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.
As used in this article, the term "Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code" shall mean the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code (Act 247 of 1968), as now or hereafter amended, supplemented, reenacted or supplied.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 10101 et seq.