(A) Zoning Administrator. The Zoning Administrator shall be appointed by the Town Council. It shall be the duty of the Zoning Administrator to administer and enforce the provisions of this chapter, to pursue all available remedies for enforcement, and to settle all violations that involve the payment of money to the town.
(1) Delegation. The Zoning Administrator may designate other individuals to assist with carrying out the administration of this chapter under his or her authority.
(2) Records. The Zoning Administrator shall ensure that appropriate records are maintained of all permit applications, site plans and permits issued. These may be made available for inspection for interested parties.
(3) Inspection and enforcement. The Zoning Administrator shall conduct or authorize inspections of premises and take other lawful action to ensure compliance with the provisions of this chapter. If the Zoning Administrator shall find that any of the provisions of this chapter are being violated, he or she shall notify, in writing, the person responsible for such violation, indicating the nature of the violation and ordering the action necessary to correct it. He or she shall order the discontinuance of illegal use of land, buildings, or structures; the removal of illegal buildings or structures or of additions, alterations, or structural changes thereto; the discontinuance of any illegal work being done; and shall take any other action authorized by this chapter to ensure compliance with, or to prevent violation of, its provisions.
(4) Appeals. Appeals from a decision of the Zoning Administrator shall be made to the Board of Adjustment.
(5) Conflicts of interest. No staff member shall make a final decision on an administrative decision required by G.S. Ch. 160D if the outcome of that decision would have a direct, substantial, and readily identifiable financial impact on the staff member or if the applicant or other person subject to that decision is a person with whom the staff member has a close familial, business, or other associational relationship.
(B) Planning Board. The Planning Board shall be appointed by the Town Council and shall consist of five regular members who shall be citizens and residents of the Town of Stoneville or the extra-territorial jurisdiction of the Town of Stoneville. There shall be a means of proportional representation based on a population for residents of the extraterritorial area to be regulated. The population estimates for this calculation shall be updated no less frequently than after each decennial census. There shall be at least one appointed member that is a resident of the extraterritorial planning and development regulation area. The Mayor may serve as an alternate member in the absence of a regular member. It shall be the duty of the Planning Board to review and make recommendations to the Town Council on all matters relating to the land use planning and zoning, including all comprehensive land use plans, within the jurisdiction of the Town of Stoneville, whenever such matters require the attention of the Town Council.
(1) Length of terms. Terms of appointment shall be for three years and there shall be no limits of appointment. Any appointee may be removed at any time with cause by a majority vote of the Town Council.
(2) Conduct of meetings. All meetings of the Planning Board shall be open to the public. The Board shall keep minutes of its proceedings showing the vote of each member upon each issue and the absence or failure of any member to vote. Minutes shall be maintained by the Town Clerk and shall be available for public review.
(3) Notice. The Board shall comply with North Carolina Public Meetings Law prior to the public meeting.
(4) Oath of office. Pursuant to G.S. § 160D-309 all members appointed to the Planning Board shall, before entering their duties, qualify by taking an oath of office as required by G.S. § 160A-61.
(5) Minutes. Pursuant to G.S. § 160D-308, the Planning Board shall keep minutes of its proceedings.
(6) Conflicts of interest. Members of the Planning Board shall not vote on any advisory or legislative decision regarding a development regulation adopted pursuant to G.S. Ch. 160D where the outcome of the matter being considered is reasonably likely to have a direct, substantial, and readily identifiable financial impact on the member. A Board member shall not vote on any zoning amendment if the landowner of the property subject to a rezoning petition or the applicant for a text amendment is a person with whom the member has a close familial, business, or other associational relationship.
(Ord. passed 7-1-1980; Res. R-2021-03, passed 6-24-2021)