South Pasadena Municipal Code Art. IVA Planning Commission

There is hereby created a city planning commission for the city pursuant to the provisions of the Planning and Zoning Law set forth in Government Code Section 65000 et seq. The commission shall consist of seven members. (Ord. No. 2187, § 2, 2009; Ord. No. 2406, § 9, 2025.)

The planning commission shall hold one regular meeting each month on a date and time established by resolution. Special meetings, as necessary, may be called as provided for in Government Code Section 54956, or its successor statute. (Ord. No. 2187, § 2, 2009; Ord. No. 2406, § 10, 2025.)

The planning commission shall act as a consulting and advisory board to the council of the city and shall make investigations and recommendations in an advisory capacity, either upon its own initiative or upon the request of the city council, of matters pertaining to a civic center, subdivisions, zoning, parks and boulevards, beautification of the city and in general such other subjects as have to do with the orderly and consistent physical development of the city.

The commission shall also have all the powers and duties of a board of zoning adjustment.

Such powers include the power to hear and decide:

(a) Applications for conditional uses or other permits when the zoning ordinance provides therefor and establishes criteria for determining such matters.

(b) Applications for variances from the terms of the zoning ordinance when the following circumstances are found to apply:

(1) That any variance granted shall be subject to such conditions as will assure that the adjustment thereby authorized shall not constitute a grant of special privilege inconsistent with the limitations upon other properties in the vicinity and zone in which subject property is situated;

(2) That because of special circumstances applicable to subject property, including size, shape, topography, location or surroundings, the strict application of the zoning ordinance is found to deprive subject property of privileges enjoyed by other properties in the vicinity and under identical zone classification. (Ord. No. 2187, § 2, 2009.)