160A-451. Membership and appointment of commission; joint commission.

Each municipality and county in the State may create a special commission, to be known as the official appearance commission for the city or county. The commission shall consist of not less than seven nor more than 15 members, to be appointed by the governing body of the municipality or county for such terms, not to exceed four years, as the governing body may by ordinance provide. All members shall be residents of the municipality's or county's area of planning and zoning jurisdiction at the time of appointment. Where possible, appointments shall be made in such a manner as to maintain on the commission at all times a majority of members who have had special training or experience in a design field, such as architecture, landscape design, horticulture, city planning, or a closely related field. Members of the commission may be reimbursed for actual expenses incidental to the performance of their duties within the limits of any funds available to the commission, but shall serve without pay unless otherwise provided in the ordinance establishing the commission. Membership of the commission is declared to be an office that may be held concurrently with any other elective or appointive office pursuant to Article VI, Sec. 9, of the Constitution.

A county and one or more cities in the county may establish a joint appearance commission. If a joint commission is established, the county and the city or cities involved shall determine the residence requirements for members of the joint commission.