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 Chapel Hill
 Code of Ordinances
 Appendix A. LAND USE MANAGEMENT
 Article 8. ADMINISTRATIVE MECHANISMS

  § 8.2. Planning commission.  

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  • 8.2.1. Establishment of the commission; Charge; Qualifications.

    A planning commission, consisting of ten (10) members, is hereby established. The charge of the commission is to assist the council in achieving the town's comprehensive plan for orderly growth and development by analyzing, evaluating and recommending responsible town policies, ordinances and planning standards that manage land use and involving the community in long-range planning. Members shall be appointed in accordance with the council's advisory board membership policy and shall include one (1) extraterritorial planning jurisdiction (ETJ) resident and one (1) additional representative from the joint planning area or the extraterritorial jurisdiction as outlined in the joint planning agreement. Members shall serve without compensation, but may be reimbursed for actual expenses incidental to the performance of their duties within the limit of funds available to the board.

    8.2.2. Tenure.

    Members of the commission shall be appointed in accordance with the council's advisory board membership policy.

    8.2.3. Officers.

    Officers and terms of officers shall be in accordance with the council's advisory board membership policy.

    8.2.4. Powers of the commission.

    The planning commission shall have the following powers and duties:

    (a)

    To develop a Comprehensive Plan for the orderly growth and development of Chapel Hill and its environs. Such plan shall set forth goals, objectives, and policies designed to manage the quantity, type, cost, location, timing, and quality of development and redevelopment in the Chapel Hill community;

    (b)

    To seek to coordinate the activities of individuals and public or private agencies and organizations whose plans, activities, and programs bear on the general development of the community;

    (c)

    To undertake, on its own or in collaboration with any other board, commission, agency, society, or organization, any programs of information, research, or analysis relating to any matters under its purview;

    (d)

    To cooperate with other commissions, boards, or agencies of the town or other governmental unit in offering or requesting assistance, guidance, or advice concerning matters under the board's purview or of mutual interest;

    (e)

    To make studies of the general development characteristics and problems of the community, including surveys and inventories of an appropriate nature, and to recommend standards and policies of development for the entire community or any portion or neighborhood thereof, or any project to be undertaken therein;

    (f)

    To request from the proper officials of any public agency or body its plans for public buildings, facilities, or projects to be located within the town's jurisdiction, and to review such plans as to conformity with the Comprehensive Plan to make recommendations regarding such plans to the appropriate agency or body, or to the council. The board shall review all such plans in a prompt and expeditious manner, and shall make all recommendations with regard to any public project in writing, and shall promptly transmit copies of the recommendation to the appropriate agency or body, and to the council;

    (g)

    To formulate and recommend to the council the adoption or amendment of ordinances that, in the opinion of the board will serve to promote the orderly development of the community in accord with the Comprehensive Plan;

    (h)

    To direct the attention of appropriate town officials to needed enforcement of any ordinance that may affect the general development of the community;

    (i)

    To enter, at reasonable times, upon private lands and make examinations or surveys as necessary for the performance of its official duties;

    (j)

    To promote public interest in an understanding of its recommendations, studies, and plans, and to prepare, publish, and distribute to the public such studies and reports that, in the opinion of the board, will promote the orderly development of the community in accord with the Comprehensive Plan;

    (k)

    To request the council to hold public hearings on matters within the purview of the commission;

    (l)

    To conduct public meetings and hearings, giving reasonable notice to the public thereof;

    (m)

    To review and make recommendations to the council on proposed plats of land subdivision, applications for special use permits, and proposed amendments to Land Use Management Ordinances;

    (n)

    To review site plans for conformity with land development regulations, in accord with section 4.7 of this appendix;

    (o)

    To review minor subdivision for conformity with land development regulations in accord with subsection 4.6.4;

    (p)

    To recommend to the council suitable arrangement for the procurement or provision of staff or technical services for the commission;

    (q)

    To establish an advisory council or other committees within its membership as it may deem necessary;

    (r)

    To accept funds from private agencies, foundations, organizations, individuals, the State or federal government, or any other source, and to disburse such funds for any purpose within the scope of its authority; and

    (s)

    To exercise such other powers and to perform such other duties as are authorized or required elsewhere in this appendix, the N.C. General Statutes, or by the council.

    8.2.5. Meetings.

    The commission shall establish a regular meeting schedule, and shall meet at least monthly and more often as it shall determine and require. All meetings of the board shall be open to the public, and reasonable notice of the time and place thereof shall be given to the public, in accord with Chapter 143, Article 33C of the N.C. General Statutes. The commission shall keep a record of its meetings, including attendance of its members, its resolutions, findings, recommendations, and actions. In the case of a divided vote on any question on which the board is required to act, the record shall include the vote of each member.

    8.2.6. Attendance at meetings.

    Attendance at meetings shall be in accordance with the council's advisory board membership policy.

    8.2.7. Quorum and Voting.

    A quorum of the commission, necessary to take any official action, shall consist of six (6) members. The concurring vote of five (5) members shall be necessary to take any official action to approve or deny an application or permit.

    The concurring majority vote of the quorum shall be necessary to conduct other business, including making a recommendation on an application to be considered by the council.

(Ord. No. 2007-06-27/O-9, § 1; Ord. No. 2014-03-10/O-2, §§ 1, 3 ; Ord. No. 2015-11-09/O-1 , § 1; Ord. No. 2017-01-18/O-2 ; Ord. No. 2018-06-27/O-4 , § 1)