Planning Board and Board of Adjustment

One of the primary citizen boards that is critical to a local planning program is the planning board. Most North Carolina cities and counties have established a planning board made up of lay members appointed by the governing board. Many of the planning board’s duties and responsibilities are advisory. The planning board is generally given the responsibility for supervising the development of the comprehensive plan. It may arrange for and supervise the preparation of special studies, land use plans and policies, and drafts of ordinances. It may adopt plans and policies, advise the governing board on them, and recommend ordinances and methods of carrying out plans. In addition, the planning board generally has specific duties in connection with the zoning ordinance.

As described above, the planning board must provide a written recommendation to the governing board concerning whether a proposed zoning amendment is consistent with the comprehensive plan or any other officially adopted plan and any other matters deemed appropriate by the planning board. City and county planning boards must be granted a thirty-day opportunity in which to make a recommendation concerning any proposed amendment before the governing board may adopt the proposal.

In addition to having advisory responsibilities, a planning board may be delegated the authority to review certain development proposals. The planning board’s potential versatility is indicated by the fact that it can take on the duties of certain other agencies if the governing board so desires. For example, the governing board may assign to a planning board any or all of the duties of the zoning board of adjustment The Cooleemee Planning Board is also the Board of Adjustments. (e.g., approval of zoning variances, issuance of conditional use permits, and hearing of appeals from decisions of the zoning official) [G.S. 160A-388(a); G.S.

Members of the Cooleemee Planning Board Are:

Daphne Beck ~ Chair
Karen Trexler ~ Vice Chair
Chris Fleming ~ Secretary
Wanda Whitley
Doug Arledge
Kaci Corriher ~ Alternate

Planning Board meets as necessary. Meetings are posted a week in advance on the Cooleemee bulletin board at the Shopping Center.