§ 66-73. Officers; quorum; rules of procedure.

(a)

Chairman and vice chairman. At the annual organizational meeting (to be held in April of each year), the members of the architectural review and planning board shall select one of their members as chairman and one other member as vice chairman. The chairman shall be in charge of all proceedings before the architectural review and planning board, shall decide all points of order on procedure, and shall take such action as shall be necessary to preserve the order and integrity of all proceedings before the architectural review and planning board. In the absence of the chairman, the vice chairman shall act as chairman and shall have all powers and duties of the chairman. In the absence of both the chairman and vice chairman, the members present shall select a chairman pro-tem to act as chairman who shall have all the powers of the chairman. The chairman and vice chairman shall serve terms of one year.

(b)

Alternates. Alternate members of the architectural review and planning board shall serve when called upon by the chairman of the board in the absence of any full member of the board. While serving, the alternate member shall have all of the powers, duties and authority of a full member.

(c)

Secretary. The town clerk shall serve as secretary of the architectural review and planning board. The secretary shall keep minutes of all proceedings, which minutes shall be a summary of all proceedings before the architectural review and planning board, which shall include the vote of all members upon every question, and be attested to by the secretary. The minutes shall be approved by a majority of the architectural review and planning board members voting. In addition, the secretary shall maintain all records of the architectural review and planning board meetings, hearings, proceedings, and the correspondence of the architectural review and planning board. The records of the architectural review and planning board shall be stored with the town clerk's office, and shall be available for inspection by the public, upon reasonable request, during normal business hours. The town clerk also shall be responsible for administering oaths and swearing in of witnesses where required.

(d)

Staff.

(1)

The planning and building department shall be the professional staff of the architectural review and planning board. The planning and building department shall be responsible for preparing the agenda and providing a recommendation to the architectural review and planning board on all matters brought before the board where appropriate. However, nothing herein shall preclude the architectural review and planning board from seeking the expertise and advice of others.

(2)

At its discretion, the architectural review and planning board may request the town commission retain additional professionals such as architects, planners, landscape architects, engineers, etc., to advise the architectural review and planning board on any matters placed before it.

(e)

Town attorney. The town attorney shall provide counsel and interpretation on legal issues.

(f)

Quorum and voting.

(1)

The presence of a majority of members of the architectural review and planning board shall constitute a quorum of the architectural review and planning board necessary to transact business.

(2)

When taking action on applications for development permits for which the architectural review and planning board has been designed by this article as the final review authority, a 3/5 majority vote or greater of the entire membership of the architectural review and planning board shall be required to approve any motion. In the event one or more members of the architectural review and planning board has a conflict of interest pursuant to F.S. § 112.01 et seq. regarding a specific application for development permits, then a simple majority of the remaining eligible members shall be required to approve any motion.

(3)

In the event that the full voting membership of the architectural review and planning board is not present to take final action on a particular application for development permits for which the architectural review and planning board has been designated by this article as the final review authority, the applicant, upon his or her request, shall be granted a continuance to a time certain at which time all voting members will be available to meet and take action.

(4)

When taking action on matters other than applications for development permits for which the architectural review and planning board has been designated by this division as the final review authority, a simple majority of the members present shall be necessary to approve any motion. In the event of a tie vote, the proposed motion shall be considered to have failed.

(5)

No member shall abstain from voting on any matter unless there is a conflict of interest pursuant to F.S. § 112.01 et seq.

(g)

Rules of procedure.

(1)

All meetings shall be governed by Robert's Rules of Order. The architectural review and planning board may, by a majority vote of the entire membership, adopt additional rules of procedure for the transaction of business, and shall keep a record of meetings, resolutions, findings and determinations.

(2)

For items that require the architectural review and planning board make a recommendation to the town commission, local planning agency or board of adjustment, the architectural review and planning board shall make its recommendation within 60 days of the date the item is originally placed on the architectural review and planning board agenda or within 60 days of the close of the public hearing on the item, whichever is later. Failure of the architectural review and planning board to make a recommendation within this time period shall result in the item being sent to the final review authority without a recommendation. Time periods during continuances requested by an applicant shall be exempted from this requirement.

(Ord. No. 95-1, § 1, 1-30-95)