5.11 Composition. There shall be a Planning and Zoning Commission consisting of seven (7) members, one of whom shall be the Mayor, one of whom shall be a member of Council appointed by his fellow councilmen, and the remaining five (5) shall be electors to be appointed by the Mayor for terms of six (6) years.
Of the five (5) appointees first appointed by the Mayor, one (1) shall be appointed for a term of six (6) years; one (1) shall be appointed for a term of five (5) years; one (1) shall be appointed for a term of four (4) years; one (1) shall be appointed for a term of three (3) years; and one (1) shall be appointed for a term of two (2) years. Thereafter, appointments shall be made at the termination of each member’s term of office, and each appointment shall be for a term of six (6) years.
In the event of the death, resignation or removal of any of the members of the Commission appointed by the Mayor, the Mayor shall, forthwith, appoint a new member to fill the unexpired term left vacant. Council shall, immediately fill a vacancy left by the death, resignation or removal of the Council members of the Commission.
5.13 The Master Plan. The Planning and Zoning Commission shall be responsible for the preservation and development of the physical character of the Municipality, and to that end, shall have the power and be required to make and to present to Council for their consideration, a Master Plan for the present needs and future growth and development of the Municipality. Such Master Plan shall be comprised of existing ordinances and existing maps, a future land use plan, a public service plan, a street plan, and such other plans, maps, charts and descriptive and explanatory matters as are necessary to show the Commission’s recommendations for the most effective use of the Municipality’s resources.
The Commission shall make such investigations and inquiries as are necessary to complete this plan and may require information to be furnished by the Mayor or any office, department or agency of the Municipality. The Commission may also, within its budget appropriation, contract for the occasional services of city planners and other consultants, as it may require. The Commission shall promote public interest in and understanding of the Master Plan and of planning, zoning and urban renewal.
The initial Master Plan shall be completed not later than January 1, 1972, and thereafter it shall be revised and amended or extended by the Commission as it deems necessary, providing that a complete review of the Plan takes place not less than once every five (5) years.
5.14 Updating Zoning Code. The Planning and Zoning Commission shall review all currently authorized zoning uses in the City Zoning Code; said review shall be completed no later than January 1, 1984, and a review shall be made by said Commission at least once every five (5) years thereafter. Upon completion of the review provided by this section, the Planning and Zoning Commission shall forward its recommendation to the Council which shall be authorized to adopt legislation implementing the recommendations of the Planning and Zoning Commission; provided, however, that no such legislation shall provide for changes in the existing Zoning Map of the City except in accordance with the provisions of Section 6.2
of this Charter.
(Added 11-2-82)
5.15 Mandatory Public Vote on Land Use Changes. Any change to the existing permitted uses in zoning districts, or any changes in the Municipal Zoning Map as amended from time to time, cannot be approved unless and until it shall have been submitted to the Planning Commission, for approval or disapproval. In the event the City Council should approve any of the preceding changes, whether approved or disapproved by the Planning Commission it shall not be approved or passed by the declaration of an emergency, and it shall not be effective, but it shall be mandatory that the same be approved by a majority vote of all votes cast of the qualified electors of the City of Willoughby Hills at the next regular Municipal election, if one shall occur not less than sixty (60) or more than one hundred and twenty (120) days after its passage, otherwise at a special election falling on the generally established day of the primary election. Said issue shall be submitted to the electors of the City only after approval of a change of an existing land use by the Council for an applicant. Should the land use request not be affirmed by a majority vote it cannot be presented again for one full year and new request must be made at that time.