The Planning, Zoning, and Architectural Review Commission, hereinafter referred to as the Planning Commission, is the appointed body of the City responsible for all long-range and comprehensive planning, as well as review, recommendations, and decisions on implementation of the Comprehensive Plan. In addition to other general planning authority by statute, local ordinance, or bylaws, the Planning Commission shall have the specific review responsibilities and final administrative decisions referred to the Planning Commission under the procedures and standards of these regulations and as specified in this section.
1. Composition. The Planning, Zoning, and Architectural Review Commission shall consist of eight members, seven of whom shall be citizens of Crestwood, plus a nonvoting aldermanic representative. Members are appointed by the Mayor with the approval of a majority of the authorized membership of the Board of Aldermen. Reasonable efforts shall be made to ensure all wards are represented, however the qualifications of members shall be the primary guiding principle in making appointments and no Commission shall be deemed improperly constituted or unlawful if all wards of the City are not represented thereon. Three of the citizen members shall be citizens-at-large, and reasonable efforts shall be made for the remaining four citizen members to include: a reputable architect, a city planner, a landscape architect or a person knowledgeable of the construction industry, and a member of the Missouri Bar. All citizen members shall be appointed to terms of four years in duration, with each term beginning and ending on July 1. The terms shall be staggered with three groups consisting of two members and one remaining citizen member. Only one group (or the remaining citizen member) shall be appointed on July 1 of each year, and another group (or the remaining citizen member) shall be appointed on July 1 of every following year. All members of the Commission shall serve until his/her successor is appointed and qualified.
2. Attendance. Citizen members absent without excuse from three consecutive meetings, whether regular or special, shall be subject to removal under Subsection B3 of this section.
3. Duties and responsibilities. The Commission shall perform the duties required by this chapter and the duties required for a plan commission/zoning commission set forth in Chapter 89, RSMo. The Commission shall adopt rules in accordance with the provisions of this article. All citizen members shall be removable for cause by the Board of Aldermen upon written charges and after public hearing.
4. Chairperson. The Commission shall elect its Chairperson and Secretary from among the citizen members. The term of the Chairperson and Secretary shall be for one year with eligibility for reelection. The Chairperson shall be the presiding officer of all meetings of the Commission and shall have voice and vote the same as all other members. In the absence of the Chairperson, the Secretary shall serve as Acting Chairperson.
5. Aldermanic representatives. The Mayor, with the approval of a majority of the members of the Board of Aldermen, shall appoint an aldermanic representative from the members of the Board of Aldermen to act as liaison between the Board of Aldermen and the Commission. Participation in all discussions is strongly encouraged, but the aldermanic representative shall not have a vote on the Commission.
6. Ex officio members. The City Planner shall be an ex officio, nonvoting member of the Commission, acting in an advisory capacity and shall attend all meetings of the Commission. If the City Planner is unable to attend any such meeting, a representative shall be designated to attend by the Director of Public Services or the City Administrator.
7. Clerical staff. The Commission shall be provided with a clerical staff person by the City administration, who is not a voting member of the Commission. It shall be the duty of this staff to take minutes of the proceedings of the Commission. A set of minutes of the Commission meetings shall be made public in accordance with applicable state law. Records of the Commission shall be public records.
8. Vacancies. Vacancies of citizen members of the Commission shall be filled in the same manner as an original appointment, with the replacement to serve the unexpired term of any member whose term becomes vacant.
9. Reports. The Planning Commission, by and through the City Planner, shall make monthly reports to the Mayor and Board of Aldermen covering its investigations, hearings, transactions, and recommendations and such other reports and recommendations relative thereto as it may deem proper.
10. Functions.
a. Planning. The Planning Commission, may prepare, from time to time, a comprehensive plan for the City; area or neighborhood plans for land use and development; and/or a zoning system covering the whole or any part of the City.
b. Zoning. The Planning Commission shall consider all applications for site plan or development plan review, conditional use permits, signage, and proposals to amend or change the zoning ordinance, in accordance with the procedures set forth in this chapter, and shall report to the Board, in writing, its recommendations thereon, stating the reasons therefore.
11. Meetings and quorum. The Commission shall hold regular meetings every month. Special meetings may be scheduled at any time by the Mayor, the Chairperson, or the City Planner, provided that there is at least one week's notice provided to the public and all members of the Commission, including the aldermanic representative and the City Planner. All meetings of the Commission shall be open to the public. A quorum shall consist of four members. The aldermanic representative and any ex officio members do not count toward establishing a quorum.
