Chapter 21 – Planning
21.01-Plan Commission
21.02-Powers of the Plan commission
21.01 PLAN COMMISSION
(a) Created. A Plan Commission is hereby created for the City of Hickory Hills, which commission shall be known as ‘The Plan Commission of the City of Hickory Hills.’
(b) Members. The Plan commission shall consist of seven members, one of whom shall be appointed as chairman, together with the Mayor, who shall be a member of the commission ex-officlo.
(C) Appointment; Qualifications. The members of the Plan Commission shall be appointed by the Mayor, with the consent of the City Counci’. No person shall be eligible to be a member of the commission unless he or she shall be a qualified elector of the City of Hickory Hills. Should a member of the commission cease to be such a qualified elector, his office shall become vacant.
(d) Terms of Office. The members of the commission shall be appointed to serve for a term of 7 years and until their respective successors are appointed and qualified.
(e) Resignation; Vacancy. Any member of the commission may resign from his office. If a vacancy in office occurs by reason of death, resignation or removal from office, the vacancy shall be filled by appointment by the Mayor, with the consent of the City Council, for the remainder of the term of the office which has become vacant.
(f) Meetings. Meetings of the Plan Commission shall be held at such time or times as the commission shall prescribe. Such meetings shall be held in the city hall and shall be open to the public.
(g) Rules of Procedure; Records. The Plan Commission shall adopt its own rules of procedure, a copy of which and all amendments thereto shall be filed in the office of the City Clerk. The commission shall keep minutes of its meetings and the minutes of the commission shall be open to public examination in the City Clerk’s office during regular office hours.
(h) Expenses and Fees. Expenses incurred by the Plan Commission are to be borne by the city which shall charge the petitioners of any matter referred to the Plan Commission by the City Council an initial fee according to a schedule of fees determined by the City Council. Any additional expense over and above the initial fee shall be assessed against the petitioners of such referred matters.
(i) Compensation. Plan Commission members shall receive such compensation as determined by the City Council.
21.02 POWERS OF THE PLAN COMMISSION
(a) The Plan Commission authorized by this chapter shall have the power:
1. To prepare and recommend to the City Council a comprehensive plan of public improvements and private development looking to the present and future development of the City of Hickory Hills. After such plan is prepared and adopted by the City Council, this plan shall be known as the ‘Official Plan of the City of Hickory Hills.’ Thereafter from time to time the commission may recommend changes in the Official Plan based upon the needs of the city and its development within the goals of the Official Plan. This plan may include reasonable requirements with reference to streets, alleys, buildings, and public grounds in unsubdivided land situated within the corporate limits of the City of Hickory Hills or in contiguous territory not more than one and one-half miles beyond the corporate limits and not included in any municipality. These requirements shall be effective whenever this unsubdivided land is subdivided after the adoption of the Official Plan.
2. To prepare and recommend to the City Council from time to time plans for specific improvements in pursuance of the Official Plan.
3. To give aid to the city officials charged with the direction of projects for improvements embraced within the Official Plan,, to further the making of those projects and generally to promote the realization of the Official Plan.
4. To exercise such powers, germane to the powers granted herein and by statute as may be conferred from time to time hereafter by the City Council, and to matters referred to it by the City Council.