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Within the broad charge of assisting the local
<br />officials in the decision-making process, the exact
<br />functions of a planning commission will vary from
<br />community to community, depending in part upon
<br />the attitude of the elected officials, the policy of
<br />the community related to urban planning, and also
<br />by the degree of urbanization that has taken place
<br />in the community. For example, in a highly
<br />urbanized community, many of the functions
<br />indicated here may be performed by, or with the
<br />assistance of, a full-time planning staff or con°
<br />sultant, whereas in a rural area most of the plan-
<br />ning functions may be carried out by the planning
<br />commission itself or with the assistance of other
<br />governmental agencies such as a county or regional
<br />planning staff, if they exist. With this in mind, the
<br />following is a brief description of some of the
<br />potential functions of a planning commission.
<br />
<br /> Interview and review work of planning con-
<br />sultants. If a community has determined to hire a
<br />planning consultant, one of the most important
<br />functions of the planning commission is to assist
<br />the local officials in interviewing and selecting
<br />the planning firm. A number of factors should be
<br />considered in interviewing a consultant such as
<br />prior experience, approach to planning, avail-
<br />ability, and cost. For further information on
<br />techniques for interviewing planning consultants,
<br />see the Appendix.
<br />
<br /> Once a planning consultant has been hired, the
<br />planning commission should carefully and critically
<br />review the work of the consultant. Only in this
<br />way can the community be assured that the work
<br />will be of reasonably high quality.
<br />
<br /> Collect background data. Another important
<br />function of the planning commission is to assist in
<br />collecting various background data about the
<br />community such as population, employment,
<br />housing, land use, and natural features. This
<br />information is exceedingly important in assisting
<br />the local officials to determine goals, policies, and
<br />programs for future development of the com-
<br />munity. Members of the planning commission can
<br />be very helpful in providing background data
<br />since many of them usually have resided in the
<br />community for some time and know the com-
<br />munity well, at least much better than most
<br />planning professionals.
<br />
<br /> Much of this information is usually available
<br />either from different departments in the com-
<br />munity (administration, highways, public works),
<br />or from other governmental agencies such as the
<br />county, regional planning agencies or various state
<br />
<br />departments. If a consultant is used, the data
<br />should be reviewed carefully to ensure that all
<br />available local information has been taken into
<br />account.
<br />
<br /> Asstst tn the preparation of a comprehensive
<br />plan. Perhaps the most important function of a
<br />planning commissioner is to assist the local elected
<br />officials in developing goals, policies, and programs
<br />for future development of the neighborhood,
<br />community or region. This is also by far the most
<br />difficult task of the total planning process, since
<br />there is seldom agreement among commission
<br />members, community leaders or the citizens in
<br />general about the future growth policy for a
<br />community. Very few elected officials have taken
<br />the time to carefully think out and determine the
<br />type of community they want to create or estab-
<br />lish through the adoption of goals and policies to
<br />guide future development since they are usually
<br />too busy dealing with emergency and day-to-day
<br />problems. It is precisely for this reason that the
<br />planning commission can serve a very valuable
<br />function in assisting to establish goals and policies
<br />for future development.
<br />
<br /> Too many communities, unfortunately, have
<br />relegated this function to a planning consultant.
<br />This is definitely not the function of a planning
<br />consultant. The function of the planning profes-
<br />sional is to provide technical planning assistance;
<br />that is, to advise the local community in how
<br />development can be guided to achieve the goals
<br />and policies established by the local officials and
<br />citizens of a community. The planning com-
<br />mission members and the elected officials, by
<br />virtue of their appointments and election, are the
<br />only legitimate individuals outside of the citizens
<br />themselves to establish goals, policies, and pro-
<br />grams for future development of their community.
<br />
<br /> Since a comprehensive plan should hav, e some
<br />degree of flexibility to take into account unantici-
<br />pated, changing conditions, the goals, poli~ies and
<br />programs in the plan should be revised and Updated
<br />at least every three to five years. Again, the
<br />planning commission should play a leading role in
<br />reviewing and updating the plan. This subject is
<br />discussed more fully in Chapter 3.
<br />
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<br /> Assist in preparation of development controls.
<br />The planning commission can also provide as-
<br />sistance in the preparation of such development
<br />controls as zoning ordinances, subdivision regula-
<br />tions, well ordinances, gravel extraction ordi-
<br />nances, septic tank ordinances or sanitary codes,
<br />and others. Model ordinances are often agailable
<br />
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