§ 4-10. Planning and Zoning Commission.

A.

The planning and zoning commission shall consist of five (5) members appointed by the City-Parish Council for five (5) year staggered terms as determined by the Council. Three (3) members shall be qualified electors residing within the corporate limits of the City of Lafayette and two (2) members shall be qualified electors residing within the parish in an area outside the corporate limits of any municipality. Vacancies on the commission shall be filled by the Council.

B.

The staff of the planning, zoning and codes department shall serve as staff for the planning and zoning commission.

C.

The commission shall constitute a parish planning commission in that portion of the parish outside the City of Lafayette and a city planning and zoning commission for the City of Lafayette. Except as otherwise provided by this charter, the City-Parish planning and zoning commission shall have all the powers and duties conferred or imposed on parish and city planning commissions by the general laws of the state.

D.

Whenever the commission recommends to the City-Parish Council a zoning plan for the City of Lafayette, including the text of a zoning ordinance and the accompanying map or maps, the Council may, by ordinance, divide the City of Lafayette into districts or zones of such number, shape and area as it may determine, and for such purposes may regulate the erection, construction, conversion, alteration, and uses of buildings and structures and the uses of land.

E.

The commission shall constitute the zoning commission for those areas included within the boundaries of the City of Lafayette.

F.

Appeals from decisions of the commission shall be to the City-Parish Council. The decision of the Council shall be final, subject to appeal to the appropriate court.

G.

The commission shall review the capital improvement budget prepared by the President and, prior to submission of the budget to the Council, shall advise the President as to the conformance or nonconformance of the budget to the master plan for the consolidated government.

H.

This section shall not apply to municipalities in the parish which are not a part of the consolidated government, except that a municipality, by contract, may participate in the master plan.

(Reprint of January 2010)