(A) Members. The Planning and Zoning Commission shall consist of nine members of the city. The current members of the Planning Commission are hereby appointed to serve as members of the new Planning and Zoning Commission with the same staggered terms.
(B) Appointments. As provided in § 3.08 of the City Home Rule Charter, the Mayor shall appoint members to the Planning and Zoning Commission. The appointees must be qualified as described in division (C) below. All appointees shall be approved by the City Council.
(C) Qualifications. To be a member of the Planning and Zoning Commission, one must be 21 years of age or older, have lived in the city no less than two years, and be a registered voter.
(D) Terms. Members shall serve three-year terms, staggered so that each year no more than one third of the members will be appointed to the Commission. Once the members of the Commission take the oath of office, each member's term will expire on August 31 of the third year of his or her term.
(E) Meetings. The Planning and Zoning Commission shall have no less than one formal meeting per month, with an agenda posted in a public place at City Hall, in accordance with the Texas Open Meetings Act. Regular meetings may be called by the Chairperson of the Commission, as needed, and agreed upon by no less than a simple majority of the remaining members. Regular meetings shall be held at least 14 days in advance of regular meetings of the City Council. A majority of members shall constitute a quorum.
(F) Officers. The members of the Commission will elect a Chairperson, who shall preside over the meetings, and a Vice Chairperson who will serve in the absence of the Chairperson. A secretary shall also be elected, or the Commission may utilize a staff member assigned to the Commission as the recorder of the meetings. Officers will serve in this capacity for one year. At the end of that time the officers may be re-elected or new members chosen for the positions.
(G) Disqualifications. Any Commission member who does not continue to meet the qualifications of membership as stated herein, may be declared ineligible, and shall be removed from his or her position by a majority vote of the City Council. Any Commission member who misses three regular formal meetings of the Commission without a valid excuse, in the course of a calendar year, shall be declared ineligible to continue to serve on this Commission. Commission members may be removed from office at any time, by a majority vote of the City Council.
(H) Vacancies. When any member of the Commission is declared ineligible, his or her replacement shall be appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the City Council within three months of the vacancy.
(I) Conflict of interest. When a member of the Planning and Zoning Commission determines he or she has a conflict of interest in any matter to come before the Commission for formal discussion and/or a vote, that member should declare his or her intent to step down from said discussions and vote, and not participate in the formal process.
(Ord. 09-0421, passed 4-21-2009)