PLANNING COMMISSION OVERVIEW
The Planning Commission is an agency authorized by State Law and created by
City Council. Under State Law, the Commission's primary responsibilty is to
develop, recommend and interpret a comprehensive physical development plan
for the City and, in this process, to engage in a continuous urban planning
program open to citizen participation. The Commission serves as an advisor to
City Council on primarily land use matters.
The Planning Commission is responsible for making recommendations on
rezoning petitions, street closures and use permits. Public hearings are held on
each. These land use activities are augmented by participation in regional
transportation planning, basic research and public information. In pursuing its
objectives, the Commission interacts with many other Boards and Commissions
at the local, inter-municipal, regional, State and Federal levels
The Commission consists of seven members appointed by City Council for four-
year terms. The Director of Planning serves as an ex-officio member of the
Commission.
Members must, per State law, annually file a Virginia Conflict of Interest
‘Statement with the City Clerk.
Meeting Schedule: This Commission meets the 1st Tuesday of each month in
the 6th Floor Conference Room of the City Hall Building at 1:30 p.m. Applications
and all supporting materials must be received eight (8) weeks prior to the
meeting,
Mission Statement: The Commission's primary responsibility is to make
recommendations to the City Council on matters related to comprehensive and
|
l current planning and land use development.‘THE Gry OF
PORTSMOUTH
PLANNING COMMISSION
BY-LAWS
MEETINGS
A. A regular monthly meeting of the Commission shall be held on the
first Tuesday of each month at 1:30 p.m. in either the Council
Chamber or the Office of City Planning. The regular meeting date
may be substituted with the third Tuesday of the month, in the event
the chairman, or vice-chairman if the chairman is unable to act:
1. Finds and declares that weather or other conditions are such
that it is hazardous for members to attend the meeting;
2. Finds it impossible to assemble a quorum for the first Tuesday;
or,
8. The first Tuesday falls on a Holiday.
The Commissions shall meet at least every two months.
The Annual Meeting for the election of officers of the Commission
shall be held at the regular meeting in the month of December.
Adjourned meetings may be held at such time and place as fixed in
the resolution of adjournment or treated as a special meeting.
Special meetings of the Commission may be called by the Chairman
and held at a time and/or place fixed by the majority of the members.
The Chairman shall call a special meeting of the Commission at the
request, in writing, of any two voting members of the Commission.
The Commission will conduct public hearings on rezonings, use
permits and other advertised matters on a monthly basis at regular
monthly meetings unless a special meeting is called for such a
purpose.
The Commission shall keep minutes of its meetings. Said minutes
shall be the official records of the activities of the CommissionNOTICE OF MEETINGS
A.
No notice shall be necessary for the Annual Meeting or the regular
monthly meetings. The Chairman may direct such notice be given by
the Planning Director, but failure to give such notice or receive same
shall not affect the validity of any election or acts done at such
meeting.
Notice of @ special meeting shall name the time and place and
business to be transacted and shall be mailed to each member of the
Commission at his or her address given the Commission, Notice shall
be sent to each member within a reasonable time sufficient to enable
him or her to attend such meeting,
All meetings, hearings and records shall be open to the public as
prescribed by the Virginia Freedom of Information Act.
QUORUM
A
At least four (4) members of the Commission shall be necessary to
Constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
The affirmation vote of a majority of those voting members present
shall be required for the exercise of powers or functions ‘of this
Commission.
Whenever @ quorum is not present at any meeting, those present
may adjourn the meeting to another day or hold the Meeting for the
Purpose of considering such matters as are on the agenda, provided
however, no action taken at such meeting shall be final or official
unless and until the Commission ratifies and confirms it at a
Subsequent meeting at which a quorum is present.
OFFICERS
A
‘The members of the Commission shall elect the following officers:
1. Chairman
2. Vice Chairman
‘The Chairman shall preside at all meetings of the Commission and
shall perform such duties as are usually exercised by the Chairman
of a Commission or the President or Chief Officer of an organization,
including the appointment of all committees.vi.
Xl.
‘A. When so resolved by action of the membership, the Chairman shall
create such committees as deemed essential,
B. The Chairman upon his own initiatives may appoint individuals or
members of the Commission to conduct research upon topics of
interest and concems to the Commission and may request individual
members or special committee to meet with other public agencies or
officials to further the general Commission program. Such
appointments shall be reported at the next following regular meeting
at which time reports can be made and discusses.
ATTENDANCE
Members of the Commission are expected to attend all meetings.
Whenever, any member misses three (3) consecutive meetings or four (4)
meetings within a calendar year, the Chairman shall report this information
{o the City Council. The Chairman shall inform City Council of the reasons
for the absence of the member, and any harmful affect said absence may
have upon the Commission as a whole or its members.
AMENDMENTS OF BY-LAWS
The foregoing by-laws, or any part thereof, may be amended at any regular
meeting of the Commission without notice, or at any special meeting of the
Commission where not less than three (3) days notice have been given to
all members of the Commission and a copy of the proposed amendment set
with the notice, providing, however, it shall require the vote of not less than
five (6) voting members to make any amendment or change in these by-
laws,
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
No member of the Commission shall participate in the vote on any
ordinance, resolution, motion or vote in which he, or any person, firm or
Corporation for which he is attomey, officer, director, employee or agent has
a financial interest other than as a minority stockholder of a corporation or
as a citizen of the City
MISCELLANEOUS
Suspension or Amendment of Rules. The Commission may suspend or
amend any of these rules by not less than five affirmative votes at any
meeting.
Amended 03/01/83
Amended 07/05/83vi.
vil.
The Vice Chairman shall preside and perform the duties of the
Chairman during the absence or disability of the Chairman and in the
event the office of Chairman becomes vacant, the Vice Chairman
shall succeed to this office for the unexpired term and the
Commission shall select a successor to the Vice Chairman for the
unexpired term. In the absence of both the Chairman and the Vice
Chairman, those members present shall select a temporary
chairman.
The Planning Director shall notify members of meetings, publish legal
ads, keep a record of the proceedings of the Commission, and have
under the Chairman, charge of all records correspondence, and other
papers pertaining to the affairs of the Commission.
ELECTION OF OFFICERS
A.
The Chairman and the Vice Chairman shall be nominated from
among the voting members at the meeting prior to the Annual
Meeting. Nominations shall be made at the Commissions public
meeting. The Chairman shall announce all nominees to be voted
upon at the Annual Meeting. The election of a Chairman and Vice
Chairman shall be by voice vote, and may be supported by electronic
vole, at the Annual Meeting. Each voting member will vote for one
office at a time. The member receiving the highest number of votes
shall be elected,
A Chairman shall be elected at the Annual Meeting, and shall hold
office for a term of one year. He/She shall be eligible for re-election.
A Vice Chairman shall be elected at the Annual Meeting and shall
hold office for a term of one year. He/she shall be eligible for re-
election,
ORDER OF BUSINESS
onmoom>
Minutes of previous meeting
Public hearings, if advertised
Unfinished Business
Report of officers, committee and staff
Communications
New Business
Adjournment
COMMITTEESAmended
Amended
Amended.
Amended
Amended
Amended
Amended
07/02/85
03/01/88
01/03/95
06/03/97
10/07/97
10/05/10
213/15