There is hereby created a commission to be known as the “City Planning Commission of the City of Oberlin”.

(Prior Code § 18-101; Ord. 326)

The city’s Planning Commission shall consist of seven members, all of whom shall be taxpayers of which number two members shall reside outside of, but within three miles of, the corporate limits of the city, and the remaining members shall be residents of the city and shall be appointed by the Mayor by and with the consent of the City Council. The members first appointed shall serve for terms of one, two and three years from June 1 of the year in which they are first appointed, divided as equally as possible in numbers appointed for each of the terms. Thereafter, as the first terms expire, the members shall be appointed for terms of three years each; provided that, vacancies caused by death, resignation or other disability of any member shall be filled for the unexpired term only. The members of such Commission shall serve without compensation and shall perform the duties and have the powers hereinafter provided.

(Prior Code § 18-102; Ord. 326; Ord. 956)

The members of the city’s Planning Commission shall meet at least once a month at such time and place as they may fix by resolution. They shall select one of their number as Chairperson and one as Vice Chairperson and a Secretary who may or may not be a member of the Commission, each of whom shall serve one year, or until their successors have been selected by the Commission. Special meetings may be called at any time by the Chairperson or, in their absence, by the Vice Chairperson. A majority of the Commission shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The Commission shall cause a proper record to be kept of its proceedings, and adopt suitable rules governing the conduct thereof.

(Prior Code § 18-103; Ord. 326)

The powers and duties of the Commission shall be to make plans and maps of the whole or any portion of the city and of any land outside of the city, which, in the opinion of the Commission, bears relation to the planning of the city and to make changes in such plans or maps when it deems the same advisable. Such maps or plans shall show, if and when the same are deemed desirable by the Commission, the Commission’s recommendations for new streets, alleys, ways, viaducts, bridges, parkways, parks, playgrounds or any other public ground or public improvement and the removal, relocation, widening or extension of such public works then existing with a view of the systematic planning of the municipality, and the commission shall make recommendations to the governing body of the city concerning the location of streets, transportation and communication facilities, public buildings and grounds. The governing body may require the city planning commission to divide the city into districts or zones; recommend the boundaries of the same, and the appropriate regulations and restrictions for the location of trades and industries and the location, erection, alteration and repair of buildings designed for specific uses and the uses of land within each district or zone. Whenever the commission shall have made and agreed upon a plan for the development of the municipality or any portion thereof, such plan or plans shall be submitted to the governing body for its consideration and action.

(Prior Code § 18-104; Ord. 326)

All plans, plats or replats of lands laid out in building lots and the streets, alleys or other portions of the same intended to be dedicated for public use, or for the use of purchasers or owners of the lots fronting thereon or adjacent thereto, and plans and descriptions of all streets, alleys or public ways intended to be deeded or dedicated for public use, or for the use of purchasers or owners of the land fronting thereon or adjacent thereto which is not intended to be platted into lots or other dedicated tracts, and located within the city limits of the city or any addition or plan of streets or public ways located outside the city limits; provided that, such territory is within Decatur County and entirely or in part within three miles of the nearest point on the city limits of the city, shall be submitted to the city’s Planning Commission, for its consideration and their recommendations shall then be submitted to the city governing body for its official consideration and action. No such plat or replat or dedication or deed of street or public way shall be filed with the register of deeds as provided bylaw until such plat or replat or dedication or deed shall have endorsed on it the fact that it has first been submitted to the city’s Planning Commission and by the Commission to the governing body of the city and by the governing body duly approved. Before exercising the powers referred to above, the city’s Planning Commission shall adopt regulations governing the subdivision of land within its jurisdiction. Such regulations may provide for the proper area of streets in relation to other existing or planned streets and to the mapped plan for adequate and convenient open spaces for traffic, utilities, access of fire fighting apparatus, recreation, light and air, and for the avoidance of congestion of population, including minimum width and area of lots.

(Prior Code § 18-105; Ord. 326)

On or before July 1 of each year, the city’s Planning Commission shall submit to the governing body of the city its budget of expenditures for the ensuing fiscal year, itemizing the expense and amounts and the purpose. The governing body shall thereupon consider the budget and make such allowance to the city’s Planning Commission as it shall deem proper and shall add the same to the general budget of the city.

(Prior Code § 18-106; Ord. 326)