The Council shall, within six months after the effective date
of this Charter, adopt an ordinance creating a Borough Planning Commission.
The composition, compensation, eligibility for membership, appointment,
term, vacancy, removal, conduct of business, powers and duties of
the said Commission shall be governed by the provisions of the Pennsylvania
Municipalities Planning Code and by the provisions of this article
insofar as they are not inconsistent with the said Municipalities
Planning Code.
The Planning Commission shall meet annually, during the month
of January, for the purpose of organization and selection of officers.
The Commission shall meet as often thereafter as it deems necessary
to transact business, but no less often than once in each calendar
quarter. All Commission meetings shall be open to public attendance
and shall be advertised at least 10 days in advance of the meeting
date in a newspaper circulating generally within the Borough.
In addition to any other powers or duties granted to the Borough
Planning Commission by ordinance as set forth in § 1301
of this Charter, the Council shall require the said Planning Commission
to:
1.
Formulate and present to the Council for approval a Comprehensive
Plan as described in § 1305 of this Charter, the Commission
shall from time to time, but in any case not less often than once
in every five years, review said approved Comprehensive Plan to determine
whether or not it provides adequately for changed conditions within
the Borough and recommend to the Council any amendment to the plan
which the Commission believes necessary to meet such change of condition.
2.
In conjunction with the preparation of the Comprehensive Plan, thoroughly
review the Borough Zoning Ordinance and submit to the Council, within
two years after the effective date of this Charter, a detailed report
concerning the effect of the said Zoning Ordinance upon existing and
recommended future land use in the Borough and containing the Commission's
recommendations for changes in the ordinance.
3.
Periodically review existing Borough housing, building and plumbing
codes and regulations to determine whether such codes and/or regulations
provide adequately for minimum modern standards of sound construction
and upkeep of buildings and plumbing facilities in the Borough and
recommend to the Council the adoption or amendment of any ordinance
which the Commission deems necessary to achieve such standards.
4.
Upon the request of the Council, nominate qualified persons to fill
the offices of Borough Building Inspector and Borough Plumbing Inspector.
The Planning Commission shall, prior to March 1 of each year,
make and publish a report to the Council and people of the Borough
containing an account of its activities in the previous year and an
evaluation of the effectiveness of Borough planning and zoning policies
in meeting stated goals.
Within two years after the effective date of this Charter, the
Planning Commission shall prepare and recommend to the Council a comprehensive
plan for the development of the Borough (Comprehensive Plan), which
shall include, but not be limited to, the related basic elements required
of a comprehensive plan as set out in the Pennsylvania Municipalities
Planning Code. In preparing said Comprehensive Plan, the Planning
Commission shall make careful surveys and studies of existing conditions
and prospects for future growth in the Borough, including, among other
things, responsible projections of expected demographic, environmental
and economic developments within the Borough and its vicinity within
the next 25 years. Such Comprehensive Plan, further, shall recommend
legislative and policy measures necessary to deal with such anticipated
developments. Within one year after receipt of the proposed Comprehensive
Plan, the Council, by resolution, shall adopt the same, with such
amendments as it sees fit, and hereafter may amend the same, in the
manner provided for the adoption and amendment of a comprehensive
plan in the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code.
The Planning Commission may request the approval of the Council
to retain the services of a professional consultant or firm of consultants
to assist the Commission in discharging its duties.
The Zoning Hearing Board of the Borough of Bellevue, heretofore
created, shall continue in being, but the composition, compensation,
eligibility for membership, appointment, term, removal, conduct of
business, powers and duties of said Zoning Hearing Board shall be
as set out in the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code.
