Hollister Municipal Code Ch. 2.20 Planning Commission

To promote and insure the comprehensive and adequate planning of the city, there is created a city planning commission.

(Prior code § 2-36)

The city planning commission shall be composed of five members each of whom shall be residents of the city. Each council member shall nominate one member of the planning commission, subject to approval by the city council. The nominee shall reside in the same district as their appointing council member unless there are no applicants from that district, in which case the nominee may be selected from the city-at-large. The mayor may nominate a member from the city-at-large. The planning commission shall elect its chairperson from among its members, to serve as such for a term of one year.

(Prior code § 2-37; Ord. 1176, § 1, 2019)

The term of office of each member shall be the same as the term of the appointing council member and until the appointment and qualification of a successor. Any vacancy in the membership of the city planning commission shall be filled by a nomination from the council member whose district the member represents. Applicants from another district may be appointed if there are no applicants from the council member's district. On or after assuming office, any new member of the city council may nominate a member of the planning commission to replace the member representing their district. All nominations for appointment are subject to the approval of the city council.

(Prior code § 2-38; Ord. 1176, § 2, 2019)

The executive secretary of the city planning commission shall be appointed by the City Manager and shall be the chief administrative and planning officer of the city planning commission.

(Prior code § 2-40)

The city planning commission shall meet at least once each month, keep a public record of its resolutions, findings and determinations and adopt rules and regulations pertaining to its meetings and the transaction of its business.

(Prior code § 2-42)

The city planning commission shall have the power and it shall be its duty to consider and recommend to the city council the following:

A. The approval or disapproval of maps or plats of subdivisions or resubdivisions of lands, whether lying within the city or within three miles outside its limits;

B. Land use or zoning plans and any proposed changes therein and any city ordinances effectuating such plans;

C. Plans for sanitation and the proper service of all public utilities;

D. Plans and procedure for the improvement of housing standards, adequate housing and regulations relating to housing and building codes;

E. The proper location of any proposed building, structure or works;

F. The adoption of any plan for the physical development of the city, including lands outside the city, as may bear relation to the planning thereof.

(Prior code § 2-43)

The city planning commission shall have such other powers and duties, in addition to those enumerated in this chapter, as may from time to time be found in the state Government Code relating to planning or as the city council may, by ordinance, confer upon it.

(Prior code § 2-48)

Each commission member serves at the pleasure of the council member who appointed them and the commission member may be removed at any time, with or without cause.

Attendance Policy: Commissioners are expected to attend all meetings of the planning commission. Attendance and ongoing participation are critical to the commission's success. Any member of the commission who has two unexcused absences during a regular meeting, special meeting, or commission sanctioned events within one calendar year shall constitute an automatic resignation. Attendance records shall be kept and members shall be informed by letter when he or she has reached two absences from regular meetings, special meetings, or commission sanctioned events. Absences will be deemed as excused and recorded in the PC minutes if the chairperson or city staff is notified of the commissioner's absence.

(Prior code § 2-39; Ord. 1176, § 3, 2019)

The expenditures of the city planning commission, exclusive of gifts, shall be within the amounts appropriated for that purpose by the city council, which shall provide the funds, equipment and accommodations necessary for the work of the planning commission. Whenever the planning commission so authorizes and the City Manager approves, the members of the city planning commission shall attend planning conferences or meetings of planning officials, hearings on planning legislation or any matters relative to the constituted work of the planning commission and the expense incident to such attendance shall be proper charges on the funds appropriated to the planning commission.

(Prior code § 2-41)

The city planning commission shall endeavor to promote public interest in and understanding of the general plan and of official plans and regulations relating thereto. It may consult and confer with public officials and agencies, civic, educational, professional and other organizations and with citizens generally with relation to the carrying out of such plans.

(Prior code § 2-46; Editorially amended during 1998 codification)

The general plan with its accompanying maps, charts, descriptive materials and reports, shall include plans for the following:

A. Land use, zoning, land subdivision, building lines and other regulations;

B. Locations of streets, highways and other public ways, terminals, viaducts, bridges and grade separations, parks and recreation areas, public buildings and grounds;

C. Communities and neighborhoods;

D. Such other plans as may, in the judgment of the city planning commission, relate to the physical development of the city and its environs.

(Prior code § 2-49; Editorially amended during 1998 codification)

The city planning commission shall approve the general plan or any portion, extension or amendment thereof, before the adoption of such plan or any portion, extension or amendment thereof, by the city council. ;hn0; (Prior code § 2-50; Editorially amended during 1998 codification)

The general plan, or any portion or portions thereof, when and as adopted or amended by the city council upon the recommendation of the city planning commission, shall constitute the official general plan of the city. The general plan and any and all city ordinances and resolutions relating thereto, when adopted by the city council, shall be binding upon the city whether or not mentioned therein.

(Prior code § 2-51; Editorially amended during 1998 codification)

In any section or portion of the city or its environs included within the general plan or any portion thereof, as adopted by the city council, no road, street, highway or other public way, park or ground shall be acquired by dedication or otherwise, nor closed or abandoned, and no building or structure shall be constructed or authorized in the area unless such improvement and its location and character conforms to such general plan.

(Prior code § 2-52; Editorially amended during 1998 codification)

Each application for an amendment of the general plan shall be accompanied by a nonrefundable fee fixed, from time to time, by resolution of the city council.

(Prior code § 2-52.1)

No ordinance or resolution shall be adopted, nor shall any final action be taken by the city council relating to any of the matters contained in Section 2.20.060 until the same shall first have been submitted to the city planning commission and the planning commission shall have made its recommendations thereon. The planning commission shall make its recommendations relative thereto within 30 days after such submission or such extension thereof as may be granted by the city council. Should the planning commission fail to make such recommendation within the time so limited, it shall be deemed to have approved the same. Whenever the city planning commission shall have made a recommendation relative to any of the foregoing matters, the city council shall take final action only by the vote of a majority of its entire membership.

(Prior code § 2-44)

The city planning commission may, but it shall not be required to, submit annually to the City Manager, prior to the beginning of each fiscal year, a program of public improvements and land acquisitions which it deems necessary or desirable to be undertaken during the forthcoming six-year period.

(Prior code § 2-45)

All public boards, commissions and officials of the city shall, upon request, furnish the city planning commission, within a reasonable time, such information as they may have which the planning commission and the city planning department may require for its work.

(Prior code § 2-47)