(A) Commission. The Commission shall be a city planning agency authorized by M.S. § 462.354, as it may be amended from time to time.
(B) Composition.
(1) The Planning Commission shall consist of 5 members. All 5 members shall be appointed by the Council, and at least 1 appointee must be a Council member.
(2) Board members may be removed by a 4/5 vote of the Council.
(3) Members shall be appointed for terms of 3 years. Appointees shall hold offices until their successors are appointed and qualified. The terms of ex-officio members shall correspond to their respective official tenures.
(4) Vacancies during the term shall be filled by the Council for the unexpired portion of the term. Upon appointment to the Commission each member shall take an oath to faithfully perform the duties of the office.
(C) Meetings.
(1) Organization. The Commission shall elect someone as chair from among the appointed members for a term of 1 year. The Commission may create and fill other offices as it may determine. The City Administrator shall act as secretary of the Planning Commission, but shall not be a member.
(2) Meetings and reports. The Commission shall hold at least 1 regular meeting each month if there is business that needs to take place. It shall adopt rules for the transaction of business and shall keep a public record of its resolutions, transactions and findings.
(D) Zoning plan. The Planning Commission, upon instructions by the Council, shall prepare a revised zoning plan for the city. Before recommending the plan to the Council, the Commission shall hold at least 1 public hearing thereon after published notice.
(E) Plats.
(1) Filing required. Every proposed plat of land within the city or within 2 miles of the city limits and not within a town which itself requires the approval of the plats, shall be submitted to the Council before being filed. No plat of land shall be filed unless and until first approved by the Council.
(2) Penalty. Any person who violates this provision or who sells land or offers land for sale or contracts for the sale of land by reference to or by other use of any plat before the plat has been approved by the Planning Commission and the Council in accordance with the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. Before acting on the plat the Council shall submit the plat to the Planning Commission for its recommendations.
(1987 Code, §§ 205.01, 205.02, 205.03, 205.04 and 205.05) (Am. Ord. 454, passed 1-9-2000; Am. Ord. 651, passed 3-14-2023)