A zoning advisory board is hereby established. Said board shall consist of five members appointed by the city council for overlapping terms of three years. A nonvoting chairman shall be appointed by the mayor and council and shall serve at the pleasure of the mayor and council until his or her successor is appointed. Initial appointments of other board members shall be as follows: one member for one year, two members for two years, and two members for three years. Each successive appointment shall be for three years. Any vacancy in the membership of the zoning advisory board shall be filled for the unexpired term in the same manner as the initial appointments. Members shall be removed for cause by the city council upon written charges and after a public hearing. Members shall serve without pay but may be reimbursed for any expense incurred in the performance of their duties. One of the members shall be on the city council. No other member shall hold public office or any position in the municipality, except the chairman.

Following formation, a vice-chairman shall be elected from its members who shall serve for one year or until reelected or until his/her successor is elected. The board shall appoint a secretary who may be a municipal employee.

Meetings of the board shall be held at least once each month and more often if the chairman determines it necessary. A quorum shall consist of any three voting members. The board may request the attendance of any city official, city employee, or applicant it deems necessary to determine all the facts regarding the request in order to reach a fair and impartial decision. The board shall keep minutes of its proceedings showing the vote of each member upon each question, or if absent or failing to vote, indicating such fact. The records of the board shall be maintained at city hall or other location designated by the city council for a period of seven years. All records and meetings of the board shall be open to the public. The chairman or vice-chairman shall present the findings and recommendations to the city council at the appropriate meetings regarding the matter in question.

The zoning advisory board shall have the following powers and duties:

13.3.1. The board shall review each annexation ordinance, petition or proposed legislative action regarding amending the City of Calhoun's boundaries. The board shall review the request, considering the city's long range growth plans, the extension of utilities, and the type of zoning desired using the standards for considering zoning decisions adopted by the mayor and council as set out in article XIV, section 14.5 of the City of Calhoun Zoning Ordinance. The board shall conduct such review in accordance with the procedural requirements set out in article XIV, section 14.2 of this zoning ordinance.

13.3.2. The board shall review each zoning request for property newly annexed into the City of Calhoun and amending the City of Calhoun's boundaries using the zoning ordinance, the long range growth plans, the extensions of utilities and the standards for considering zoning decisions adopted by the mayor and council as set out in article XIV, section 14.5 of the zoning ordinance. The board shall conduct such review in accordance with the procedural requirements set out in article XIV, section 14.2 of this zoning ordinance.

13.3.3. The board shall review each zoning variance request using the zoning ordinance, the long range growth plans, the extension of utilities and the standards for considering zoning decisions adopted by the mayor and council as set out in article XIV, section 14.5 of the zoning ordinance. The board shall conduct such review in accordance with the procedural requirements set out in article XIV, section 14.2 of this zoning ordinance.

13.3.4. The board shall review each zoning change request using the zoning ordinance, the long range growth plans, the extension of utilities and the standards for considering zoning decisions adopted by the mayor and council as set out in article XIV, section 14.5 of the zoning ordinance. The board shall conduct such review in accordance with the procedural requirements set out in article XIV, section 14.2 of this zoning ordinance.

13.3.5. The board shall review other zoning matters as requested by the city council. The board shall conduct such review in accordance with the procedural requirements set out in article XIV, section 14.2 of this zoning ordinance.

13.3.6. The board shall attend at least one annual training session conducted by the city attorney or his designee dealing with current trends, procedures, laws and legal precedents, concerning land use, zoning and annexation matters.