Richmond Municipal Code Ch. 3.20 Planning Commission

(a) Under the authority contained in Section 65300 of the Government Code of the state, there is hereby created in the City a Planning Commission consisting of nine members and designated the "Planning Commission of the City of Richmond."

(b) Effective January 1, 2008, the number of Planning Commissioners shall be reduced from nine members to seven members.

(Amended by Ordinance No. 10-05 N.S.)

All members of the Commission shall be registered voters residing within the City who shall not be officers or employees of the City and who shall be appointed by the Mayor with the approval of the City Council. The City Attorney, or his representative nominated by him, the Director of Public Works, or his representative nominated by him, and the Director of Planning, or his representative nominated by him, shall attend all regular and special meetings of the Commission, and shall advise the Commission on any matter before it, but shall not vote on any such matter.

The term of office of members of the Commission shall be for two years and no member shall serve for more than four consecutive full terms, provided however that a member may remain in office until that member's successor has been appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the Council. Any vacancies on the Commission shall be filled by appointment by the Mayor with the concurrence of at least four other members of the City Council.

(Amended by Ordinance Nos. 34-82 N.S., 22-85 N.S., 18-96 N.S. and 17-07 N.S.)

The absence of any member of the Commission from more than eight regularly scheduled meetings of the Commission within any twelve-consecutive-month period shall constitute an automatic resignation from the Commission; provided, that the nonattendance by a member of the Commission at a regularly scheduled meeting due to the requirements of other City business shall not constitute an absence. Such a resignation shall not, however, disqualify an individual from subsequently being appointed to the same or any other City Commission or Board. In the event of any such resignation, the vacancy shall be filled by appointment for the unexpired portion of the term of the appointee's predecessor in the manner prescribed in Section 3.20.030.

(Amended by Ordinance No. 56-74 N.S., 16-76 N.S., 2-80 N.S., 1-87 N.S. and 42-87 N.S.)

The Commission shall elect from their own number a chairman and a vice-chairman and shall appoint a secretary who may be, but need not be, a member of said Commission.

The Commission shall fix the time and place of regular meetings of the Commission which shall not be less frequent than once each month; all meetings of said Commission shall be open to the public. A majority of the currently serving members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum for the conduct of business, provided however that a quorum shall never be fewer than three (3) members. If a quorum is present, a majority of the votes cast is sufficient for the adoption of any motion, provided however that no fewer than three (3) affirmative votes shall be required for the adoption of a motion.

(Amended by Ordinance No. 17-07 N.S.)

The Commission shall adopt rules for the transaction of the business of the Commission, which rules shall, among other things, include the term of office of the officers of the Commission, the manner of calling and giving notices of special meetings and hearings, and the appointment and powers of standing committees. The Commission shall keep records which shall be open to the public of its resolutions, transactions, motions, orders, findings and determinations.

(Source: Ordinance No. 1435.)

The Commission shall have all the powers and shall perform all the duties conferred and imposed upon City Planning Commissions by the applicable provisions of Chapter 3 of Title 7 of the Government Code of the state and, in addition, the Commission shall:

(a) Prepare, adopt and maintain a long-range, comprehensive general plan for the physical growth and development of the City and areas related directly to the City. The general plan shall reflect the future goals of the City and after its adoption by the City Council shall represent the City's policy on matters of physical development. It shall serve to guide the general location of future public facilities and improvements and to aid in the encouragement and regulation of private development;

(b) Prepare and adopt plans for the conservation or clearance, rebuilding and redevelopment of those areas of the City suffering from blighted conditions;

(c) Serve as an advisory body to the City Council on matters related to the City growth and development and on such other matters as may be requested by the Council;

(d) Promote public interest in planning and encourage citizen participation in the formulation of the general plan;

(e) Engage in a program of acquainting the public with the problems and alternate solutions relating to the local physical environment;

(f) Call on the Planning Director and the Planning Staff of the City for research and advice in matters of a technical nature.

(g) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Code, the City Council shall retain jurisdiction over and be the decision-making body for matters subject to this Code on which the City Council has previously acted and which are returned to the City for further proceedings pursuant to direction from a court, such as a writ. For such matters, the City Council may request that the Planning Commission hold a single advisory meeting to make a recommendation to the City Council on a course of action, but such meeting shall not be a prerequisite to City Council action.

(Source: Ordinance No. 54 N.S.)

(Ord. No. 12-14 N.S., § I, 6-17-2014)