GREENWOOD TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION
(Adoption Date: May 9, 1995)

Section 1 - Creation 1.01 The Greenwood Town Board hereby creates a Planning Commission pursuant to Minnesota Statutes 394.30 and all acts amendatory thereof. Section 2 - Membership 2.01 Regular Voting members A. The Planning Commission shall consist of seven (7) voting members, who shall be appointed by the Town Board of Supervisors as provided in this Ordinance, all of whom shall be residents of Greenwood Township. B. One voting member shall also be a member of the Town Board of Supervisors. C. No more than one voting member shall be an officer or employee of the Township. 2.02 Ex-officio Members A. The following Township officers or employees or their representative are hereby designated as ex-officio, non-voting members of the Planning Commission: 1. Township Attorney 2. Township Planning Director 3. Township Assessor Section 3 - Appointments 3.01 Method of Appointment A. At the re-organizational meeting of the Township Board in each calendar year, the Township Board shall appoint members to the Planning Commission to fill expired terms. The appointments shall be made upon approval of the Board by majority vote of the entire Board. B. Every reasonable effort shall be made to appoint members to this commission who are representative of all geographical areas of the Township. C. Applicants will be solicited through one-time publication in the official Township newspaper. 3.02 Term of Office A. Except as provided below, each uø±er of the Planning Commission shall be appointed to serve for a period of three calendar years. No person shall be appointed for more than three consecutive full terms of office. B. The Town Board member serving on the planning Commission shall be appointed for a term of one calendar year. C. Initial appointments made pursuant to this Ordinance shall be made in such a manner that no more than three (3) terms, including that of the Town Board member, shall expire at the close of any calendar year. D. Each calendar year shall be presumed to run from April 1 to March 31 of the following calendar year. 3.03 Vacancies A. Appointments shall be made by the Town Board to fill any vacancy for the unexpired duration of the term. Such appointment shall be made at the earliest possible convenience of the Township Board. B. Vacancies in regular positions shall be declared by the Township Board under any of the following conditions: 1. Death of a member. 2. Resignation of a member. 3. Removal of a member for cause as provided in this Ordinance. Section 4 - Removal for Cause 4.01 Reasons for removal: The following shall be deemed sufficient cause for the Town Board of Supervisors to remove any regular Planning Commission member. The Town Board shall remove any member upon the occurrence of any of the following conditions as reported to the Board by either the Chairman of the Planning Commission or the Planning Director. A. Failure of the member to attend one-third of the regularly scheduled Commission meetings in any twelve (12) month period. B. Failure of the member to attend three consecutive regular Commission meetings, or to attend four consecutive regular and special Commission meetings. C. Attendance at several regular or special Commission meetings for such a short length of time as to render the member's services of little value to the Township. The Township Board of Supervisors shall make judgment on such matters after receiving a report by the Chairman or the Planning Director as provided in this section above. D. Violation by the member of any land use control ordinance adopted by the Township pursuant to Minnesota Statutes 394.21 to 394.37, and all acts amendatory thereof. E. Any change in residency status, such that the member is not a resident of Greenwood Township. F. Inability to carry out the duties of the Commission due to a conflict of interest. Section 5 - Organization and Procedures 5.01 Officers A. The Planning Commission shall elect a chairperson and vice-chairperson from among its regular members. The Town Clerk shall serve as secretary. Elections of Commission Officers shall take place at the first Commission meeting after April 1st. Officers shall serve a term of one year. 5.02 Rules of Procedure A. The Planning Commission shall adopt rules for the transaction of its business which shall be consistent with the statutes of the State of Minnesota and the Ordinances of this Township. 5.03 Meeting A. The meetings of the Planning Commission shall be held at the call of the chairperson and at such other times as the Commission in its rules of procedure may specify. B. All meetings of the Planning Commission shall be open to the public pursuant to Minnesota Statutes. 5.04 Voting A. Each regular member, including the chairperson, shall be entitled to vote on all questions, unless a particular issue involves a conflict of interest. A decision to abstain from voting, due to a potential conflict of interest, shall also extend to discussion. Testimony, however, may be offered. B. Any question of whether a particular issue involves a conflict of interest sufficient to disqualify a member f ran voting thereon shall be decided by a majority vote of the attending members except the member who is being challenged. C. Any member who believes he or she may have a conflict of interest, or who has a relative who has an interest in any decision to be made by the Planning Commission shall disclose such interest and either disqualify him or herself or seek a ruling pursuant to "B" above. D. Any person may, in person or in writing, challenge whether any number may have a conflict of interest. Upon any such challenge the Commission shall decide the question pursuant to "B" of this Section. E. Ex-officio members of the Planning Commission shall not have the right to vote on any issues before the Planning Commission. 5.05 Records A. The Planning Commission shall keep a written public record of all its transactions, findings, and determinations on all matters referred to it, and shall cause such records to be recorded as necessary pursuant to Minnesota Statutes. Section 6 - Authority and Duties 6.01 Plan Preparation and Review A. The Planning Commission shall cooperate with the Planning Director and other employees of the Township in preparing and recommending to the Township Board for adoption a Goals and Policies Land Use Plan, recommendations for plan execution in the form of official controls and other measures, and amendments thereto. B. The Planning Commission shall review, any Goals and Policies Land Use, or other plans, or any official controls sent to the Township for review by any local unit of government, any council of governments, or any regional, state or federal agency and shall report thereon in writing to the Township Board. 6.02 Public Bearings A. The Planning Commission shall hold all required public hearings for the Goals and Policies Land Use Plan and amendments thereto, official controls and amendments thereto, all conditional use permit applications, all subdivision platting proposals, and other matters as may be prescribed by Ordinances of this Township. 1. The Planning Commission shall have the final authority to approve or deny all conditional use permit applications, and to direct the issuance of conditional use permits. 2. On all other matters which are before the Planning Commission for public hearing, the Commission shall report in writing to the Township Board. B. The Planning Commission shall set a reasonable time for all hearings, shall give due notice thereof and shall conduct hearings in the manner prescribed by Minnesota Statutes and other ordinances of this Township. Section 7 - Compensation The voting members of the Planning Commission, other than the member of the Township Board, may be compensated in an amount determined by the Township Board. All voting members of the Planning Commission, including the member of the Township Board, may be paid their necessary expenses in attending meetings of the Planning Commission and in the conduct of the business of the Planning Commission. Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to prohibit the payment of a per diem to the Township Board neither pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, Section 375.055, Subd. 1.

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Greenwood Township 3000 County Road 77 Tower, MN 55790 Phone: 218-753-2231 greenwoodtownship@frontiernet.net