Colusa County Municipal Code Art. IV Planning Commission, Zoning Administrator, and Community Development…

(Ord. No. 589 (part); Ord. No. 706 (part))

A planning commission is hereby created for the county under and by virtue of the provisions of Section 65100 et seq. of the Government Code.

(Ord. No. 589 (part); Ord. No. 706 (part))

The planning commission created pursuant to section 2-33 shall be known as the “Colusa County planning commission.” The commission shall consist of five members. Each member shall represent an individual supervisorial district, be a resident of that district, and be nominated by the supervisor representing that district. The appointment shall be effective upon the individual nominee receiving a majority vote of the board of supervisors.

(Ord. No. 589 (part); Ord. No. 706 (part))

Planning commissioners serve at the pleasure of the board of supervisors and may be removed from office without cause at any time by a majority vote of the board of supervisors.

(Ord. No. 589 (part); Ord. No. 706 (part))

At the first meeting of the board of supervisors convening following the effective date of the ordinance codified in this section, the board of supervisors shall appoint all five members of the planning commission in the manner provided in section 2-33.1. The term of office for each commissioner for this initial planning commission appointed at the first meeting of the board of supervisors following the effective date of the ordinance codified in this section will be as follows:

Supervisorial District I - Term expires February 2008

Supervisorial District II - Term expires February 2008

Supervisorial District III - Term expires February 2008

Supervisorial District IV - Term expires February 2008

Supervisorial District V - Term expires February 2008

Thereafter, at the first meeting of the board of supervisors in each February of succeeding years, the procedure for appointing a new commission to serve for the succeeding twelve months shall be as provided in section 2-33.1. The term of these succeeding commissioner appointments shall be one year. A commissioner may be reappointed.

(Ord. No. 589 (part); Ord. No. 706 (part))

The planning commission shall establish a regular day, hour and place for its regular meetings, and such regular meetings shall be held at least once a month. The commission may adjourn any regular or adjourned regular meeting to a date, time and place specified in the order of adjournment. When so adjourned, the adjourned meeting is a regular meeting for all purposes. In the event the regular meeting falls on a holiday, the regular meeting shall be held on a date determined by the commission at the meeting preceding the holiday. A special meeting shall be held upon the call of the chairman of the commission, or at the request of the planning director, upon giving of such notice as may be required by law. An emolument for each meeting attended will be given each commissioner. It will be set annually by the board of supervisors at the time the budget for the succeeding fiscal year is approved.

(Ord. No. 589 (part); Ord. No. 706 (part))

The commission, at its first regular meeting following the first February meeting of the board of supervisors of each year, shall choose one of its members as chairman and one of its members as vice-chairman. The planning director of the county of Colusa shall serve as secretary to the commission.

(Ord. No. 589 (part); Ord. No. 706 (part))

A majority of the members of the planning commission constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business.

(Ord. No. 589 (part); Ord. No. 706 (part))

Any vacancy occurring by reason of the death, disability, resignation or removal of a member shall be filled by appointment by the board of supervisors. All such appointments shall be for the balance of the unexpired term of the vacant office. The individual filling the vacancy is to be a resident of the supervisorial district in which the vacancy exists and is to be nominated by the supervisor representing that district.

Any member of the planning commission who has failed to attend three consecutive regular meetings of the commission shall forfeit his/her office and create a vacancy in the membership of the planning commission. The secretary of the planning commission shall advise the board of supervisors of such vacancy within fifteen days of its occurrence. Any member of the planning commission who has forfeited his/her office by reason of failure to attend three consecutive regular meetings of the commission shall nonetheless be eligible for nomination and appointment to fill the vacancy created by such forfeiture upon a majority vote of the board of supervisors. In the alternative, the board of supervisors may appoint a successor.

Whenever a planning commissioner shall cease to be a resident of the supervisorial district from which he/she was appointed, his/her office shall immediately be considered vacant.

(Ord. No. 589 (part); Ord. No. 706 (part))

The planning commission shall:

(a) Review, analyze and recommend for the board of supervisors’ approval or denial any and all requests for general plan amendments, zoning amendments, development agreements, or other legislative matters.

(b) Review, analyze and recommend for board of supervisors’ approval or denial any and all planned development proposals.

(c) Review, analyze and approve or deny any and all requests for major variances from existing zoning classifications.

(d) Review, analyze and approve or deny any and all requests for major use permits.

(e) Periodically review and recommend to the board of supervisors revisions as necessary to the Colusa County general plan.

(f) Review, analyze and approve or deny any and all requests for minor variances or minor use permits which the zoning administrator has determined are more appropriate to be considered by the planning commission.

(g) Perform any and all other duties requested by the board of supervisors.

(Ord. No. 589 (part))

An office of zoning administration is hereby created under and by the provisions of Section 65100, et seq. of the California Government Code.

(Ord. No. 589 (part); Ord. No. 790, § 3)

Unless otherwise determined by the board of supervisors, the director of the community development department or his or her designee shall serve as the zoning administrator for the county.

(Ord. No. 589 (part))

The zoning administrator shall hold at least one regular monthly hearing at the office of planning and building. The meetings shall be appropriately noticed as required by Government Code Section 65090.

(Ord. No. 589 (part); Ord. No. 790, § 4)

The department of community development is hereby created and shall consist of the planning unit, the building unit, the environmental health division, and the water resources division of the county and shall be known as the department of community development or the community development department.

(Ord. No. 589 (part); Ord. No. 790, § 5)

The board of supervisors shall appoint a director of community development who shall be the executive officer of the planning unit, the building unit, and the water resources division and who shall provide management oversight of the environmental health division and who shall administer all work of such department subject to the jurisdiction and control of the board of supervisors. The county health officer shall continue to exercise statutory authority over environmental health functions and the director of community development shall assist the county health officer in the management and operations of the environmental health division as his/her authorized representative as allowed by state law. The director shall have the requisite qualifications and experience necessary to enable him or her to properly discharge the functions of the office.

(Ord. No. 589 (part); Ord. No. 790, § 6)

The director of community development is hereby authorized and empowered to appoint and employ such building inspectors, planners, assistant technicians, environmental health specialists, water resources staff, fiscal staff, other professional staff, and administrative assistants as may be necessary for the proper conduct of the affairs of the department.

(Ord. No. 746, § 2 (part); Ord. No. 790, § 7)

The duties to be performed by the department of community development shall be as follows:

(a) Prepare, periodically review, and revise, as necessary, the general plan and zoning code.

(b) Implement the general plan through actions including, but not limited to, the administration of specific plans, master plans, area plans, community plans, and zoning code.

(c) Prepare, review, and revise ordinances and resolutions related to the department’s tasks and duties.

(d) Assist the public in understanding the requirement of the county-adopted zoning ordinances and state requirements.

(e) Serve as staff to the planning commission and zoning administrator.

(f) Administer county grant applications obtained by the department.

(g) Permit and inspect all permittable activities under the California Code of Regulations, Title 24.

(h) Serve as the authorized representative of the county health officer in environmental health matters.

(i) Enforce zoning code as per section 42-4.

(j) Other duties as requested by the board of supervisors.