Williams Municipal Code Ch. 2.24 Planning Commission

There is created a planning commission pursuant to the Planning and Zoning Law (Government Code, Title 7, Div. 1, Sections 65000—66037). The city council establishes a planning commission to be known as the "planning commission of the city of Williams."

(Ord. 129-03 § 3, 2003)

The planning commission shall consist of five members, none of whom shall be an employee of the city, or be a member of any other board or commission of the city. A person who is a member of two or more city boards, commissions at the time of enactment of this addition of this section to this Code shall choose to serve on one board or commission and resign from other board(s) or commission(s). The members of the planning commission shall be appointed by the mayor with the approval of the city council. The mayor may also appoint an alternate member, who shall serve on the planning commission in the absence of any regular member. Persons wishing to serve on the planning commission shall submit a completed application on a form provided by the city. An applicant for the planning commission may be interviewed by the planning commission and the city council. The planning commission may recommend an applicant to the mayor and city council for appointment.

(Ord. 129-03 § 3, 2003; Ord. No. 210-15, § 2, 5-20-15)

A member of the planning commission may be removed or their position declared vacant for the following reasons:

A. If any member misses three consecutive regular meetings without an excused absence, the position automatically becomes vacant. A member is not absent without an excuse if his or her absence is due to illness or is unavoidable, and the member notifies the chair, secretary of the commission or planning director before the meeting that he or she will be absent and giving the reason for the absence. Failure to give a reason for being absent will cause the absence to be unexcused.

B. Members of the commission serve at the pleasure of the city council. A member of the commission may be removed from the planning commission by a majority vote of the city council and any such action shall be final and not subject to review. The planning commission may recommend the removal of any member to the city council.

C. A member who has moved residence from the city shall be considered to have resigned from the commission.

D. Failure to timely complete legally required training and/or Form 700 Statements of Economic Interest will result in automatic removal of the member from the commission and the city council will be notified of the removal.

(Ord. 129-03 § 3, 2003; Ord. No. 258-24, § 1, 5-15-2024)

The members of the planning commission shall have terms that coincide with the terms of the city council. Three members shall have terms that end on December 31, 2002, and thereafter on December 31st every four years, and two members shall have terms that end on December 31, 2004 and thereafter on December 31st every four years. The term for each appointment shall be two and four years. If a vacancy occurs other than by expiration of a term, it shall be filled by the mayor's appointment, and approval by the city council for the unexpired portion of the term. Effective January 1, 2003, the city council shall appoint three members of the planning commission for four-year terms and two members shall be appointed for a two-year term.

(Ord. 129-03 § 3, 2003).

A. The planning commission shall have the following officers.

1. Chair. The chair shall preside at all meetings of the commission, and maintain good order and harmony during meetings.

2. Vice-Chair. The vice-chair shall serve as chair in the absence or inability of the chair to serve.

3. Secretary. The secretary shall keep minutes of each meeting and skill record each hearing and official action. The secretary shall be the planning director or his or her appointee.

B. The chair and vice chair shall be elected by majority vote of the commission from among its members. These elected officers shall serve a one-year term beginning January 1st of each year. However, the elected officers shall serve at the pleasure of the commission and the commission by majority vote may change elected officers at any time.

(Ord. 129-03 § 3, 2003).

A. A person appointed to the planning commission shall have the following qualifications:

1. He or she shall be a qualified elector of the city; and

2. He or she shall not serve on two or more commissions, or boards of the city simultaneously.

B. Upon appointment to a second commission or board, the appointment to the first commission, committee or board shall automatically terminate.

(Ord. 129-03 § 3, 2003).

Members of the planning commission shall receive no compensation for attendance at meetings.

(Ord. 129-03 § 3, 2003).

The expenditures of the commission, exclusive of gifts, shall be within the amounts appropriated for that purpose by the city council, which shall provide the funds, equipment and accommodation; necessary for the work of the commission. Whenever the commission so authorizes, and the city administrator 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 1:0 the constituted work of the commission, and the expenses incidental to such attendance shall be proper charges on the funds appropriated to the commission.

(Ord. 129-03 § 3, 2003).

The planning commission shall have all the powers and duties prescribed by the Planning and Zoning Law (Government Code Sections 65000—66037), Subdivision Map Act (Government Code Sections 66410—66499.58) and other applicable state laws and city ordinances. The planning commission may also be granted from time to time additional powers as the city council deems necessary. The planning commission shall also have the power to review and decide matters on appeal from a decision of the planning director.

(Ord. 129-03 § 3, 2003).

The planning commission shall observe the rules of order prescribed by the city council wherever applicable and may adopt such inks for its own proceedings and conduct of business as are appropriate.

(Ord. 129-03 § 3, 2003).

The chair of the planning commission shall submit a written report to the city council at the council meeting in December of each year. The report shall contain a summary of the commission's activities, decisions and projects for the current year, a description of areas of interest expressed by the planning commission for the next year, and recommendations from the planning commission and/or individual members of the planning commission.

(Ord. 129-03 § 3, 2003).