§ 2-234. Powers and duties.

(a)

It shall be the duty of the planning board to prepare plans and to coordinate the plans of the town and those of others so as to bring about a coordinated and harmonious development of the area. The planning board is hereby designated as the planning agency for the preparation of a zoning plan for the town under the authority of G.S. 160A-387. In addition, the planning board is empowered to:

(1)

Acquire and maintain in current form such basic information and materials as are necessary to an understanding of past trends, present conditions and forces at work to cause changes in these conditions.

(2)

Prepare and, from time to time, amend and revise a comprehensive and coordinated plan for the physical development of the area. The comprehensive plan shall be the planning board's recommendations to the board of commissioners for the development of the town including, among other things, the general location, character and extent of streets, bridges, parkways, playgrounds, parks and other public ways, grounds and open spaces; the general location and extent of public utilities and terminals, whether publicly or privately owned or operated, for water, light, sanitation, transportation, communication, power and other purposes; the removal, relocation, widening, narrowing, vacating, abandonment, change of use or extension of any of the foregoing ways, buildings, grounds, open spaces, property, utilities or terminals; and the most desirable pattern of land use within the area.

(3)

Establish principles and policies for guiding action in the development of the area. The planning board may prepare a capital improvements program and report its recommendations to the board of commissioners upon the extent, location and design of all public structures and facilities, on the acquisition and disposal of public properties and on the establishment of building lines, mapped street lines and proposals to change existing street lines in order to ensure that the goals of the comprehensive plan are furthered by a coordinated and efficient expenditure of public funds.

(4)

Prepare and recommend ordinances promoting orderly development of the area along the lines indicated in the comprehensive plan including a zoning ordinance and subdivision regulations. The planning board may initiate, from time to time, proposals for amendment of the zoning ordinance and of subdivision regulations based upon its studies and comprehensive plan. In addition, it shall review and make recommendations to the board of commissioners concerning all proposed amendments to the zoning ordinance and subdivision regulations.

(5)

Determine whether specific proposed developments referred to it by governmental or private agencies in the area conform to the principles and requirements of the comprehensive plan for the area and to make recommendations concerning them.

(6)

Keep the board of commissioners and the general public informed and advised as to these matters.

(7)

Make any other recommendations which it sees fit for improving the development of the area.

(8)

Perform any other duties which may lawfully be assigned to it.

(b)

In carrying out such powers and duties, the planning board is authorized to receive contributions from private agencies and organizations or from individuals, in addition to any sums which may be appropriated for its use by the board of commissioners. It may accept and disburse such contributions for special purposes or projects, subject to any specified conditions which it deems acceptable, whether or not such projects are included in the approved budget.

(c)

The planning board is authorized to appoint such committees and employees and to authorize such expenditures as it may see fit, subject to limitation of funds provided for the planning board by the board of commissioners in the town's annual budget.

(d)

The planning board may set up special committees to assist it in the study of specific questions and problems.

(e)

The planning board may perform any of the actions authorized for municipal planning boards by G.S. 160A-370.

(Code 1990, § 2-149)