City of Nichols Hills - Commissions & Committees

The city planning commission shall consist of six members who shall be residents of the city. There shall be two members from each ward. Such members shall be recommended for appointment by the council member who represents the ward and appointed by the mayor, with the approval of the city council. All members of the commission shall serve without compensation, and the members shall hold no other municipal office, except that one member may be a member of the board of adjustment. The term of office of each member shall be three years or until a successor takes office; provided, however, present members of the existing planning commission shall continue to serve until their terms have expired. Members may be removed by the city council for inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office, upon written charges and after public hearing. Vacancies occurring otherwise than through the expiration of the term of office shall be filled for the unexpired portion of the term.

Organization, rules.

Chair. The planning commission shall elect a chairperson and fill such other of its offices as it may determine. The term of chairman shall be one year, with eligibility for reelection.
Meetings. The planning commission shall schedule a regular monthly meeting which may be canceled if there is no business to be brought before it. The commission shall adopt rules for the transaction of business and shall keep a record of its resolutions, transactions, findings, and recommendations. This record shall be a public record. Four members of the commission shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business; provided however, that no action shall be taken unless concurred in by not less than a majority of all members comprising the commission.

Staff, financing.

The planning commission may recommend such employees as it may deem necessary for its work, whose appointment, promotion, demotion, and removal shall be at the pleasure of the city manager. The commission may also recommend to the city council the employment of city planners, engineers, architects, and consultants for such other services as it may require. The city council may provide funds for the salaries of employees and the expenses of the commission as for other functions of city government.

Miscellaneous powers and duties.

The planning commission shall exercise all authority heretofore or hereafter granted by city ordinances, and in addition, shall have the power to promote public interest in the orderly and esthetic development of the city and to that end may publish and distribute copies of any plan or proposal of any report, and may employ such other means of publicity and education as it may determine. It shall, from time to time, recommend to the appropriate public officials programs for public structures and improvements, and for the financing thereof. It shall consult and advise with public officials and agencies, public utility companies, civic educational, professional, and other organizations, and with the citizens with relation to the carrying out of the orderly and esthetic development of the city. The commission shall have the right to accept and use gifts to the city for the exercise of its functions. All public officials shall, upon request, furnish the commission within a reasonable time, such available information as it may require for its work. The commission, its members, officers and employees in the performance of their functions, may enter upon any land and make examinations and surveys and place and maintain the necessary monuments and markers thereon. In general, the commission shall have such powers as may be necessary to enable it to fulfill its functions, promote municipal planning and carry out the purposes of this chapter and all ordinances granting powers to the planning commission.

Power to revise comprehensive plan; oil and gas wells disallowed.

The city planning commission may and shall from time to time reconsider and revise the comprehensive plan for the future growth, development, conservation, and redevelopment and for the districting and redistricting of the city, but in no event shall the city ever be divided into uses or districts which will allow heavy manufacturing, or for the drilling of wells for oil or gas, or for the operation of any oil or gas well within the limits of the city; and the drilling or operation of any oil and/or gas well or wells within the city is expressly prohibited; provided, further, that the city council shall not extend, open, widen, vacate, or close any streets, alleys, lanes, or boulevards without the recommendation of the city planning commission, except that the city council may make extensions and additions to the present streets, alleys, boulevards, lanes, and parkways.

Nichols Hills Planning Commission Rules of Decorum

Whereas, it is declared to be the policy of the Planning Commission to encourage citizen participation during Planning Commission meetings in an environment of mutual respect and civility which allows the thoughtful consideration of varied points of view by the members of the Planning Commission; and in pursuit thereof, the Planning Commission hereby adopts the following Rules of Decorum.

A. Right to be Heard. A person shall be provided a reasonable opportunity to address the Planning Commission on any agenda item or any public matter in which the City of Nichols Hills has jurisdiction or authority. This opportunity shall occur only during the part of the agenda entitled "Public Hearing." All persons in attendance shall respect the right of any person to address the Planning Commission by maintaining decorum at all times. All persons desiring to speak must be at the podium, unless physical or other limitations prevent the person from speaking from the podium. Remarks and presentation shall be to the Planning Commission and not to others in attendance. Cross-talk between persons making presentations shall not be permitted.

B. Time Limits. The Chairman, with the approval of a majority of the Commissioners present, may impose a time limit during which each person may speak, giving equal time to all.

C. Speakers on Behalf of an Applicant or Each Group. When one or more groups of persons wish to address the Planning Commission on the same subject matter, it shall be proper for the Chairman to suggest that a spokesperson be chosen by each group to address the Planning Commission and to limit the number of persons addressing the Planning Commission on the same matter so as to avoid unnecessary repetition. The applicant and a spokesperson for ten (10) or more persons in a group may be given up to twenty (20) minutes to speak on behalf of each group.

D. Behavior. Any person making disruptive, threatening, or obscene remarks or who shows approval by applause or other audible means, or who becomes boisterous or who makes threats against any person or against public order and security shall be forthwith removed from further attendance at the meeting as provided by these Rules of Decorum, unless permission to remain in attendance is granted by the majority vote of the Planning Commission present.

E. Enforcement of Decorum. The Chairman may request that the City Manager or his/her designee direct that an officer(s) of the Nichols Hills Police Department serve as ex officio Sergeant at Arms of the Planning Commission, who shall carry out all orders and instructions given by the City Manager or his/her designee for the purpose of maintaining order and decorum and compliance with these Rules of Decorum, to include ejectment of persons from the room.

Meetings	Length of Term
First Tuesday of Every month	3 years

Members
Name	Email Address	Title	Term Begin	Term End
Michael Biddinger		Member - Ward 1	05/09/2017	06/13/2023
Ron Byrne		Member - Ward 3	05/09/2017	06/13/2023
Tim Cheek		Member - Ward 2	05/10/2018	06/10/2024
Doug Franklin		Member - Ward 3	09/08/2020	06/10/2024
Barbara Gilbert		Member - Ward 2	05/09/2017	06/13/2023
John McCaleb		Member - Ward 1	05/10/2018	06/10/2024

View All Minutes...