[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town of Canton 9-25-2013 by Ord. No. 236.[1] Amendments noted where applicable.]
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also repealed former Ch. 145,
Planning Commission, adopted 3-22-1956 by Ord. No. 39, as amended.
A.
Planning
and Zoning Commission. There shall exist in the Town of Canton a Planning
and Zoning Commission. It shall be known as the "Town of Canton Planning
and Zoning Commission," and referred to herein as the Planning and
Zoning Commission, and it shall have all powers and duties of a planning
and zoning commission under the laws of the State of Connecticut,
including those powers and duties prescribed in General Laws Chapters
124 and 126.
B.
Abolishment
of the Planning Commission and the Zoning Commission. The Planning
Commission and the Zoning Commission are hereby abolished and shall
cease to exist, and all power, authority, duty and jurisdiction of
the Zoning Commission and the Planning Commission are hereby transferred
to and vested into the Planning and Zoning Commission.
C.
Continuity
of planning and zoning. Nothing in this chapter shall affect or be
construed to affect the continuity of planning or zoning within the
Town of Canton, any provision of the subdivision or zoning regulations,
which shall remain in effect and be applied, administered or amended
by the Planning and Zoning Commission, any notice, decision or action
taken by the Zoning Commission or the Planning Commission. The Planning
Commission and the Zoning Commission each shall continue with its
present authority until the effective date of this chapter. Any applications
or matters filed with, pending before, or being acted upon by, the
Planning Commission or the Zoning Commission for any permit, certificate,
approval, decision, change in regulations or zoning map, license or
authorization, under the existing zoning regulations, shall be acted
upon by the Planning and Zoning Commission after the appointment of
regular members to the Planning and Zoning Commission as provided
herein.
D.
Accommodation
of existing applications. The Planning and Zoning Commission shall
ensure that all applications and all other matters pending before
the Zoning Commission and the Planning Commission, upon the effective
date of this chapter, are duly considered and, where applicable, decided.
In the event a member of the Planning and Zoning Commission is not
familiar with the administrative record in such an application or
matter, before said member shall vote upon the said application or
matter, the said member shall become acquainted with the administrative
record in accordance with law. The Planning and Zoning Commission
shall offer, in addition to all other powers it has, the opportunity
for an applicant to withdraw any application pending upon the effective
date of this article and resubmit it without payment of a second application
fee. Nothing herein shall relieve the applicant of the obligation
to pay for Town expenses in review of an application or matter, such
as staff reviews, the employment of experts, and publication costs,
as required by regulation, ordinance or law.
A.
Cessation of current terms. All offices of the Planning Commission and of the Zoning Commission are hereby vacated as of the effective date of this chapter; the offices of the Planning and Zoning Commission shall be effective upon the appointment of members pursuant to Subsection C of this section.
B.
Commission
member qualifications, numbers, initial appointment and continuity.
The Planning and Zoning Commission shall consist of seven regular
members who are electors of the Town of Canton and three alternate
members who are electors of the Town of Canton, who shall be appointed
by the Board of Selectmen. The first appointments to the Planning
and Zoning Commission may be made from current regular members and
alternate members of the Zoning Commission and the Planning Commission.
Appointments shall comply with the minority representation provisions
of the Town Charter.
C.
Terms of appointments. At the first appointment referenced in Subsection B, two regular members and one alternate member shall be appointed for a term to expire on June 30, 2015, three regular members and one alternate member shall be appointed for a term to expire on June 30, 2016, and two regular members and one alternate member shall be appointed for a term to expire on June 30, 2017. Thereafter, as the term of each member of the Commission expires, the successors shall be appointed to serve for a term of four years in accordance with the Town Charter.
D.
Vacancies.
Any vacant office of the Planning and Zoning Commission shall be filled
by appointment by the Board of Selectmen in accordance with the Town
Charter.
E.
This chapter
shall be effective 15 days from adoption.
