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RELEVANT LINKS: <br />See Section IV- Planning <br />Agency Meetings. <br />See LMC Model Planning <br />Commission Policy on Rules <br />and Procedure. <br />Minn. Stat. § 462.354. <br />See Section III—Powers and <br />Duties of the Planning <br />Commission. <br />Minn. Stat. § 462.354. <br />Cities may establish consecutive term limits in their ordinance for <br />commission members if desired. In addition, the city may wish to establish <br />ordinance provisions for the removal of commission members, should it <br />become necessary. <br />C. Organization and structure <br />The planning commission ordinance may establish an organizational form <br />for the planning commission. For example, the ordinance may require a <br />chairperson, acting chair, and secretary. In the alternative, the ordinance may <br />enable the planning commission to suggest a policy (commonly known as <br />bylaws), subject to council approval, that establishes a form of organization <br />for its meetings. Placing organizational requirements in a policy adopted by <br />council resolution, rather than in ordinance form, is generally preferred, <br />because it provides a more flexible means to develop and amend policies. <br />D. Powers and duties <br />State statutes prescribe several mandatory duties for the city planning <br />commission. A city ordinance should be drafted to include these duties. In <br />addition, state statute permits some optional duties to be assigned to the <br />planning commission in the council's discretion. City ordinance should <br />make it clear which of these optional duties are assigned to the planning <br />commission. Since state statute contains optional duties, general ordinance <br />language stating that commission duties "shall be as established by state <br />statute" may cause confusion over duties and should be avoided. The powers <br />and duties of the planning commission are discussed more extensively <br />below. <br />11. Appointment of city planning commission <br />members <br />A. Council as a whole may serve as the planning <br />commission <br />The city council may choose to designate itself as the city's planning <br />commission by ordinance. However, most cities choose to establish a <br />planning commission as a separate advisory body. This approach reduces the <br />overall workload of the council, promotes citizen involvement, and allows <br />commissioners to specialize in developing their body of knowledge <br />concerning municipal planning <br />League of Minnesota Cities Information Memo: 1/20/2015 <br />Planning Commission Guide Page 3 <br />