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3d Planning CommissionPlanning Commission September 15, 2003 WHAT IS WORKING? · We have a good team that works well together, appreciate each other's qualities, and are tolerant of differing views. WHAT IS NOT WORKING? · Our meetings tend to be (too) long. At times, we wonder where the Council will take things. HOW CAN WE IMPROVE WHAT IS NOT WORKING? · At times, rarely of course, we could be a little less long-winded and repetitive in our comments. EXPECTATIONS OF THE CITY COUNCIL · To consider our recommendations and concerns with the same diligence we put into it. Communicate and discuss as appropriate the priorities and concerns relating to zoning and land use issues in order to have a good collective understanding. HOW DOES THE PLANNING COMMISSION DEFINE THEIR ROLE? · We review planning matters as to whether or not they sufficiently meet code and the Comprehensive Plan. G :\planXka\planning commission\joint mtg 9-15-03.doc BYLAWS PLANNING COMMISSION CITY OF CHANHASSEN The following bylaws are adopted by the City Planning Commission to facilitate the performance of its duties and the exercising of its functions as a commission established by the City Council on June 17, 1968 and pursuant to the provision of Subdivision I, Section 462.354 Minnesota State Statutes annotated. SECTION 1 - DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES - PLANNING COMMISSION: 1.1 The Planning Commission shall serve as an advisory body to the City Council through carrying out reviews of planning matters. All final decisions are to be made by the City Council. 1.2 The Planning Commission shall prepare a Comprehensive Plan for the future development of the city and recommend on amendments to the plan as they arise. 1.3 The Planning Commission shall initiate, direct, and review the provisions and standards of the Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Regulations and reports its recommendations to the City Council. 1.4 The Planning Commission shall review applications and proposals for zoning ordinance amendments, subdivisions, street vacations, conditional use permits and site plan reviews and make their recommendations to the City Council in accordance with the Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Ordinance. 1.5 The Planning Commission shall hold public hearings on development proposals as prescribed by the Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances. 1.6 - Establishment of Subcommittees The Planning Commission may, as they deem appropriate, establish special subcommittees comprised solely of their own members. SECTION 2 - MEETINGS: 2.1 - Time Regular meetings of the Commission shall be held on the first and third Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. at the City Council Chambers, 690 City Center Drive, unless otherwise directed by the Chairperson, in which case at least 24 hours notice will be given to all members. Regular meetings shall have a curfew of 10:30 p.m. which may be waived at the discretion of the Chairperson. All unfinished business will be carded over to the next regular Planning Commission meeting. When the regular meeting day falls on a legal holiday, there shall be no Planning Commission meeting. 2.2 - Special meetings Special meetings shall be held upon call by the Chairperson, or in his/her absence, by the Vice- Chairperson or any other member with the concurrence of four other members of the commission, and with at least 48 hours of notice to all members. Notice of all special meetings shall also be posted on the official city bulletin board. 2.3 - Attendance: Planning Commission members shall attend not less than seventy-five (75%) percent of all regular and special meetings held during a given (calendar) year, and shall not be absent from three (3) consecutive meetings without prior approval of the Chairperson. Failure to meet this minimum attendance requirements shall be cause for removal from the commission by action of the City Council. SECTION 3 - COMMISSION COMPOSITION, TERMS AND VACANCIES: 3.1 - Composition The commission shall consist of seven (7) voting members. Seven members shall be appointed by the Council and may be removed by the Council. 3.2 - Terms and Vacancies The council shall appoint seven members to the commission for terms of three (3) years. Vacancies during the term shall be filled by the council for the unexpired portion of the term. Every appointed member shall, before entering upon the charge of his/her duties, take an oath that he/she will faithfully discharge the duties of his office. All members shall serve without compensation. 3.3 - Quorum Four planning commission members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Whenever a quorum is not present, no final or official action shall be taken at such meeting. SECTION 4 - ORGANIZATION: 4.1 - Election of Officers At the first meeting in April of each year, the planning commission shall hold an organization meeting. At this meeting, the commission shall elect from its membership a Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson. Each member shall cast its vote for the member he wishes to be chosen for Chairperson. If no one receives a majority, voting shall continue until one member receives the majority support. Vice-Chairperson shall be elected from the remaining numbers of the same proceeding. 4.2 - Duties of the Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson The Chairperson or in his/her absence, the Vice-Chairperson, shall preside at meetings, appoint committees from its own membership, and perform other such duties as ordered by the commission. The Chairperson shall conduct the meeting so as to keep it moving rapidly and efficiently as possible and shall remind members, witnesses and petitioners to preserve order and decorum and to keep comments to the subject at hand. The Chairperson shall not move for action but may second motions. SECTION 5 - PROCEDURE: 5.1 - Parliamentary Procedure Parliamentary Procedure governed by Roberts Rules of Order Revised, shall be followed at all regular meetings. At special work session meetings, and when appropriate, the commission may hold group discussions not following any set parliamentary procedures except when motions are before the commission. SECTION 6 - PUBLIC HEARINGS: 6.1 - Purpose of Hearings The purpose of a hearing is to collect information and facts in order for the commission to develop a rational planning recommendation for the City Council. 6.2 - Hearing Procedure At hearings, the following procedure shall be followed in each case: a. The Chairperson shall state the case to be heard. bo The Chairperson shall call upon the staff to present the staff report. Required reports from each city department shall be submitted to the Planning Commission before each case is heard. c. The Chairperson shall ask the applicant to present his case. Interested persons may address the commission, giving information regarding the particular proposal. eo Petitioners and the public are to address the Chairperson only, not staff or other commissioners. There shall be no dialogue among the commissioners giving information regarding the particular proposal. (The Planning Commission members may ask questions of persons addressing the commission in order to clarify a fact, but any statement by a member of any other purpose than to question may be ruled out of order.) go After all new facts and information have been brought forth, the heating shall be closed and interested persons shall not be heard again. Upon completion of the hearing on each case, the Planning Commission shall discuss the item at hand and render a decision. The Planning Commission, if it so desires, may leave the public record open for written comments for a specified period of time. ho The Chairperson shall have the responsibility to inform all the parties of their rights of appeal on any decision or recommendation of the Planning Commission. 6.3- Schedule At meetings where more than one hearing is scheduled, every effort shall be made to begin each case at the time set in the agenda, but in no case may an item be called for hearing prior to the advertised time listed on the agenda. SECTION 7 - MISCELLANEOUS: 7.1 - Planning Commission Discussion no Matters for discussion which do not appear on the agenda may be considered and discussed by the commission under the On-going items section. b. Matters which appear on the agenda as open discussion items will not be recorded as minutes. 7.2 - Suspension of Rules The commission may suspend any of these rules by a unanimous vote of the members present. 7.3 - Amendments Amendment of these bylaws may be made at any regular or special meeting of the Planning Commission but only if scheduled on the meeting agenda in advance of the meeting. 7.4 - Review At the first meeting in April of each year, these bylaws shall be read and adopted by the Planning Commission. Chairperson: Date: Updated 9/1/01