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RELEVANT LINKS: <br />See Section IV- Planning <br />Agency Meetings. <br />See Planning Commission <br />Structure and Procedure, <br />LMC Model Policy. <br />Minn. Stat. § 462.354. <br />See Section HI —Powers and <br />Duties of the Planning <br />Commission. <br />Minn. Stat. § 462.354. <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 />If the city creates a planning commission, state statutes prescribe several <br />mandatory duties for the commission. The city ordinance should be drafted <br />to include these duties. In addition, state statute permits some optional duties <br />to be assigned to the planning commission in the council's discretion. City <br />ordinance should make it clear which of these optional duties are assigned to <br />the planning commission. Since state statute contains optional duties, <br />general ordinance language stating that commission duties "shall be as <br />established by state statute" may cause confusion over duties and should be <br />avoided. The powers and duties of the planning commission are discussed <br />more extensively below. <br />II. 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 />B. Authority to appoint commissioners <br />State statute does not establish a process for the appointment of planning <br />commissioners. As a result, the city ordinance or charter provisions should <br />specify who has the authority to appoint commission members. Generally, <br />appointing authority is vested in the city council as a whole. <br />League of Minnesota Cities Information Memo: 8/3/2018 <br />Planning Commission Guide Page 3 <br />