A. Reestablishment of Planning Commission. The Colleton County planning commission is hereby reestablished under the provisions of the S.C. Code, § 6-29-320.

B. Powers and Duties of the Planning Commission. It is the function and duty of the planning commission to undertake a continuing planning program for the physical, social, and economic growth, development, and redevelopment of the unincorporated areas of Colleton County. The planning commission may make, publish, and distribute maps, plans, and reports and recommendations relating to the development of its area of jurisdiction to County officials and agencies, public utility companies, civic, educational, professional, and other organizations and citizens. The planning commission, its members and employees, in the performance of its functions, may enter upon any land with consent of the property owner or after ten days’ written notification to the owner of record, make examinations and surveys, and place and maintain necessary monuments and marks on them, provided, however, that the planning commission shall be liable for any injury or damage to property resulting therefrom. In general, the planning commission has the powers as may be necessary to enable it to perform its functions and promote the planning of its political jurisdiction.

In the discharge of its responsibilities, the Colleton County planning commission has the power and duty to:

1. Prepare and revise periodically plans and programs for the development and redevelopment of its area of jurisdiction; and

2. Prepare and recommend for adoption to the county council as a means for implementing the plans and programs in its area:

a. Zoning ordinances to include zoning district maps and appropriate revisions thereof;

b. Regulations for the subdivision or development of land and appropriate revisions thereof, and to oversee the administration of the regulations that may be adopted;

c. An official map and appropriate revision on it showing the exact location of existing or proposed public street, highway, and utility rights-of-way, and public building sites, together with regulations to control the erection of buildings or other structures or changes in land use within the rights-of-way, building sites, or open spaces within its political jurisdiction or a specified portion of it;

d. A landscaping ordinance setting forth required planting, tree preservation, and other aesthetic considerations for land and structures;

e. A capital improvements program setting forth projects required to implement plans which have been prepared and adopted, including an annual listing of priority projects for consideration by county council for implementation prior to preparation of the capital budget; and

f. Policies or procedures to facilitate implementation of planning elements.

C. Composition of the Commission. The planning commission shall consist of nine members appointed by county council for overlapping terms of four years. Five members first appointed shall serve four years, and four members first appointed shall serve two years, such terms to be decided by lot.

To the extent possible, membership should be representative of the racial and gender composition of the county, and represent a broad cross section of the interests and concerns of the county. No member shall be the holder of an elected public officer in Colleton County.

Members shall serve until their successors are appointed and qualified.

D. Funding, Expenditures, and Contracts. The commission may cooperate with, contract with, or accept funds from federal government agencies, state government agencies, local general purpose governments, school districts, special purpose districts, including those of other states, public or eleemosynary agencies, or private individuals or corporations; it may expend the funds; and it may carry out such cooperative undertakings and contracts as it considers necessary.

E. Removal of Members. Members of the planning commission may be removed at any time by county council for cause. The existence of cause shall be discussed by the council in executive session as permitted by the Freedom of Information Act, S.C. Code, § 30-4-70(a)(1), and the determination of removal shall be by vote in public session declaring a vacancy in the position without a statement of cause. Any fact which, in the discretion of council, is deemed to adversely affect the public interest, including lack of attendance at meetings, may constitute cause.

F. Organization and Rules of Procedure. The planning commission shall organize, elect officers, and adopt rules of procedure as required by S.C. Code, § 6-29-360. (Ord. 99-O-25 § 11.1, 1999)