1987-09-17
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TOWN OF WAPPINGER
P.O. Box 324
20 Middlebush Road
Wappingers Falls, NY 12590-0324
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PLANNING BOARD
Memo To: Town Board
From: Planning Board
Date: September 17th, 1987
Subject: Rules & Regulations for Planning Board
At the September 14th, 1987 meeting of the Planning Board the Board adopted
their Rules and Regulations and we are know forwarding the same for your review and
approval.
Thank you for your consideration in this matter.
EH/lb
Attachment
RULES AND PROCEDURES
TOWN OF WAPPINGER
PLANNING BOARD
PREAMBLE
By virtue of the adoption by resolution by the Town Board of the Town
of Wappinger, and pursuant to Section 273., Article 16, Chapter 62, of
the Town Law of the State of New York, there has been established a
Town Planning Board, vested with powers authorized therein, and such
Board shall be known as the Town of Wappinger Planning Board. The
following shall be the Rules and Procedures for the conduct of
business of the Board.
SECTION I - ORGANIZATION
A. MEMBERSHIP
The membership and terms of office shall be as specified in the
resolution establishing the Board and Section 271 of Town Law.
B. OFFICERS
The Executive Officers of the Town Planning Board shall be the
Chairman, Vice-chairman and Secretary. The Town Board shall
annually designate a member of said Planning Board to act as
Chairman thereof, or on failure to do so, the Planning Board shall
elect a Chairman from its own members. The Planning Board shall
annually elect a Vice-chairman from its members, and other
officers as it deems necessary. In case the Chairman and
Vice-chairman are absent, the Board may appoint a Chairman
pro-tempore.
1. RESPONSIBILITIES OF OFFICERS
CHAIRMAN
The Chairman shall:
a. Preside at all meetings and hearings of the Board and
shall have the duties normally conferred by parliamentary
usage;
b. Sign all approved final plats and site plans;
c. Appoint committees and a chairman thereof;
d. Be an ex-officio member of all standing committees;
e. Sign all contracts, agreements and other instruments made
and approved by the Board;
f. Be the spokesman for the Board. However, public statements,
press releases, etc., shall be approved by the members;
g. Perform all the duties incidental to the office;
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h. Perform such other duties as may, from time to time, be
required, and;
i. Call emergency meetings of the Board with a concensus of
four (4) Board members, with at least 48 hours notice.
VICE-CHAIRMAN
The Vice-Chairman shall:
a. Perform all the duties of the Chairman in case of his
absence;
b. Perform such other duties as may, from time to time, be as-
signed by the Chairman.
SECRETARY
The Secretary shall:
a. Keep the minutes and records of the Board with the assis-
tance of such staff as is available;
b. Prepare the agenda of regular and special meetings under the
direction of the Chairman;
c. Provide notice of all meetings to Board members;
d. Ascertain that proper-and legal notice of hearings has been
provided, and;
e. Attend to the correspondence of the Board.
The Secretary need not be a Board member.
In the
reasons,
absence of the Secretary, due to illness or personal
the Chairman shall appoint a Secretary pro-tempore.
OTHER OFFICERS
Other officials shall have such authority and perform such
duties as, from time to time, may be assigned by the Board.
C. COMMITTEES
The Chairman may appoint committees
membership. Such committees shall
advise the Board as to actions which
a whol e.
of any number from the
report to the Board and may
may be taken by the Board as
Any ~mittee may solicit advice and counsel from citizens who are
not members of the Board.
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D. EMPLOYEES
Within the limits of the funds available for its use, the Board
may employ such staff personnel and/or consultants as it sees fit
to aid the Board in its work. Appointments shall be made by a
majority vote of the entire membership. The Chairman may be
authorized by the Town Board to sign contracts for employing
personnel and contracting for planning services as might be
approved by the Board.
SECTION II - POWERS AND DUTIES
Pursuant to the resolution passed by the Town Board, the Town of
Wappinger Planning Board shall:
1. Formulate and recommend major development policies in the form
of statements, plans, maps and other appropriate material. It
shall develop regulations or ordinances with the intent of
achieving the physical development of the Town in a manner
which shall be orderly, economically sound, and in harmony
with the Master Plan;
2. Advise the Town Board, and any other Town Department, with
respect to any matter falling within the policies herein
enumerated, and with respect to any matter relating to the
physical development of the Town or on which it may have been
requested to report;
3. Have and be vested with all the powers, authority and respons-
ibilities provided in Sections 274, 275, 276, 277 and 281 of
Article 16 of the Consolidated Laws of the State of New York,
as may be provided by the Town Board in accordance with law.
SECTION III - MEETINGS
A. SCHEDULE
Regular Planning Board meetings will be held each month on a
schedule established by the Board. All meetings shall begin at
7:30 P.M. unless otherwise announced. If any such day should fall
on a legal holiday, or for other reasons by which the Board cannot
meet, the new meeting date shall be determined by the Board.
1. Regular meetings: The Board shall set the dates of its regular
meetings by Resolution.
2. Special Sessions: The Board members may, at a regular meeting,
set a special meeting when deemed necessary.
3.
Emergency Sessions: The Chairman may call an emergency meeting
when necessary, and upon concurrence of four (4) members of
the Board. All members of the Board shall be notified of such
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emergency meeting at least 48 hours prior to the meeting.
4. Workshop Sessions: The Board shall determine the schedule for
sLlch meet i ngs.
5. Hearings: The Board may hold public hearings, in addition to
those required by law, when it is deemed such sessions would
be in the best interest of the public and other parties
concerned.
a. Any person wishing to comment shall be recognized by the
Chairman and shall give his name and address.
b. The Chairman shall assure an orderly hearing and shall
take necessary steps to maintain the order and decorum of
the hearing at all times. The Chairman shall reserve the
right to terminate or adjourn the hearing in the event the
discussion becomes unruly or unmanageable.
6. Open Meetings Law: Under the terms set forth herein, the Open
Meetings Law shall apply to meetings of the Planning Board,
and appropriate notice shall be given.
B. PROCEEDINGS
Robert's Rlt.tl'es of Order shall govern the PI anni ng Board's
proceedings, except as specified otherwise by these By-Laws.
1. Order of Business: Business of a meeting shall be conducted
as f 011 ows:
a. Roll Call;
b. Approval of minutes of previous meeting(s);
c. Conduct public hearings, if scheduled;
d. Old Business;
e. New Business;
f. Committee and officers reports;
g. Correspondence;
h. Adjournment.
2. Quorum: A quorum shall consist of four (4) members of the
Planning 'Board.
3. Voting: Action shall be taken only upon the affirmative vote
of four (4) members of the Board, except to overrule a
recommendation to deny, which may have been submitted by
another governmental agency, in which case five (5) votes
shall be required. Each member shall have one vote.
4.
Disqualification:
on all questions
in accordance with
Code of Ethi cs. )
Each member of the Planning Board shall vote
before the Board unless required to abstain
any applicable law or regLllation. (See Town
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C. MINUTES AND RECORDS OF MEETINGS
Minutes shall be kept o~ all Planning Board meetings and hearings.
Copies shall be sent to all members of the Planning Board, Town
Board, Zoning Board of Appeals, the Building Inspector and the
Zoning Administrator. The minutes o~ any meeting shall not be
considered o~ficially adopted until formally approved by the
Planning Board. The o~ficial record o~ meetings shall be the
minutes prepared by the secretary to the Board as formally adopted
by the Board. Should such meetings and hearings be recorded for
later transcription, such recordings shall be retained for a
period of not less than one (1) year and any notes made during any
meeting shall be maintained as part of the o~ficial record.
D. PUBLIC INFORMATION
In compliance with the Freedom of Information Act, the right of
the public o~. access to records o~ meetings and documentation, in
accordance with law, shall not be denied. The Secretary to the
Planning Board shall be designated as the Information Officer and
shall fill all requests for information as required by the Freedom
of Information Act. The Secretary shall collect any fees, as
established from time to time by the Town Board, for copies made
o~ any such documents requested. Any such fees collected shall be
given to the office of the Town Clerk.
SECTION IV. AMENDMENTS
These Rules and Procedures shall be adopted and amended in accordance
with Section 272 of Town Law.
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