The Appearance and Beautification Committee is hereby established as a standing committee of the Town of Bel Air to be organized and its function as stated within the following sections of this article.
It shall be the purpose of the Appearance and Beautification Committee to:
A. 
Act as an advisory committee to the Board of Town Commissioners on matters pertaining to the appearance and beautification of the Town.
B. 
Coordinate and assist in the planting, maintenance and protection of plant material within the Town and to attempt to create civic beauty by assisting in the improvement of roadsides, parks and other public areas within Town.
C. 
Encourage efforts and activities in connection with the beautification of Bel Air and its environs.
D. 
Promote conservation and civic pride through Committee activities and in cooperation with other organizations.
E. 
Work in cooperation with the duly appointed Town authorities and other established committees/commissions for the overall improvement of the Town's appearance.
A. 
The Appearance and Beautification Committee shall consist of not fewer than nine nor more than 12 members, each over the age of 18, who shall be appointed by the Board of Town Commissioners. A majority of the membership will be made up of either residents of the Town of Bel Air, owners of real property in the Town or proprietors of businesses within the Town. Members shall serve staggered four-year terms with initial appointments of one, two, three and four years. Thereafter, appointments shall be made on a four-year basis. In the event that a vacancy shall occur during the term of any member, a successor shall be appointed by the Board of Town Commissioners for the unexpired portion of the term.
B. 
In addition, the Committee may seek out consultants who may be advisory, nonvoting members. A majority of the voting members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Any member who is absent from three consecutive meetings, without notifying the Chairman in advance of such meeting, shall forfeit membership.
A. 
The Committee shall elect officers on an annual basis. All members of the Committee appointed by the Board of Town Commissioners are eligible to hold office.
B. 
The Committee shall adopt rules and bylaws governing its action and keep records of its proceedings.
C. 
The Committee shall have the following officers:
(1) 
Chairman. The Chairman shall preside at all meetings of the Committee and perform all such duties as are incidental to the office of Chairman and are properly required of him/her.
(2) 
Vice Chairman. In the absence of the Chairman, he/she shall exercise all functions of the Chairman and shall be vested with all of his/her powers.
(3) 
Secretary. The Recording Secretary shall have charge of all records, keeping such records in a centralized location, and perform such duties as are incidental to that office and properly required of him/her by the Committee.
(4) 
Treasurer. The Treasurer shall have charge of all Committee finances and its records, record and submit the annual budget recommendations of the Committee, report at each meeting the status of funds, authorize for payment all legitimate invoices tendered and due, and perform other duties as are incidental to the office.
Regular meetings shall be held monthly at such time and place as the members shall designate, unless otherwise determined by the Committee officers. Additional meetings may be called by the Chairman, as required. The annual meeting for election of Committee officers shall be held in April or at the earliest date possible thereafter. Members of the Committee shall serve without compensation.
The powers and duties of the Appearance and Beautification Committee shall be as follows. The Committee shall:
A. 
Review and make recommendation on proposed landscape design/plant selection for new commercial projects within the Town to the Department of Planning and Community Development.
B. 
Develop planting plans, prepare plant orders and schedule/oversee installation of material in Town-owned landscape areas.
C. 
Plan, prepare and coordinate the installation of Town Christmas decorations.
D. 
Prepare an annual budget related to projects within the Committee's scope which shall cover the period from July 1 through June 30 of each year. The budget is to be submitted to the Board of Town Commissioners no later than the first working day in March of each year.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Original Ch. 4, Art. 5, Historic Preservation Commission, which immediately followed this article, is now included as Ch. 246, Historic Preservation, of this Code.