There is hereby created a planning commission for the City of Hesston.

(Ord. 010-1976-024, Sec. 1; Code 1990; K.S.A. 12-741 et seq.)

The planning commission shall consist of not less than seven, nor more than nine members, two of whom shall reside outside the city limits and within a limit of three miles from the city limits.

The members of the planning commission shall be appointed by the mayor with the approval of the city council.  All terms shall commence on January 1st and expire on December 31st.  The members of the commission first appointed shall serve respectively for terms of one year, two years, and three years, divided equally or as nearly equal as possible between these terms as one, two and three years.  Thereafter members shall be appointed for terms of three years each.  Vacancies shall be filled by appointment for the unexpired term only.  Members of the commission shall serve without compensation for their service.

(K.S.A. 12-702; Ord. 010-1976-024, Secs. 1:2; Code 2007)

The planning commission shall have such powers and duties as prescribed by law and as many be provided by resolution from time to time. The area under its jurisdiction shall be the corporate limits of the city.  As a primary function, the planning commission shall have the responsibility for the preparation, adoption, and recommendation of a long-range comprehensive plan to guide the future physical development of the city.  Such general plan shall consist of land use element, a circulation element, and a public facilities element.  The plan shall provide a statement of population distribution and density and proposed building intensities and other uses of land.  The planning commission shall further have and exercise the following powers:

(a)   To recommend development plans for specific public works projects and for urban renewal.   Such development plans shall be related to the general plan and shall insure the integration of proposed land uses and for matters of access and relationship to the neighborhood within which such development plans provide for construction.  Development plans shall also contain analysis methods of financing proposed public works.

(b)   To cause to be prepared zoning studies and shall recommend the zoning of all land within their jurisdiction, and shall have all of the zoning functions, powers and duties which are given by the laws of the state and by action of the governing body.

(c)   Cause to be prepared recommendations governing the control of subdivisions within the area of their jurisdiction.

(d)   Cause to be prepared annually for the city a statement of current and past growth and development trends and anticipated growth for the succeeding year and for the succeeding five years.  Such annual statement of anticipated growth and development shall also contain an annual review of the state of the comprehensive plan and recommended adjustments in such plan.  Such annual review statement shall be transmitted to the governing body the first meeting in March of each year.

(e)   Cause to have reviewed annually all proposed capital improvement project budgets of the city to insure their conformity with the comprehensive plan.

(f)   Any other element deemed necessary to the prop development or redevelopment of the area.

(Ord. 010-1991-081, Sec. 1)

(a)   The planning commission shall convene for its meetings at such time and place as shall be fixed by the chairperson and shall organize and elect officers, adopt bylaws and fix and determine times and places of future meetings, which meetings shall not be less frequent than once a month.  The planning commission shall elect one member as chairperson and another as vice-chairperson.  The terms of the chairperson and vice-chairperson shall be for one year and until their successors shall be elected and qualified.  Special meetings of the planning commission may be called by the chairperson, or, in his or her absence, by the vice-chairperson, or by the governing body.  A quorum of the planning commission shall consist of four members.

(b)   The planning commission shall designate a secretary who need not be a member of the planning commission.  The secretary shall cause a proper record to be kept of all proceeding of the planning commission, copies of which shall be placed on file for public inspection and copies of which shall be promptly furnished to the governing body.

(Ord. 010-1991-081, Sec. 1)

All members of the commission shall serve without compensation, but they may be reimbursed for their expenses actually incurred in the performance of their duties.

(K.S.A. 12-702; Ord. 010-1976-024, Sec. 2; Code 1990)

No member of the commission shall be removed during his or her term of office, except for cause, and after a hearing held before the governing body by whom he or she was appointed, or in case of disqualification by moving out of the city, or by moving out of the area represented by him or her on the planning commission. 

(Code 1990)

On or before the first Monday in June of each year the planning commission shall submit to the city administrator of the city a budget of income and expenditures for the ensuing fiscal year on forms to be provided by the city.  Thereupon, the budget shall be considered by the governing body and the budget, as submitted or as the same may be amended, may be approved and adopted by the governing body to the extent of 10 percent of such amended or revised general operating fund budget of the city council of the city.  The city treasurer of the city is hereby designated as a custodian and the city clerk is designated as disbursing agent for the total budget. 

(Ord. 010-1976-024, Sec. 5; Code 1990)