The City Planning Commission shall make recommendations, to be transmitted to the Council through the Mayor, on all bills originating in the Council which shall in any manner affect any zoning ordinance, the Physical Development Plan of the City, or the capital program, or which would authorize the acquisition or sale of City real estate. Unless such recommendations are received by the Council within thirty days from the date any such bill shall have been introduced, the approval of the Commission shall be presumed.

ANNOTATION

Sources: No specific source.

Purposes: 1. The recommendations of the City Planning Commission are required on all legislation originating in the Council which affects in any manner any subject matter within the jurisdiction of the Commission so that Council will have an opportunity to be advised of the effect of such proposed legislation on City development. The Commission with its expert knowledge and its facilities for appraising all such legislation is thus required to render technical assistance to the Council to enable the Council to act in a completely informed manner in this area. To assure the Council of necessary freedom on action, the Commission is required to furnish its report to the Council within specified time limits.

2. Council, after it has received the recommendations of the Commission, or if the Commission fails to act within the required time, remains free to take such action with respect to the proposed legislation as it deems fit. See Section 2-307. It is not required that the Commission's action shall be binding on the Council or that more than a majority vote of the Council shall be necessary to override the Commission's recommendation because experience in other cities indicates that such restrictions are not in the best interests of well-planned city development.

3. While the Charter does not require public hearings before the Commission on matters upon which the Commission is empowered to act, such hearings are required to be held whenever any matter within the jurisdiction of the Commission reaches the legislative stage. See Section 2-201. The Physical Development Plan is not to be adopted legislatively, but good Commission procedure and public relations will result in the Commission scheduling hearings on important aspects of the Plan. The Commission is not precluded from holding public hearings on other matters within its jurisdiction and here too sound procedure and good public relations should result in hearings being held on important questions.

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