A Planning Board shall be appointed by the Town Board, which shall consist of such number of members as the Town Board has heretofore determined or shall hereafter determine. The members shall be appointed by the Town Board in such manner and for such terms as provided by the Town Law and any amendments thereto.

The Planning Board shall have the authority to prepare and, from time to time, recommend a change to the Comprehensive Plan for the development of the Town of Bristol; to recommend approval or disapproval the laying out, closing off, abandonment or changes in lines of streets, highways and public areas; to recommend plans showing new streets and highways and to confirm or make reasonable changes in the zoning regulations pertaining thereto, as provided in § 281 of the Town Law; and to make investigations and reports relating to the planning and development of the Town of Bristol, changes in boundaries or districts, changes in the provisions of this chapter and as to any matter referred to it by the Town Board. It shall have the power to adopt rules and regulations with respect to the procedure before it and with reference to any matter over which it has jurisdiction and to hold public hearings. It shall have such other powers and duties as provided by the Town Law and any amendments thereto, and all such powers as are conferred upon Town planning boards by the provisions of the Town Law as now or hereafter in effect. The Planning Board is also responsible for consideration of site plan applications, minor subdivision applications and major subdivision applications.

A Zoning Board of Appeals is hereby created. Said Board shall consist of five members appointed by the Town Board, which shall also designate a Chairman. No person who is a member of the Town Board shall be eligible for membership on such Zoning Board of Appeals. Of the members of the Board first appointed, one shall hold office for the term of one year, one for the term of two years, one for the term of three years, one for the term of four years, and one for the term of five years, from and after his/her appointment. Their successors shall be appointed for the term of five years from and after the expiration of the terms of their predecessors in office. If a vacancy shall occur otherwise than by the expiration of the term, it shall be filled by the Town Board by appointment for the unexpired term.

The Zoning Board of Appeals shall have all the powers and duties prescribed by the Town Law of the State of New York and by this chapter, which are more particularly specified as follows:

The Zoning Board of Appeals shall act in strict accordance with the procedure specified by law and by this chapter. All forms for appeals and applications made to the Board are available from the Code Enforcement Officer. Every appeal or application shall refer to the specific provision of the local law involved and shall exactly set forth the interpretation that is claimed, the use for which the special permit is sought, or the details of the variance that is applied for and the grounds on which it is claimed that the variance should be granted, as the case may be.

The office of the Town Clerk shall be the office of the Zoning Board of Appeals, and every rule, regulation, amendment or repeal thereof and every order, requirement, decision or determination of the Board shall immediately be filed in said office as required by the Town Law of the State of New York.

The Board shall affix a reasonable time for the hearing of an appeal and shall give due notice of the time set for the public hearing of the application. Such notice shall be served upon the applicant. Public notice shall be by the publication of a notice in the official newspaper of the Town of Bristol and shall briefly describe the nature of the appeal and the time and place of the hearing.