The following rules and regulations governing the procedures of the Goddard Planning Commission/Board of Zoning Appeals, hereafter referred to as the Commission, are adopted in accordance with the planning laws of the State of Kansas.

There is hereby established a Planning Commission for the City.  This Commission is hereby created pursuant to the provisions of K.S.A. 12-744.  It is also hereby designated as the board of zoning appeals pursuant  to  the  provisions of K.S.A. 12-759(g), and the previously adopted Article 10 of the City of Goddard Zoning Code.

The Commission shall organize annually at the first regular meeting after the annual appointment of new members, which is normally the first City Council in December. Commissioners are appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the City Council for a term of three calendar years on a staggered basis, with approximately one third of the Commission reappointed each year.

The Commission shall elect a Chairperson and a Vice-Chairperson from among the appointed members at the annual organization meeting. The officers shall serve for one year.

A Secretary shall be selected for an indefinite term and it is not required to be a member of the Commission.

The Chairperson shall preside at all meetings and public hearings of the Commission; shall decide all points of order and procedure; shall certify plans and subdivisions plats; shall transmit reports and recommendations of the planning commission to the governing body. The Chairperson and the Secretary are required to certify plans and subdivision plats.

The Vice-Chairperson shall assume the duties of the Chairperson in his or her absence.

The Secretary shall be responsible for keeping the minutes of the Commission; sending agendas to members of the Commission; carrying out written correspondence; maintaining the records of the Commission; and performing such other duties as the Commission may require.

The number of members of the Planning Commission is fixed at seven. Two members shall reside outside the city limits, but within three miles of the corporate limits of the City of Goddard. The remaining five members shall reside within the corporate city limits. Members shall be appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the City Council. Members shall serve for a term of three years, each term commencing on the expiration of the term of the member’s predecessor, with the terms running from the first City Council meeting in December. Initial terms shall commence with the appointment of two commissioners who shall serve for an initial term until successors are appointed in December, 2023; three commissioners shall serve until successors are appointed in December 2022; and two commissioners shall serve until successors are appointed in December 2021. Members may serve successive terms.

Any member may be removed at any time by resolution of the City Council, or if the member ceases to meet qualification for that position.  Any vacancy may be filled by appointment of the mayor, with approval by the City Council, with the appointment serving the remainder of the term.

The Mayor may, to the extent the Mayor deems appropriate to maintain the continuity of the planning commission, appoint existing members of the planning commission to corresponding terms created under this ordinance.

The Commission shall hold at least one regular meeting each month at a time and place to be designated by the Commission, provided there is business to transact.

Special meetings of the planning commission for obtaining public opinion on a problem or discussion of a particular problem with interested parties may be called by the Chairperson or, in the Chair's absence, by the Vice-Chairperson. Notice of special meetings shall be given by the Secretary to the members of the Commission at least three days prior to such meeting and shall state the purpose and time of the meeting.

All regular and special meetings hearings and records shall be open to the public, provisions for recessed executive sessions may be made but no formal action may be taken.

Four members, a majority of the Commission, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. If a quorum is not present at a regular or special meeting, those present may either adjourn the meeting or hold the meeting to consider such matters as are on the agenda. No action at such a meeting shall be final or official unless and until ratified and confirmed at a subsequent meeting at which a quorum is present, by approval of the minutes of that meeting at which a quorum was not present.

The order of business at all meetings shall be as follows:

a.            Call to order

b.           Pledge of Allegiance and Invocation

c.            Approval of the Agenda

d.           Citizen Comments

e.            Approval of the Minutes

f.            Board of Zoning Appeals

g.            Old Business

h.           New business

i.            Staff Reports

J.            Commissioner's Comments

k.           Adjournment

Motions shall be restated by the Chairperson before a vote is taken. The name of the maker and supporter of a motion shall be recorded.

An affirmative vote of at least three members, a majority of a required quorum of four, shall be necessary to authorize any official action of the Commission, unless otherwise specified by statute. (Some official actions, i.e., approval of a Comprehensive Plan or zoning ordinance, require the affirmative vote of a majority of all the members of the total planning commission.) Where such a vote is not possible either for or against a particular proposal, the results of such action shall be submitted to the governing body with an explanation of the failure to establish an official vote on the subject in question. All members, including the Chairperson, shall have a vote and shall vote when present except that any member shall automatically disqualify himself from voting on any decision in which there might be a conflict of interest and should state the nature of that conflict for the minutes.

These rules of procedure are intended to augment the Code of Meeting Procedures for Kansas Cities which has been adopted by the Goddard City Council. Where inconsistencies or conflict may exist between these rules and the Code of Meeting Procedures for Kansas Cities, these rules shall prevail.

Upon application by an interested party for placement upon the agenda of a Commission meeting, the Secretary of the Commission may require that all data pertaining to such subjects be presented in writing one week prior to the date of the Commission meeting.

Where the volume of the planning commission subjects may require such action, the Chairperson of the Commission may postpone discussion of certain subjects until sufficient time is available for the members to give proper review to such subjects.

Agendas shall ordinarily be provided to the members of the Commission so that they may review them at least three days prior to the Commission meeting.

Subjects which are not listed on a Commission agenda will ordinarily not be considered at a meeting, unless unusual conditions approved by the planning commission justify such action.

Before the adoption or recommendation of all or any part of the Comprehensive Plan, subdivision regulations, major street plan or the zoning ordinances, the Commission shall hold a public hearing on the matter.

The Secretary of the Commission shall cause a notice of such public hearing to be published once in the official city newspaper and at least twenty (20) days shall elapse between the  date of such publication and the date set for the hearing. Such notice shall fix the time and place for such a hearing and shall describe such proposal in general terms.

Action by the Commission on any matter on which a hearing is held shall not be taken until the hearing has been concluded.

The Commission may prepare recommendations and adopt the same by an affirmative vote of a majority of the Commission or by an affirmative vote of a majority of all its members as provided by law.

An authorized representative of the Commission shall have the right to appear before the Governing Body for the purpose of reporting recommendations of the Commission.

The Commission may establish such committees as it deems advisable and assign each committee specific duties or functions.

The Chairperson shall designate the members of each committee and shall name the Chairperson of each committee. The Commission Chairperson shall fill vacancies on committees as they are created.

The Commission shall keep a record of its resolutions, transactions, findings and determinations.

All records of the Commission shall be available for public review.

The Commission shall annually review the Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Code to determine if any portion has become obsolete and shall make a report to the Governing Body regarding the same on or before the first day of June of each year.

The Commission shall encourage the public to attend its regular meetings and shall take positive action to keep its activities before the public.

These rules of procedure may be amended by an affirmative vote by a majority of the Commission members provided such proposed amendment has been submitted in writing to each member of the Commission at least two (2) days prior to the meeting at which such action is to be taken.

(12-10-2015)

Ordinance 599 January 22, 2004 (Zoning and Regulations Adopted)

Ordinance 606 August 2, 2004 (Adding R-1A and R-1B Zoning Classifications)

Ordinance 607 August 2, 2004 (Adding PUD Zoning Classification)

Ordinance 636 August 7, 2006 (Revision to R-1, R-1A, R-1B)

Ordinance 642 October 2, 2006 (Amending the Official Zoning Map)

Ordinance 770 March 16, 2015 (Amending maximum height in I-1 and C-2)

Ordinance 783 March 21, 2016 (Revision to Article 7 Signs)

Ordinance 792 September 19, 2016 (Inclusion of new zoning code regulations)

Ordinance 803 December 18, 2017 (Revision to the P.U.D)

Ordinance 805 March 19, 2018 (Revision to Article 6 Accessory Uses shed square footage)

Ordinance 825 March 18, 2019 (R-1 & R-2 Zoning District Modification)

Ordinance 847 March 16, 2020 (Removing the Design Review Committee)

Ordinance 870 June 21, 2021 (Revision to C-2 General Business District)

Ordinance 872 August 2, 2021 (Inclusion of RUI Rural Urban Intent Zoning Classification)

Ordinance 873 August 16, 2021 (Inclusion of R-4 High Density Zoning Classification)

Ordinance 876 September 20, 2021 (Revision to Article 6 Accessory Uses, detached garage square footage)

Ordinance 883 February 7, 2022 (Planning Commission Bylaws Amendment)

Ordinance 884 March 7, 2022 (Industrial District I-1 Zoning Modification)

Ordinance 892 July 5, 2022 (Revision to Article 7 Signs)

Ordinance 893 August 1, 2022 (Revision to Article 4 R-2 zoning)

Ordinance 904 October 17, 2022 (Amending article 12.132 for benefit fee) [ONLINE APPENDIX D]

Ordinance 915 January 17, 2023 (Amending article 7.104 signs C-2 general business district)

Ordinance 923 May 15, 2023 (Additional text for admin fee article 12.133B) [ONLINE APPENDIX D]

Ordinance 979 October 21, 2024 (Lot split criteria article 12) [ONLINE APPENDIX D]

Ordinance 997 May 5, 2025 (Site Plan Review Modification article 11)

Ordinance 1004 July 21, 2025 (R-1 Changes article 4)

Ordinance 1012 August 18, 2025 (Article 5 minimum parking)

Ordinance 1014 September 15, 2025 (Remove and replace language for letters of credit)

Ordinance 1015 September 15, 2025 (Remove and replace language for cost participation for infrastructure)