§120.7.  Membership; qualification requirements; term; meetings; vote

A.  The planning and zoning board shall consist of eleven members, all of whom shall be residents and electors of the parish.  Current members of the Calcasieu Parish Planning Commission shall serve as members of the planning and zoning board and shall serve until expiration of the terms they are currently serving.  The two additional members shall be appointed from among members currently serving on the Calcasieu Parish Board of Adjustment and shall serve until expiration of the terms they are currently serving.  Thereafter, members shall be appointed by the police jury for terms of four years each.  Vacancies shall be filled for the unexpired term of any member whose term becomes vacant.  All members shall be removable for cause by the police jury, upon written charges and after public hearing.

B.  The planning and zoning board shall elect its own chairman, who shall serve for one year.  The planning and zoning board shall adopt rules in accordance with the provisions of any ordinance adopted pursuant to this Subpart.

C.  Meetings of the planning and zoning board shall be held at the call of the chairman and at such other times as the planning and zoning board may determine.  A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum.  The chairman or, in his absence, the acting chairman may administer oaths and compel the attendance of witnesses.  All meetings of the planning and zoning board shall be open to the public.  The planning and zoning board shall keep minutes of its proceedings, showing the vote of each member upon each question, or, if absent or failing to vote, indicating that fact, and shall keep records of its examinations and other official actions, all of which shall be filed immediately in the office of the planning and zoning board and shall be public records.  All testimony, objections thereto, and rulings thereon shall be taken down by a recorder employed by the planning and zoning board for the purpose.

D.  A simple majority of a quorum is adequate to authorize variances, exceptions, and appeals by the planning and zoning board.

Acts 1997, No. 1274, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1998.