Except as otherwise specifically provided, primary responsibility for administering and enforcing this Ordinance shall be assigned by the City Council to the Administrative Official.

The Commission shall meet not less than once each month in the City Hall at a time designated by the Chairman, or Vice-Chairman in the absence of the Chairman, and at such intervals as may be necessary to orderly and properly transact the business of the Commission.

The Commission shall be an advisory body to the City Council, and shall make recommendations regarding amendments to the Comprehensive or Master Plan, changes of zoning and permanent zoning to be given to newly annexed areas, and shall make recommendations regarding the approval of preliminary plats as may be submitted to it by the City Council. The Commission shall serve in an advisory capacity on any planning-related item(s) in the City and the Commission shall approve final plats.

There is created a Board to be known as the Board of Adjustment.

The Board of Adjustment shall consist of five (5) regular members and four (4) alternate members who shall be appointed by the City Council in accordance with Texas Local Government Code, Chapter 211, to serve for two (2) years terms commencing June 1st of the year of appointment or until their successors are duly appointed.

Following the regular City Council election of offices in May of each year, the City Council shall appoint members to the Board of Adjustment to fill those offices being vacated on May 31 of that year, so that three (3) regular members and two (2) alternate members shall be appointed to two (2) year terms in one (1) year, and two (2) regular members and two (2) alternate members shall be appointed for two (2) year terms in the alternate year.

The Board of Adjustment shall have the following powers:

Alternate members shall serve in the absence of one or more regular members when requested to do so by the Administrative Official.

The City Council, prior to making any decision on a change of zoning, modification of the Zoning Map or other Articles of this Ordinance, shall first consider the recommendation of the Commission on such matter.

In considering proposed changes pertaining to zoning standards in the text of this Ordinance or in the zoning map, the Council acts in its legislative capacity.

The City Council may appoint development committees for the purpose of transmitting information from the community to the Commission only on matters pertaining to the Comprehensive Plan. The committees shall be advisors only to the Commission and shall function under the supervision and rules as may be prescribed by the Commission.

The City Council may appoint development committees for each of the major planning elements in the Comprehensive Plan. Among the committees to be formed are those for land use and zoning, street and thoroughfares, parks and recreation, city utilities, public buildings and facilities, urban design, and capital improvement programming and finance.

The City Council shall appoint a member of the Commission to be a chairman for each committee. The Commission shall recommend to the City Council the membership for each standing committee that may be required to maintain the Comprehensive Plan.

Whenever the Administrative Official receives a written, signed complaint alleging a violation of this Ordinance, he shall investigate the complaint and take appropriate action.

If the Administrative Official finds that any provision of this Ordinance is being violated, he shall send a written notice to the person responsible for such violation, including the nature of the violation and ordering the action necessary to correct. Additional written notices may be sent at the Administrative Official’s discretion.

The final written notice (and initial written notice may be the final notice) shall state what action the City intends to take if the violation is not corrected and shall advise that the Administrative Official’s decision or order may be appealed to the Board of Adjustment in accordance with Article 3, Section 3 if a zoning matter, or the Commission in a platting matter.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, in cases when delay would seriously threaten the effective enforcement of this Ordinance or pose a danger to the public health, safety or welfare, the Administrative Official may seek enforcement without prior written notice by invoking any of the penalties or remedies authorized in this Article.

Any person, firm or corporation who shall violate any of the provisions of this Ordinance shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction shall be subject to a fine not to exceed two thousand [dollars] ($2,000) and each day that such violation continues shall constitute a separate offense and shall be punishable accordingly.