Planning Board Appointments and Terms 

(a) There shall be a Planning Board consisting of seven (7) members.  Six (6) members, who reside in town limits, shall be appointed by the Town Council.  One (1) member, who resides in the town’s extraterritorial jurisdiction area, shall be appointed by the County Board of Commissioners.  If the County Board fails to make this appointment within ninety (90) days after receiving a written request from the Town Council, the Council shall make the appointment.

(b) Planning Board members shall be appointed for four-year staggered terms, but members may continue to serve until their successors have been appointed.  Vacancies shall be filled by appointment of the respective appointing authority for the unexpired terms only.  Members shall be eligible for reappointment.  

(c) Planning Board members may be removed by the Council at any time for failure to attend three (3) consecutive meetings or for failure to attend thirty (30) percent or more of the meetings within any twelve-month period or for any other good cause related to performance of duties.

(d) If an in-town member moves outside Town, or if an extraterritorial area member moves outside the planning jurisdiction, that shall constitute a resignation from the Planning Board, effective upon the date a replacement is appointed by the appointment authority.

Planning Board Meetings

(a) Regular meetings of the Planning Board shall be held in Town Council Chambers at 6:00 PM on the last Tuesday before the first Town Council Meeting of each month.  At such meetings the Board shall consider all matters properly brought before the Board.  A regular meeting may be cancelled or rescheduled by the Board at a prior meeting.  All Planning Board meetings shall be open to the public.

(b) The Planning Board shall hold an annual meeting in January.  Such meeting shall be devoted to the election of officers for the ensuing year and such other business as shall be scheduled by the Planning Board. 

(c) Special meetings of the Planning Board may be held at a time and place designated by the Chairman or Vice-chairman.  Written notice shall be given to all members not less than twenty-four hours in advance thereof.

(d) At any meeting of the Planning Board a quorum shall consist of four members of the Board.  No action shall be taken in the absence of a quorum, except to adjourn the meeting to a subsequent date.  

(e) At all meetings of the Planning Board, each attending member has a duty to cast a vote on all business before the Board unless that Board member is disqualified by a conflict of interest.  Although the Chairman has the power to vote, he/she may only exercise it when the Board has a tie vote.  The extraterritorial planning area member may vote on all matters considered by the Board regardless of whether the property affected lies within or without the Town.

(f) The officers of the Planning Board shall consist of a Chairman and a Vice-Chairman elected by the Board at the annual meeting for a term of one year.  The Planning Director, or his/her designated representative, shall serve as Secretary to the Board.  The Secretary is not a member of the Planning Board, is not counted for determining a quorum, and does not vote.  

Planning Board Officers and Duties 

(a) The Chairman shall preside over all meetings of the Board and shall decide all points of order and procedure, subject to the Board's by-laws and rules of procedure.  The Chairman shall appoint any committees found necessary to investigate any matters before the Board.  The Chairman may call special meetings of the Board.

(b) The Vice Chairman shall serve as acting Chairman in the absence or disqualification of the Chairman, and at such times, shall have the same power and duties as the Chairman.

(c) The Secretary shall take and keep the minutes of all meetings of the Board in an appropriate minute book, give and serve all notices required by law and/or this Land Use Ordinance, prepare the agenda for all meetings of the Board, inform the Board of correspondence relating to business of the Board and to attend to such correspondence, handle funds allocated to the Board in accordance with its directives and the law, and sign official documents of the Board.

Attendance

Two consecutive unexcused absences by any Board member shall constitute just grounds for disqualification as a Board Member. 

Vacancies

Should any vacancy occur among the members of this Planning Board by reason of death, resignation, disability or otherwise, immediate notice thereof shall be forwarded to the Clerk of the Board of the Town Council by the Secretary. Should any vacancies occur among the officers of the Planning Board, the vacant office shall be filled in accordance with Section VIII of the office in which such vacancy shall occur. 

Duties of the Planning Board 

(a) The Planning Board shall review and make a written recommendation to the Town Council on all zoning requests and amendments to Chapter 18 “Land Use Regulations”.  Said recommendations shall include a plan consistency statement on whether the request or amendment is consistent with the Town’s Comprehensive Plan.  In developing the plan consistency statement, the Planning Board shall deliberate on the following:

1. Is the proposal in accordance with the Land Use Plan and sound planning principles.

2. Is there is convincing demonstration that all uses permitted under the proposed district classification or proposed text amendment would be in the general public interest and not merely in the interest of an individual or small group.

3. Is there is convincing demonstration that all uses permitted under the proposed district classification would be appropriate in the area included in the proposed change.

4. Is there is convincing demonstration that the character of the neighborhood will not be materially and adversely affected by any use permitted in the proposed change.

(b) The Planning Board shall also perform the following duties:

1. Prepare, review, maintain, monitor, and periodically update and recommend to the Town Council a comprehensive plan, and such other plans as deemed appropriate, and conduct ongoing related research, data collection, mapping, and analysis.

2. Facilitate and coordinate citizen engagement and participation in the planning process.

3. Develop and recommend polices, ordinances, administrative procedures, and other means for carrying out plans in a coordinated and efficient manner.

4. Exercise any functions in the administration and enforcement of various means for carrying out plans that the Town Council may direct.

2020 Planning Board Meeting Schedule

2021 Planning Board Meeting Schedule

2022 Planning Board Meeting Schedule

2023 Planning Board Meeting Schedule

2024 Planning Board Meeting Schedule