Missouri Revised Statutes § 64.727 - County planning and zoning — election of members of county planning commission — reimbursement of expenses — terms of members — petition for election of members — effective date

64.727. County planning and zoning — election of members of county planning commission — reimbursement of expenses — terms of members — petition for election of members — effective date. — 1. Nothing in section 64.725 shall be construed to affect the county planning and zoning of any county that adopted county planning and zoning before April 12, 1996, or that chooses to adopt county planning and zoning pursuant to sections 64.510 to 64.695 or sections 64.800 to 64.905 after April 12, 1996. 2. Any county commission of a second, third or fourth classification that has adopted county planning and zoning pursuant to sections 64.510 to 64.695 or sections 64.800 to 64.905 before April 12, 1996, may hold an election for the membership of the county planning commission. At a regularly scheduled countywide election, the voters in each township of the unincorporated area of the county shall elect one member from each township to be a member of the county planning commission. Following this election, the elected members shall immediately replace the commissioners previously appointed by the county commission to the county planning commission. The terms of the elected members of the county planning commission shall be four years or until the member's successor takes office; except that, the terms shall be overlapping and one-half of the members first elected, or if an uneven number one-half plus one, shall be elected for two-year terms and the remaining members shall be elected for four-year terms. The county highway engineer shall be an ex officio member of the county planning commission. The term of the county highway engineer shall be only for the duration of the engineer's tenure of official position. All members of the county planning commission shall serve as such without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties. The planning commission shall elect a chair at the first meeting of the year to serve for such year until a new chair is elected. The elected planning commission shall be governed by the appropriate provisions of either sections 64.510 to 64.695 or sections 64.800 to 64.905 according to the provisions whereby the county adopted county planning and zoning. 3. If a county commission does not call for an election as provided in subsection 2 of this section, the voters of the county may submit a petition, signed by five percent of the number of voters in the county voting at the last gubernatorial election, calling for an election to elect members to a county planning commission. Upon receipt of such a petition, the county commission shall make an order to provide for the election of a county planning commission, pursuant to subsection 2 of this section, at the next countywide election. (L. 1996 H.B. 1259) Effective 4-12-96