(A) Purpose. In order that adequate provisions be made for the preparation of a comprehensive village plan for the guidance, direction, and control of the growth and development of the village, a Plan Commission, which shall be a department of the village government, is hereby created under authority of an act of the general assembly of the state entitled “The Revised Cities and Villages Act”, being 65 ILCS 5/1 et seq., approved August 15, 1941 and effective January 1, 1942 and as amended.
(B) Membership. Said Plan Commission shall consist of seven members who are to be citizens of the village. Henceforth, no person shall be a member of the Plan Commission at the same time he or she holds any other office or position with the village and any such persons presently serving shall do so until expiration of their term or their earlier resignation from the Plan Commission.
(C) Term of office. All present members of the Plan Commission shall continue in office until expiration of their terms and thereafter they or their successors shall be appointed to serve for a period of three years. Vacancies shall be filled by appointments for unexpired terms only. All members of the Commission shall serve without compensation except that, if the Village Board of Trustees deems it advisable, the Secretary may receive such compensation as may be fixed from time to time by said Board of Trustees and provided for in the appropriation ordinance.
(D) Procedure. 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 the village 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 President of the Board of Trustees and the Village Board of Trustees setting forth its transactions and recommendations.
(E) Powers and duties. Said Plan Commission shall have the following powers and duties:
(1) To prepare and recommend to the Board of Trustees of the village a comprehensive plan of public improvements, looking to the present and future development and growth of said village. Such plan after its adoption by the Board of Trustees will be known as the official plan of the village, such plan shall include reasonable requirements in 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 Board of Trustees of the village from time to time such changes in the plan or any part thereof as may be deemed necessary by the Village Board of Trustees or by the Plan Commission;
(3) To prepare and recommend to the Village Board of Trustees from time to time plans and/or recommendations for specific improvements in pursuance of such officials plan;
(4) To give aid to the officials of the village charged with the direction of projects for improvements embraced within the official plan, to further the making of such improvements 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; and
(7) To exercise such other powers germane to the powers granted under authority of an act of the General Assembly of the state entitled “The Revised Cities and Villages Act”, being 65 ILCS 5/1 et seq., approved on August 15, 1941 and effective January 1, 1942 as amended, as may be conferred by the Village Board of Trustees.
(F) Land subdivision. Following the adoption of an official plan in the manner prescribed in this act no map or plat of any subdivision presented for record effecting land within the corporate limits of the village, or in contiguous territory outside of and distant not more than one and one-half miles from such limits and not included in any other municipality shall be entitled to record or shall be valid unless the subdivision thereon shall provide for streets, alleys, and public grounds in conformity with any requirement applicable thereto to such official plan.
(G) Improvements. The Village Clerk shall furnish the Plan Commission for its consideration a copy of all ordinances, plans, and data relative to public improvements of any nature. The Plan Commission may report in relation thereto if it deems a report necessary or advisable for consideration of the Village Board of Trustees.
(H) Expenditures. The Commission may at the discretion of the Board of Trustees employ necessary help whose salaries, wages, and other necessary expenses shall be provided for by adequate appropriation made by the Board of Trustees from the public funds. If said Plan Commission shall deem it advisable to secure technical advice or services, it may be done upon authority from the Board of Trustees and appropriation by the Board of Trustees therefor.
(Ord. 267, passed 6-19-1958; Ord. 714, passed 4-7-1993)