule will be published and available to the public.
(2) Once an application, petition, or item for consideration by the Planning Board or Board of Aldermen is placed on a meeting agenda by the town, if removed or withdrawn by the applicant or his or her agent without permission of the appropriate Board less than 48 hours before the scheduled start of the scheduled meeting, then any applications, petitions, or items for consideration on the parcel or parcels in question shall not be heard by either Board for a period of 180 days from the date of such withdrawal.
(3) The Planning Board or Board of Aldermen, upon consideration of the specific facts or circumstances surrounding the withdrawal or removal of a matter from the agenda within the 48-hour period before a scheduled meeting, may vote to excuse such withdrawal or removal from the agenda and either reschedule the matter in question or allow the applicant to resubmit the matter without prejudice.
(4) The Planning Board or Board of Aldermen by a vote of a majority of its members may excuse the withdrawal or removable of any matter from its meeting agenda as set forth in subsection (A)(3) above, in the sole discretion of the Board considering such matter.
(B) All regular members may vote on any issue unless they have disqualified themselves for one or more of the reasons listed in § 32.17. A vote of a majority of the members present and voting shall decide issues before the Board.
(C) Special meetings may be called by the chairperson. It shall be the duty of the chairperson to call such a meeting upon a recommendation of the Board. During a special meeting, no other business may be considered except that which was specified by advanced notice. The Clerk to the Planning Board shall notify all members of the Board in writing not less than five days in advance of such special meeting. Notice of time, place, and subject of such meeting shall be published in a newspaper having general circulation in the town when possible in accordance with G.S. § 143-128.12(b).
(D) The order of business at regular meetings shall be as follows:
(1) Call to order.
(2) Approval of minutes of previous meetings.
(3) Approval of the agenda.
(4) Public input.
(5) Old business.
(6) New business.
(7) Announcements.
(8) Adjournment.
(E) The petitioner or applicant may withdraw the petition or application at any time; but if a motion is pending to make a recommendation to grant or deny, such motion shall have precedence.
(F) The Board shall render its decisions in the form of a recommendation on any properly filed petition or application within 60 days after its introduction at a regularly scheduled meeting and after all documents have been properly submitted. The 60-day time period will not begin until the petitioner has furnished the Administrator with all required permits.
(G) The Board shall elect a chairperson and vice-chairperson from among its members at its first regular board meeting in January each year, or as soon thereafter as is reasonably possible. The term of the chairperson and vice-chairperson shall expire on the first Monday of each January, unless such presiding officer(s) shall resign, be removed, or otherwise become unable or ineligible to serve on the Board or as presiding officer. In such event, a new chairperson or vice-chairperson shall be elected by the Board from among its members at the next regular board meeting. The chairperson and vice-chairperson shall be eligible for reelection. The chairperson shall act as the presiding officer at all Board meetings and, in his or her absence, the vice-chairperson shall act as the presiding officer for the meeting in question. Should neither the chairperson nor the vice-chairperson be present at a board meeting, then the Planning Board members present at the meeting shall vote on a presiding officer to serve at that meeting or until the chairperson or vice-chairperson arrive to the meeting. The Board shall operate its meetings generally under Robert’s Rules of Order, latest edition; however, failure to precisely follow the format of Robert’s Rules of Order shall not invalidate any action taken at a Board meeting. Such rules may be modified upon approval of the Board of Aldermen. All meetings of the Board shall be open to the public and all records of the Board shall be a public record as set forth in the General Statutes of North Carolina including exceptions.
(Ord. passed 7-6-2004; Ord. 05-10, passed 11-4-2005; Ord. 7-15, passed 3- -2007; Ord. 11-06, passed 3-1-2011)