(A) (1) If the City Council adopts zoning or other regulations pursuant to Neb. RS 19-901 et seq., the Planning Commission shall consist of five, seven, or nine regular members, as specified by the City Council by ordinance, who shall represent, insofar as is possible, the different professions or occupations in the city and shall be appointed by the Mayor by and with the approval of a majority vote of the members elected to the City Council. Two of the regular members may be residents of the area over which the city is authorized to exercise extraterritorial zoning and subdivision regulation. When there are 500 residents in the area over which the city exercises extraterritorial zoning and subdivision regulation, one regular member of the Commission shall be a resident from such area. If it is determined by the City Council that 500 residents reside in the area subject to extraterritorial zoning or subdivision regulation and no such resident is a regular member of the Commission, the first available vacancy on the Commission shall be filled by the appointment of such an individual. A number of Commissioners equal to a majority of the number of regular members appointed to the Commission shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business. All regular members of the Commission shall serve without compensation. The term of each regular member shall be three years, except that one-third or fewer of the regular members of the first Commission to be so appointed shall serve for terms of one year, one-third or fewer for terms of two years, and the remaining members for terms of three years. All regular members shall hold office until their successors are appointed. Any member may, after a public hearing before the Council, be removed by the Mayor, with the consent of a majority vote of the members elected to the Council, for inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office or other good and sufficient cause. Vacancies occurring otherwise than through the expiration of term shall be filled for the unexpired portion of the term by the Mayor.
(2) The Mayor may, with the approval of a majority vote of the elected members of the Council, appoint one alternate member to the Planning Commission. The alternate member shall serve without compensation. The term of the alternate member shall be three years, and he or she shall hold office until his or her successor is appointed and approved. The alternate member may be removed from office in the same manner as a regular member. If the alternate member position becomes vacant other than through the expiration of the term, the vacancy shall be filled for the unexpired portion of the term by the Mayor with the approval of a majority vote of the elected members of the Council. The alternate member may attend any meeting and may serve as a voting and participating member of the Commission at any time when less than the full number of regular Commission members is present and capable of voting.
(3) A regular or alternate member of the Planning Commission may hold any other municipal office except:
(a) Mayor;
(b) A member of the City Council;
(c) A member of any community redevelopment authority or limited community redevelopment authority created under Neb. RS 18-2102.01; or
(d) A member of any citizen advisory review committee created under Neb. RS 18-2715.
(Neb. RS 19-926)
(B) The Commission shall elect its Chairperson from its members and create and fill such other of its offices as it may determine. The term of the Chairperson shall be one year, and he or she shall be eligible for reelection. The Commission shall hold at least one regular meeting in each calendar quarter, except as provided in this section. The City Council may require the Commission to meet more frequently, and the Chairperson of the Commission may call for a meeting when necessary to deal with business pending before the Commission. If no business is pending before the Commission, the Chairperson may cancel a quarterly meeting, but not more than three quarterly meetings may be cancelled per calendar year. The Commission shall adopt rules and regulations for the transaction of business and shall keep a record of its resolutions, transactions, findings, and determinations, which shall be a public record.
(Neb. RS 19-927)
(C) No member of the Commission shall serve in the capacity of both the Chairperson and Secretary of the Commission. The Secretary shall keep the full and correct minutes and records of all meetings and file them with the City Clerk, where they shall be available for public inspection during office hours.
(D) The City Council may provide the funds, equipment, and accommodations necessary for the work of the Commission, but the expenditures of the Commission, exclusive of gifts, shall be within the amounts appropriated for that purpose by the Council, and no expenditures nor agreements for expenditures shall be valid in excess of such amounts.
(Neb. RS 19-928)
(E) (1) (a) Except as provided in Neb. RS 19-930 through 19-933, the Planning Commission shall:
1. Make and adopt plans for the physical development of the city, including any areas outside its boundaries which, in the Commission’s judgment, bear relation to the planning of such city, and including a comprehensive development plan as defined by Neb. RS 19-903;
2. Prepare and adopt such implemental means as a capital improvement program, subdivision regulations, building codes, and a zoning ordinance in cooperation with other interested city departments; and
3. Consult with and advise public officials and agencies, public utilities, civic organizations, educational institutions, and citizens with relation to the promulgation and implementation of the Comprehensive Development Plan and its implemental programs. The Commission may delegate authority to any such group to conduct studies and make surveys for the Commission, make preliminary reports on its findings, and hold public hearings before submitting its final reports.
(b) The City Council shall not take final action on matters relating to the Comprehensive Development Plan, capital improvements, building codes, subdivision development, the annexation of territory, or zoning until it has received the recommendation of the Planning Commission, provided that the Planning Commission shall make its recommendation so that it is received by the City Council within 60 days after the Commission begins consideration of a matter, or within such other number of days as the City Council has set by ordinance.
(c) A recommendation from the Planning Commission shall not be required for the subdivision of existing lots and blocks whenever all required public improvements have been installed, no new dedication of public rights-of-way or easements is involved, and such subdivision complies with the ordinance requirements concerning minimum areas and dimensions of such lots and blocks if the City Council has designated, by ordinance, an agent pursuant to Neb. RS 19-916.
(2) (a) The Commission may, with the consent of the City Council, in its own name;
1. Make and enter into contracts with public or private bodies;
2. Receive contributions, bequests, gifts, or grant funds from public/private sources;
3. Expend the funds appropriated to it by the city;
4. Employ agents and employees; and
5. Acquire, hold, and dispose of property.
(b) The Commission may on its own authority make arrangements consistent with its program, conduct or sponsor special studies or planning work for any public body or appropriate agency, receive grants, remuneration, or reimbursement for such studies or work, and at its public hearings, summon witnesses, administer oaths, and compel the giving of testimony.
(3) (a) The Commission may grant conditional uses or special exceptions to property owners for the use of their property if the City Council has, through a zoning ordinance or special ordinance, generally authorized the Commission to exercise such powers and has approved the standards and procedures adopted by the Commission for equitably and judiciously granting such conditional uses or special exceptions. The granting of a conditional use permit or special exception shall only allow property owners to put their property to a special use if it is among those uses specifically identified in the zoning ordinance as classifications of uses which may require special conditions or requirements to be met by the owners before a use permit or building permit is authorized.
(b) The power to grant conditional uses or special exceptions shall be the exclusive authority of the Commission, except that the City Council may choose to retain for itself the power to grant conditional uses or special exceptions for those classifications of uses specified in the zoning ordinance. The Council may exercise such power if it has formally adopted standards and procedures for granting such conditional uses or special exceptions in a manner that is equitable and will promote the public interest.
(c) An appeal of a decision by the Commission or Council regarding a conditional use or special exception shall be made to the District Court.
(Neb. RS 19-929)
Statutory reference:
Other provisions on planning commissions, see Neb. RS 19-925 through 19-933