(a) When used in this section, the words municipality, municipalities, mayor, and council shall have the meanings as provided for in Section 11-52-1.
(b)(1) The council of any Class 5 municipality with a city manager, mayor commission form of government may determine by ordinance that any planning commission of the municipality created pursuant to the provisions of Section 11-52-3, shall consist of nine members: Namely, eight regular members appointed by the council and representing as equally as possible the several districts, wards, or other areas of the municipality, such representation to be determined by the council, and one regular member appointed by the mayor.
(2) The regular members of the planning commission shall elect a chairman and vice-chairman, both of whom shall be regular members, and a secretary who need not be a member of the planning commission.
(3) The council shall appoint four supernumerary members to the planning commission, and the mayor shall appoint one supernumerary member to the planning commission.
(4) Supernumerary members shall serve at the call of the chairman only in the absence of regular members or in the event that one or more regular members excuse themselves from deliberation on a particular item being considered by the planning commission. While so serving, supernumerary members shall have and exercise the power and authority of regular members.
(5) The terms of the regular members and supernumerary members appointed by the council shall be four years or until their successors take office, provided, however, that the terms of the regular members and supernumerary members initially appointed pursuant to this section shall be staggered as follows: Ffour regular members and two supernumerary members shall serve four-year terms; two regular members and one supernumerary member shall serve three-year terms; two regular members and one supernumerary member shall serve two-year terms; and one regular member and one supernumerary member shall serve one-year terms. The mayor shall make the appointment of the one regular member and one supernumerary member who shall initially serve a one-year term. Any regular member or supernumerary member may be reappointed.
(6) After a public hearing, the council, in the case of regular or supernumerary members appointed by it, or the mayor, in the case of the regular or the supernumerary member appointed by him or a previous mayor, may remove a regular or supernumerary member for reason of inefficiency, neglect of duty, malfeasance in office, or continued failure to attend meetings. The council or mayor, as the case may be, shall file a written statement of reasons for removal.
(7) Vacancies occurring other than through expiration of term shall be filled for the duration of the unexpired term by the mayor in the case of the regular member and supernumerary member appointed by him or a previous mayor; and by the council in the case of the regular members and supernumerary members appointed by it.
(8) The city engineer of any municipality adopting an alternate planning commission structure pursuant to this section, or a similar official in the case of a municipality having no city engineer, shall be an ex officio member of the planning commission, but shall have no voting privileges.
(9) All regular members and supernumerary members shall serve as such without compensation, and shall hold no other municipal office.
(c) Upon the adoption by the council of any Class 5 municipality with a city manager, mayor commission form of government of an ordinance adopting an alternate planning commission structure pursuant to this section, the terms of the incumbent members of any existing planning commission shall be terminated.
(d) Unless specified otherwise in this section, the duties, powers, responsibilities, and procedures of any planning commission appointed pursuant to this section shall be as provided for in Title 11, Chapter 52.
Last modified: May 3, 2021