(A) County Board. The County Board is responsible for establishing the regulations and procedures of this zoning ordinance, for confirming appointments to the Planning and Zoning Commission and carrying out those specific decision-making duties assigned by this zoning ordinance.
(B) Planning and Zoning Commission.
(1) Creation and membership.
(a) The Planning and Zoning Commission must consist of seven members appointed by the County Executive and confirmed by the members of the County Board. Members receive allowances for expenses and compensation, as provided by the County Board.
(b) Planning and Zoning Commission members serve, respectively, for five years, or until their respective successors are appointed. The terms must be staggered in accordance with state statutes.
(c) One of the members of the Planning and Zoning Commission must be designated by the County Executive as chairperson of the Planning and Zoning Commission and another member must be designated as secretary, and each must hold office until their successor is appointed. The County Executive, subject to the approval by the County Board, has the power to remove any members of the Planning and Zoning Commission for cause. Vacancies on the Planning and Zoning Commission must be filled by the County Executive and confirmed by the County Board, for the unexpired term of the member whose place has become vacant, in the same manner provided for the original appointment of members.
(2) Powers and duties. The Planning and Zoning Commission is responsible for carrying out those specific review and decision-making duties assigned by this zoning ordinance.
(3) Operation. The Planning and Zoning Commission must conduct meetings, take action and operate in accordance with its adopted by-laws, the county code of ordinances and state law.
(C) Zoning Administrator. The Zoning Administrator is responsible for carrying out those specific duties and responsibilities assigned by this zoning ordinance and for:
(1) Conducting inspections of buildings, structures, and land to determine compliance with this zoning ordinance, and notifying in writing the person responsible for any violation found;
(2) Ordering the discontinuance of illegal uses of land, buildings, or structures; removal of illegal buildings or structures or of illegal additions, or structural changes; or taking any other action authorized by statute or by this zoning ordinance to ensure compliance with or to prevent violation of zoning ordinance provisions;
(3) Maintaining permanent and current records of this zoning ordinance, including, all maps, amendments, special use permits, planned unit developments, variances, appeals, applications, and text;
(4) Advising all persons seeking zoning information of the existence of officially adopted plans;
(5) Providing and maintaining a source of public information relative to all matters arising out of this zoning ordinance;
(6) Receiving, filing, and forwarding to the Planning and Zoning Commission and County Board all applications for matters on which the Planning and Zoning Commission and County Board is required to review or take action;
(7) Providing public information relative to matters arising out of a comprehensive amendment;
(8) Reviewing all property that has been the subject of legal action, invalidating the zoning ordinance as applied to a particular use on a specific parcel of land and submitting information to the County Board on such matters;
(9) Reviewing all property that has been disconnected from a municipality or that has come within the jurisdiction of the county as the result of the dissolution of a municipality and submitting an amendment for reclassification of said property to the County Board or otherwise recommending that the property be zoned E-1;
(10) Initiating, directing, and reviewing, from time-to-time, a study of the provisions of this zoning ordinance and making recommendations as such study requires; and
(11) Keeping the County Board advised of zoning activities.
(D) County Clerk. The County Clerk is responsible for:
(1) Maintaining copies of this zoning ordinance and signed ordinances for reference by the public; and
(2) For receiving protest petitions filed in the County Clerk's office and forwarding them to the state's attorney for legal review and appropriate action.
(Ord. effective 10-1-2012)