There is hereby created an advisory committee to the City Council of the City of Corsicana, to be known as the City of Corsicana Planning and Zoning Commission, such commission to hold such authority as herein granted or as may be granted by ordinance from time to time.

(Ordinance 3154 adopted 11/13/23)

(a)

The City Planning and Zoning Commission shall consist of seven (7) members and two (2) alternate members, residents of the City of Corsicana, and owning real property therein, each of whom shall be appointed by the Mayor, subject to the approval of a majority of the City Council. The two (2) alternate members shall serve only as needed in the absence of a quorum. All appointments shall be for a term of two (2) years. All appointments to fill vacancies shall be for the unexpired term of the person vacating the office. Removals may be made by a majority of the City Council. The members of the City Planning and Zoning Commission shall serve without remuneration for their services. No salaried City employee may serve as a member of the Planning and Zoning Commission.

(b)

The City Planning and Zoning Commission shall select from its membership a chairperson and vice-chairperson and such other offices as it may deem necessary. Such election shall be for a period of one (1) year. It shall adopt rules for the practical and efficient transaction of business, and shall keep a permanent record of its actions. At least one (1) meeting per month shall be held and additional meetings may be held from time to time upon the call of the chairperson or four (4) members. Four (4) persons shall constitute a quorum necessary for the transaction of any business.

(c)

In the event a member of the City Planning and Zoning Commission should cease to reside in the City of Corsicana, Texas, or should cease to own real property in the City of Corsicana, disqualification shall not result and such member shall be eligible to complete the term of his last appointment, but not thereafter, unless, prior to such termination, he regains the qualifications necessary for an initial appointment.

(Ordinance 3154 adopted 11/13/23)

(a)

The function and duty of the City Planning and Zoning Commission shall be, on authority of the City Council of the City of Corsicana, to make or cause to be made and adopted a Master Plan for the physical development of the City of Corsicana, within and without the corporate City limits of the City of Corsicana, on land located within the extraterritorial jurisdiction of the corporate limits of said City of Corsicana. Such plans, with accompanying maps, plats, charts and descriptive matter, shall show the Planning and Zoning Commission's recommendations for the development of said territory, the general location, character and extent of streets, alleys, ways, viaducts, bridges, railroad terminals, parks, parkways, playgrounds, fire station sites, or any other public grounds or public improvements and the removal, relocation, widening or extension of such public work then existing. As the work of making the whole Master Plan progresses, the Planning and Zoning Commission may from time to time adopt and publish a part or parts thereof. The Planning and Zoning Commission may from time to time amend, extend or add to the plan. In the preparation of such plan, the Planning and Zoning Commission shall make careful and comprehensive surveys and studies of present conditions and future growth of the City, with all regard to its relation to neighboring territory. The Plan shall be made the general purpose of guiding and accomplishing a coordinated, adjusted and harmonious development of the City which will, in accordance with present and future need, best promote health, safety, morals, order, convenience, prosperity and general welfare, as well as efficiency and economy in the process of development, including among other things, adequate provision for light and air, the promotion of healthful and convenient distribution of population, efficient expenditure of public funds and the promotion of good civic design and arrangement, and the adequate provision of public utilities and other public improvements.

(b)

Whenever the City Council of the City of Corsicana shall have adopted a Master Plan recommended by the Planning and Zoning Commission, no public buildings, streets, alleys, ways, viaducts, bridges, railroads, terminals, parks, parkways, playgrounds, aviation, fields, school grounds, fire station sites or any other public grounds, improvements or part thereof, shall be constructed until and unless the location shall be approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission; provided, however, that in case of its disapproval, the Planning and Zoning Commission shall communicate its reason for disapproval to the City Council of the City of Corsicana and thereupon, by majority vote of the City Council, it shall have the power of overruling such disapproval. The widening, narrowing, ornamentation, vacancies or change in the use of streets and other public ways, public grounds or other public improvements appearing on the adopted plan shall be subject to similar approval by the Planning and Zoning Commission, and upon disapproval by the Planning and Zoning Commission may be similarly overruled. The Planning and Zoning Commission may make recommendations to any public authority, or to corporations or individuals, in the City or in the territory contiguous thereto, concerning the relocation of any building, structures or works to be erected or constructed by them.

(c)

All plans, plats or replats of land laid out into streets, alleys or other portions of the same, intended to be dedicated to public use or for the use of purchasers or owners of lots fronting on or adjoining and located or intended to be located within the corporate limits, or without the corporate limits on land located within the extraterritorial jurisdiction of the corporate limits of the City of Corsicana, shall be approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission before any connection shall be permitted with any public utility, such as water or sewers owned and operated by the City. No sewer or water improvements shall be voted on or made, nor shall any public money be expended within any lands laid out in building lots, streets or alleys until the plan, plat or replat of such lands shall have been submitted to and approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission with right of appeal to the City Council.

(d)

The Planning and Zoning Commission, with the approval of the City Council, may appoint such employees as it may deem necessary for its work. With the approval of the City Council it may also contract with City planners, engineers, architects and other consultants for such services as it may require. The expenditures of the Planning and Zoning Commission shall be within the amounts appropriated for the purpose by the City Council.

(e)

The Planning and Zoning Commission may recommend to the City Council the adoption of an ordinance establishing zoning districts, regulating the height and size of buildings and other structures and percentage of lot that may be occupied and for what purposes, the size of yards and other open spaces, the density of population, the location and uses of buildings, structures and land, for trade, industry, commerce, residence or other purpose, and the erection, construction, reconstruction, alteration, repair or use of buildings, structures or land, within such districts; providing for a method of enforcement; providing for a board of adjustment, for penalties, for amendment and changes and a saving clause.

(f)

The Planning and Zoning Commission shall make the City Council a report annually, giving a statement of its work during the preceding year. In such annual report it shall also make its recommendations as to future projects to be undertaken, and from time to time it shall also make like recommendations for public improvements, which in its judgment should be undertaken.

(Ordinance 3154 adopted 11/13/23)