ORDINANCE NO. 99-548-O

AN ORDINANCE CREATING A PLANNING COMMISSION FOR THE CITY OF COLUMBIA CITY; PRESCRIBING THEIR POWERS AND DUTIES; ESTABLISHING THE TERMS OF OFFICE OF THEIR MEMBERS; AND REPEALING ORDINANCE NO. 298.

The City of Columbia City ordains as follows:

Section 1. Planning Commission Created. Pursuant to ORS 227.010 through 227.090, there is hereby created a commission to be primarily involved in community planning and development issues and to have those powers and duties specified in ORS 227.090 and more specifically outlined in the Columbia City zoning ordinance, subdivision ordinance, and other city regulations. This commission shall be known as the Planning Commission.

Section 2. Duties and Responsibilities. Upon the request of the City Council, the planning commission shall review all community-wide planning for water distribution, sewer distribution, street system and other utilities, as directed by the city council. The commission shall also review plans for new or expanded telephone, electricity, natural gas, irrigation, cable television, and other systems that may have an impact on land use planning or community development and make appropriate recommendations to the city council for action. All actions of the Planning Commission shall be subject to the review and ultimate direction and control of the City Council.

Section 3. Membership; Compensation. The planning commission shall consist of seven members to be appointed by the city council. A minimum of five members must reside within the City limits, and no more than two members shall reside outside of the City limits and within the City’s urban growth boundary. Commission members shall receive no compensation. The mayor and city attorney are designated as ex officio members and may sit with the commission but shall have no vote thereon.

No more than two voting members of the commission may engage principally in the buying, selling or developing of real estate for profit as individuals, or be members of any partnership, or officers or employees of any corporation, that engages principally in the buying, selling or developing of real estate for profit. No more than two members shall be engaged in the same kind of occupation, business, trade or profession.

Section 4. Terms of Office; Vacancies. Terms of office on the commission shall be four years and shall expire on December 31 of the fourth year. A vacancy shall be filled by the city council and that appointee shall serve the unexpired portion of the term.

Section 5. Officers. The planning commission shall, at its first meeting of each calendar year, elect a chair, vice-chair and secretary. The secretary need not be a member of the commission.

Section 6. Minutes; Report. The secretary shall keep an accurate record of all commission proceedings, including written minutes of all meetings. A copy of the minutes of each planning commission meeting shall be delivered to the city recorder for filing and said minutes shall be a public record and available for public inspection.

Section 7. Quorum; Meeting. A majority of the appointed members of the commission constitute a quorum. All actions shall require a majority vote of the quorum in order to pass. The commission may adopt rules or procedure consistent with the law and its regular schedule of meetings shall include at least one meeting per month, unless canceled at the direction of the chair due to a lack of commission business or other reason.

Section 8. Removal from Commission. If a member of the planning commission should, without valid reason, miss three regular commission meetings within the same calendar year, that member shall be subject to removal from the commission. Such removal shall be by the city council, following a hearing, and this process may be initiated by the city council or by a recommendation from the planning commission.

[Section 9. Repeal.]

Passed by the council October 21, 1999 and approved by the mayor October 22, 1999.

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