Chapter 3.10
PLANNING COMMISSION

Sections:

3.10.010    Establishment.

3.10.020    Term of office.

3.10.030    Compensation.

3.10.040    Organization.

3.10.050    Records.

3.10.060    Expenses.

3.10.070    Mandatory referral.

3.10.080    Scope.

3.10.090    Time limit.

3.10.100    Failure to act.

3.10.110    Denial – Procedure.

3.10.120    General plan.

3.10.130    Powers and duties.

3.10.140    Appointment of Zoning Administrator.

3.10.010 Establishment.

There is hereby created a Planning Commission pursuant to Section 10-9a-301, Utah Code Annotated 1953, as amended. The Planning Commission shall have and perform such duties as are assigned to it by law and/or ordinance relating to planning and zoning and land use administration. The Planning Commission shall consist of seven members appointed by the Mayor with the advice and consent of the City Council. Two alternate members may be appointed to act as a voting member of the Planning Commission in the absence of any regular voting member. [Ord. 21-30 § 1 (Exh. A); Ord. 11-07 § 1 (Exh. A); Ord. 06-04 § 1; amended 1996; Code 1971 § 3.02.010.]

3.10.020 Term of office.

The term of office for each voting member of such Commission shall be for four years and until his successor is appointed. Appointment may be for a term shorter than four years if necessary to provide for an appropriate staggering of terms. The Mayor may remove any member of the Planning Commission as determined by the discretion of the Mayor and approved by a majority of the City Council. Any member of the Planning Commission so removed shall be entitled to a public hearing before the City Council if requested in writing by the member being removed within five days of a City Council vote. The purpose of the hearing is to allow the member being removed to be heard on the issue of good cause for the removal. [Ord. 11-07 § 1 (Exh. A); Ord. 06-04 § 1; amended 1996; Code 1971 § 3.02.020.]

3.10.030 Compensation.

Members shall serve without compensation except for reasonable expenses incurred in performance of duties as members of the Commission, which shall be established by resolution of the City Council. Appointments shall be nonpolitical and appointees shall be selected from different vocational interests insofar as possible. [Ord. 11-07 § 1 (Exh. A); Ord. 09-13 § 1; amended 1996; Code 1971 § 3.02.030.]

3.10.040 Organization.

The Planning Commission shall elect one of its members to act as Chairman for a period of one year and a member to act as Vice-Chairman. The Chairman and/or Vice-Chairman may be elected for successive terms. The Chairman will preside at all meetings of the Commission unless absent, in which case the Vice-Chairman will preside; and the Commission shall adopt such policies and procedures for its own organization and for the transaction of business not in conflict with City ordinances or state laws, which policies and procedures shall be approved by the City Council before taking effect. Reports of official acts and recommendations of the Planning Commission shall be made by the Chairman in writing to the City Council and to such other municipal officials and persons as and in the manner the City Council may direct. The Mayor may appoint one member of the City Council to act as a liaison to the Planning Commission. This member may participate with the Planning Commission duties but shall not vote. [Ord. 11-07 § 1 (Exh. A); amended 1996; Code 1971 § 3.02.040.]

3.10.050 Records.

All matters and requests to the Planning Commission shall be submitted to the Commission in writing on a form approved by the Commission. The minutes of each meeting of the Planning Commission shall be recorded and preserved in a permanent binder. Minutes of each meeting of said Commission shall bear thereon its approval as attested to by the Chairman. All official actions shall be recorded therein, and copies of all letters of approval or denial shall be preserved. All records of said Commission shall be made available for public inspection during reasonable hours. [Ord. 11-07 § 1 (Exh. A); amended 1996; Code 1971 § 3.02.050.]

3.10.060 Expenses.

The Planning Commission may requisition funds from the City Council for planning assistance or other services, or work, but it shall in no way obligate the City for any expense until or unless it is specifically authorized to do so by action of the City Council. [Ord. 11-07 § 1 (Exh. A); amended 1996; Code 1971 § 3.02.060.]

3.10.070 Mandatory referral.

In order to correlate plans for the orderly and economical development of Syracuse City, it is hereby required that any board, commission, committee, administrative officer, or other employee of the City, or any other person having jurisdiction over or responsibility for the development of or the carrying out of plans, or other matters relating to the physical development of the municipality, shall first refer such matters to the Planning Commission and receive its recommendation thereon before taking any action pertaining thereto. [Ord. 11-07 § 1 (Exh. A); amended 1996; Code 1971 § 3.02.070.]

3.10.080 Scope.

All matters pertaining to:

(A) The physical development of the City, except as concerned with the International Building Code as adopted by the state of Utah;

(B) The use and zoning of land for private or public purposes;

(C) Location, widening, narrowing, abandonment, extension or relocation of proposed or existing streets; also the acquisitions of land for new streets, for the acceptance of private streets for public use, and the sale of or lease of municipally owned streets;

(D) The location and extent of public or private utilities; and

(E) The subdivision of land;

shall be submitted to the Planning Commission for consideration and recommendation before action is taken thereon by the City Council or other City official. [Ord. 22-19 § 1 (Exh. A); Ord. 11-07 § 1 (Exh. A); amended 1996; Code 1971 § 3.02.080.]

3.10.090 Time limit.

The Planning Commission shall submit its recommendation for approval or disapproval of any application or proposal in writing to the City Council after complying with all requirements regarding public hearings and notice to the necessary parties. Normally the Planning Commission should act within 30 days of a matter being submitted to it, but may extend this time by motion and vote of a majority of the Commission as necessary to obtain additional information or for other good reasons. [Ord. 11-07 § 1 (Exh. A); amended 1996; Code 1971 § 3.02.090.]

3.10.100 Failure to act.

The failure of the Planning Commission to act within the maximum period of time granted shall be deemed approval. No action or vote by the Planning Commission shall be valid unless supported by four members. [Ord. 11-07 § 1 (Exh. A); amended 1996; Code 1971 § 3.02.100.]

3.10.110 Denial – Procedure.

Upon approval or disapproval by the Planning Commission, a proposal shall be referred to the City Council to be acted upon by that body, except that where the ordinances of Syracuse City so require, proposals shall be referred to the City Engineer for his approval before referral to the City Council. Where the Planning Commission sees fit to disapprove or deny any proposal, it shall communicate its reasons for such disapproval in writing to the City Council. [Ord. 11-07 § 1 (Exh. A); amended 1996; Code 1971 § 3.02.110.]

3.10.120 General plan.

It shall be the function and duty of the Planning Commission to make and recommend to the City Council a proposed general plan for the physical development of the City, including other areas outside of its boundaries which, in the Planning Commission’s judgment, bear relation to the planning of Syracuse. The Planning Commission may from time to time recommend to the City Council to amend, extend, add to or carry any part or subject matter of the general plan into greater detail. Where the plan involves territory outside of the boundaries of the City, action shall be taken with the concurrence of the county or other legislative body concerned. The general plan shall show the Planning Commission’s recommendations and may include, among other things, the general location, character, and extent of streets, parks, parkways, playgrounds, airports, and other public spaces; the general location and extent of public utilities and terminals, whether publicly or privately owned; the acceptance, widening, removal, extension, relocation, narrowing, vacation, abandonment, or change of use of any of the foregoing; the general location, character layout, and extent of community centers and neighborhood units, and the extent and layout of the replanning of blighted areas.

In the preparation of the general plan, the Planning Commission shall make careful and comprehensive surveys and studies of the existing conditions and probable future growth of Syracuse and its environs. The plan shall be made with the general purpose of guiding and accomplishing a coordinated, adjusted, and harmonious development of the City of Syracuse in accordance with existing and future needs.

No street, park or other public way, ground, place or space, no public building or structure, and no public utility, whether publicly or privately owned, shall be constructed or authorized until and unless the location and extent thereof shall conform to the master plan or shall have been submitted to and approved by the Planning Commission, with such exceptions as provided for in Section 10-9a-302, Utah Code Annotated 1953, as amended. [Ord. 21-30 § 1 (Exh. A); Ord. 11-07 § 1 (Exh. A); amended 1996; Code 1971 § 3.02.120.]

3.10.130 Powers and duties.

(A) The Planning Commission, its members and employees, in the performance of its functions, may enter upon any land at reasonable times to make examinations and surveys, and place and maintain necessary monuments and marks thereon. In general, the Planning Commission shall have such powers as may be necessary to enable it to perform its functions and promote municipal planning.

(B) The Planning Commission shall:

(1) Prepare and recommend a general plan and amendments to the general plan to the City Council as provided under state law;

(2) Recommend zoning ordinance and maps, and amendments to zoning ordinances and maps, to the City Council as provided under state law;

(3) Administer provisions of the zoning ordinance as specifically provided in the zoning ordinance;

(4) Recommend subdivision regulations and amendments to those regulations to the City Council as provided under state law;

(5) Recommend approval or denial of subdivision applications as provided under state law;

(6) Advise the City Council on matters as directed by the City Council;

(7) Hear and decide conditional use permits;

(8) Exercise any other powers necessary to enable it to perform or function.

(C) The Planning Commission may hold public hearings and shall do so as required by law. It may make reports and recommendations relating to the plan and development of the municipality to public officials and agencies, other organizations, and citizens. It may recommend to the executive or legislative officials programs for public improvements and the financing thereof. [Ord. 11-07 § 1 (Exh. A); amended 1996; Code 1971 § 3.02.130.]

3.10.140 Appointment of Zoning Administrator.

The Mayor with the consent of the City Council shall appoint a Zoning Administrator to carry out the duties and responsibilities relative to zoning issues.

The Zoning Administrator shall enforce the provisions of the Syracuse City zoning ordinance or other ordinances affecting or regulating the physical development of the municipality which are now in effect or which may hereafter be adopted. [Ord. 11-07 § 1 (Exh. A); amended 1996; Code 1971 § 3.02.140.]