Sec. 231.017. ZONING COMMISSION. (a) To exercise the powers authorized by this subchapter, the commissioners court shall appoint a zoning commission. The commission shall recommend boundaries for the original zoning districts and appropriate zoning regulations for each district. The commission must consist of seven members, each of whom must be a resident of the county. If the county has a board of park commissioners, the commissioners court may appoint the board to serve as the zoning commission.

(b) The commission shall choose a chairman who must be a commission member. The chairman serves in that capacity for a term set by the commission. The commission may at any time choose for a particular meeting or occasion an acting chairman as necessary from among its members. The commission may employ a secretary and acting secretary and other technical or clerical personnel.

(c) A member of the commission is not entitled to compensation for service on the commission but may be entitled to expenses actually incurred while serving on the commission as provided by order of the commissioners court.

(d) The zoning commission shall make a preliminary report and hold public hearings on that report before submitting a final report to the commissioners court. The commissioners court may not hold a public hearing or take action until it receives the final report of the zoning commission.

(e) Before the 10th day before the hearing date, written notice of each public hearing before the zoning commission on a proposed change in a zoning classification shall be sent to:

(1) each owner of affected property or to the person who renders the property for county taxes; and

(2) each owner of property that is located within 200 feet of property affected by the change or to the person who renders the property for county taxes.

(f) The notice may be served by depositing it, postage paid and properly addressed, in the United States mail.

Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 149, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1987.