All members of Review Bodies shall be appointed by the Mayor and Aldermen. The number of members of each body, and the qualifications of such members are specified in the provisions of this Article with respect to such body. In addition, the provisions of this section shall apply to members of all bodies except for the Mayor and Aldermen.

In considering appointees to the Review Bodies, the Mayor and Aldermen may, but are not required to give consideration to persons who have demonstrated a special interest in planning and zoning or who have personal or professional experience and expertise in planning and zoning, architecture, building construction, engineering, environmental science, historic preservation, landscape architecture, law, or urban design.

Applicants for appointment to the Review Bodies shall disclose whether or not they are currently elected or appointed to hold office in any public body or agency, including serving on an advisory board.

Members of Review Bodies:

1. Shall not participate in the consideration of, or vote on any matter in which they have a conflict of interest, or in which any principal or employee of any business in which they are a principal or an employee is representing any party, and
2. Shall comply with all applicable ethical rules and procedures established by state law, ordinance and the by-laws and procedures of the Review Body in which they are a member, and
3. Shall act in a courteous, professional, and respectful manner to other board members, applicants, citizens, staff members, and other persons in conducting the business of the Review Body in which they are a member.

The Mayor and Aldermen, by majority vote, may remove any member of any Review Body from office if they find that:

1. The member has been absent for more than one-third of the regular meetings of the Review Body within a 12-month period; or
2. The member has participated in or voted on any matter coming before the Review Body in which the member had a conflict of interest, or any matter in which he or any principal or employee of any business in which he is a principal or employee was representing any party; or
3. The member is convicted of a felony or any crime involving moral turpitude while serving on the Review Body; or
4. The member has misrepresented his credentials or qualifications in applying for his appointment to the body; or
5. The member has acted in a discourteous, unprofessional, or disrespectful manner to another board member, applicant, citizen, staff member, or other person while conducting or participating in the business of the body, and has not ceased his discourteous, unprofessional, or disrespectful behavior after being requested to do so by the Chair, another member of the Review Body, or the Planning Director.

The Mayor and Aldermen shall be responsible for final action regarding:

1. Comprehensive plan amendments;
2. Zoning text amendments;
3. Zoning map amendments;
4. Establishment of planned development districts;
5. Granting of special use permits;
6. Establishment of local historic district designations;
7. Establishment of local historic property designations; and
8. Amendments to any of the actions described in this Section, and
9. Appeals (as identified in Sec. 3.23, Appeals).

1. The Planning Commission shall perform duties as directed by each Governing Body.
2. The Planning Commission may exercise additional powers as may be described elsewhere in this Ordinance and as permitted by the County Code of Ordinances and City Code of Ordinances, as applicable.

With respect to this Ordinance and specifically for the City of Savannah, the Planning Commission shall review and make recommendations to the Mayor and Aldermen regarding:

1. Comprehensive Plan amendments;
2. All zoning text amendments with the exception of text amendments to the articles and sections listed below. Such text amendments may be reviewed by the Historic Preservation Commission or the Savannah Downtown Historic Board of Review as provided in Sec. 2.5 and 2.6, respectively.
   1. Sec. 2.5, Historic Preservation Commission;
   2. Sec. 2.6, Savannah Downtown Historic District Board of Review;
   3. Sec. 3.16, Local Historic District Designation, including the creation of any local historic district height map or local historic district contributing resources map, or any amendments to such maps;
   4. Sec. 3.17, Local Historic Property Designation;
   5. Sec. 3.18, Certificate of Appropriateness for Local Historic Districts and Local Historic Properties;
   6. Sec. 3.19, Certificate of Appropriateness for the Savannah Downtown Historic District;
   7. Sec. 3.20, Proactive Preservation;
   8. Sec. 7.7, Historic Property Overlay District; and
   9. Any historic overlay district provided in Article 7.0, Overlay Districts.
3. All rezoning map amendments with the exception of zoning amendments to the sections listed below. Such map amendments shall be reviewed by the Historic Preservation Commission or the Savannah Downtown Historic Board of Review as provided in Sec. 2.5 and 2.6, respectively.
   1. Sec. 3.16, Local Historic District Designation, and,
   2. Sec. 3.17, Local Historic Property Designation.
4. Planned development districts; and
5. Special use permits.

With respect to this Ordinance, the Planning Commission shall be responsible for final action regarding:

1. Planning Commission Development Review plans, including variances as identified in Sec. 3.21, Variances;
2. Special exceptions as identified in Sec. 3.12, Special Exceptions; and
3. Minor changes to Small-Scale Planned Developments.

1. The Zoning Board of Appeals shall perform duties as directed by the Mayor and Aldermen.
2. The Zoning Board of Appeals may exercise additional powers as may be described elsewhere in this Ordinance and as permitted by the City Code of Ordinances.

With respect to this Ordinance, the Zoning Board of Appeals shall be responsible for final action regarding:

1. Variances (as identified in Sec. 3.21, Variances);
2. Relief for Nonconforming Uses (as identified in Sec. 3.24, Relief for Nonconforming Uses); and
3. Appeals (as identified in Sec. 3.23, Appeals).

The Zoning Board of Appeals shall be composed of seven (7) members, who are selected by the Mayor and Aldermen.

Each member shall serve a term of three (3) years, and terms shall be staggered. Members shall not serve more than two (2) consecutive terms.

The Historic Preservation Commission shall be comprised of nine (9) members who are selected by the Mayor and Aldermen.

Each member shall serve a term of three (3) years, and terms shall be staggered. Members shall not serve more than two (2) consecutive terms.

The Historic Board of Review shall be composed of nine (9) members, who are selected by the Mayor and Aldermen; provided, however, that since the previous ordinance provided for 11 members, members serving on the Effective Date of this Ordinance shall continue in office for the remainder of their appointed terms, after the expiration of which, the number of board members will be reduced to nine (9).

Each member shall serve a term of three (3) years, and terms shall be staggered. Members shall not serve more than two (2) consecutive terms.

1. The Planning Director shall perform related duties as directed by the Planning Commission or any other applicable ordinances.
2. The Planning Director shall have the powers and duties listed below, in addition to those provided elsewhere in this Ordinance and the City of Savannah Code of Ordinances, as applicable.

With respect to this Ordinance, the Planning Director shall review and make recommendations regarding:

1. Comprehensive plan amendments;
2. Zoning map amendments;
3. Planned development districts;
4. Zoning text amendments;
5. Planning Commission Development Plans;
6. City of Savannah Development Plans, as required by this Ordinance;
7. Traffic impact analyses;
8. Special use permits;
9. Subdivisions;
10. Local historic district designations, including amendments to height and contributing resource maps;
11. Local historic property designations;
12. Certificates of Appropriateness for local historic districts and historic properties;
13. Certificates of Appropriateness for the Savannah Downtown Historic District with the exception of those listed below; and;
14. Other duties as specified by this Ordinance.

With respect to this Ordinance and the Subdivision Ordinance, the Planning Director shall be responsible for final action regarding:

1. Certificates of Appropriateness for actions identified in Sec. 3.19.7; and
2. Other duties as specified by this Ordinance.

1. The City Manager shall perform related duties as directed by the Mayor and Aldermen.
2. The City Manager or his or her designee shall have the powers and duties listed below, in addition to those provided elsewhere in the City Code of Ordinances.

With respect to this Ordinance, the City Manager or his or her designee shall be responsible for final action regarding:

1. City Development plans;
2. Temporary Use permits;
3. Home Occupation permits;
4. Sign permits;
5. Proactive preservation;
6. Written interpretations;
7. Administrative adjustments;
8. Wetlands assessments, as applicable;
9. Wetland and marsh buffer modifications;
10. Traffic impact analyses; and
11. Other duties as specified by this Ordinance.