1. A planning commission is hereby created pursuant to the terms hereof. It is the intent of the city council that the commission shall represent the concerns of diverse citizen groups, as well as the broad interests of the community as a whole; that membership of the planning commission shall represent a fair cross-section of the community and provide balanced representation in terms of geographic, professional, neighborhood and community interest; and that a wide range of expertise relating to development of a healthy and well-planned community be sought when establishing or altering the composition of the membership of the planning commission.
2. It is also the intent of this title that the activities of the planning commission and of its subcommittees, if any, be conducted to maximize the convenience and accessibility to the citizens of the city.

The planning commission shall consist of seven regular members and two alternate members, appointed by the manager with advice and consent of the city council. Terms shall commence on July 1st, and shall expire on June 30th. Three of the initial appointees to the planning commission shall serve an initial term which shall expire on June 30, 2006, and may be reappointed for only one additional term. Two of such initial appointees shall serve an initial term which shall expire on June 30, 2007, and may be reappointed for only one additional term. Two of such initial appointees shall serve an initial term which shall expire on June 30, 2008, and may be reappointed for only one additional term. The alternate members shall be appointed to serve an initial term which shall expire on June 30, 2008, and may be reappointed for only one additional term. In the event a term of a member shall expire without his/her having been reappointed or a successor having been appointed, the member shall continue to serve until a successor has been appointed and the term of the successor shall terminate on the same day as though he/she was appointed in a timely manner. Terms of at least two members, and not more than three shall expire each year.

Except as provided in Section 19.05.020 hereof, members of the planning commission, including the alternate members, shall serve a term of three years, and shall not serve more than two consecutive terms.

In order to promote geographic representation on the planning commission, one member of the planning commission shall be appointed from each of the four city council districts in the city, and three members, plus the alternate members, shall be appointed at-large. No more than two regular members of the planning commission shall be from any one city council district, and no more than three members of any type (regular or alternate) of the planning commission shall be from any one city council district.

All members of the planning commission must be bona fide residents and qualified electors of the city.

Each member of the planning commission shall receive $25 per meeting as compensation and as reimbursement for expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties, provided, however, that such compensation and reimbursement shall not exceed $50 per month. The alternate members of the planning commission shall receive $25 per meeting as compensation as set forth above for each meeting whether or not such member is serving as a voting member at that meeting.

Members of the planning commission may be removed for cause by the manager, upon written charges and after a public hearing (if a public hearing is requested by the member being removed). Cause shall include, but not be limited to, violations of the Utah Municipal Officers and Employees Ethics Act (UTAH CODE ANN. § 10-3-130 et seq.) or its successor. Any vacancy occurring on the planning commission shall be promptly filled by the manager with advice and consent of the city council for the unexpired term of such member. Any vacancy occurring on the planning commission by reason of expiration of term shall be promptly filled by the manager with the advice and consent of the city council.

The planning commission shall annually elect a chairman and such other officers it deems advisable from among its members and also a secretary, who need not be a member of the planning commission. The chairman and such other officers elected by the planning commission shall serve for a term of one year and shall not hold the position of chair for more than two consecutive one-year terms.

No action of the planning commission shall be official or of any effect except when a quorum of the members are present. Four members of the planning commission shall constitute a quorum.

The planning commission shall adopt policies and procedures for the conduct of its meetings, the processing of applications, and for any other purposes considered necessary for the functioning of the planning commission. Such policies and procedures shall be approved by the city council before taking effect.

The planning commission shall have the duty to:

1. Make and recommend a general plan and amendments to the general plan to the city council;
2. Recommend land use ordinances and a zoning map, and amendments thereto, to the city council;
3. Administer provisions of the land use ordinances where specifically provided for in the land use ordinances;
4. Recommend subdivision ordinances, and amendments thereto, to the city council;
5. Recommend approval or denial of subdivision applications as provided by applicable law;
6. Advise the city council on matters as the city council directs;
7. Hear and decide any matters that the city council designates, including the approval or denial of, or recommendation to approve or deny, conditional use permits; and
8. Exercise any other powers that are necessary to enable it to perform its functions that are delegated to it by the city council, or conferred upon it by applicable law.

The planning commission shall meet at least once each month. Any member who cannot attend any meeting of the planning commission shall so notify the chair of the planning commission, who shall direct an alternate member of the planning commission to fill the vacancy at such meeting. The alternate members shall not participate as a voting member in a meeting at which all seven regular members of the planning commission are present. All meetings, including any necessary public hearings, shall be held after the regular working hours of the city. All meetings and public hearings of the planning commission shall be public meetings, and shall comply with the provisions of UTAH CODE ANN. § 52-4-1, et seq., or its successor. Such meetings shall be held in a public place designated by the planning commission and shall be of sufficient size to ensure public access. The secretary of the planning commission shall keep minutes of the proceedings, and such proceedings may be sound recorded. Copies of the minutes and any sound recordings may be provided, if requested, at the expense of the requesting party.

The planning commission may recommend to the manager the appointment of such employees and staff as it may deem necessary for its work, and may also recommend to the manager other consultants for such services as it requires, provided, however, that any expenditure of the planning commission shall be first approved by the manager, as being within the amount budgeted for such purposes by the city council for that year.