Boards and Commissions

BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT
The Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA) consists of five (5) citizens appointed by the Mayor and approved by the Board of Aldermen. The Board of Zoning Adjustment Application is available on-line as an Adobe Acrobat in the Document Center or at the Planning and Economic Development Department at City Hall.

Duties:

Hear and decide appeals where it is alleged there is an error in any order, requirement, decision or determination made by the Director of Planning and Economic Development or his designees in the enforcement of these regulations or of any ordinance adopted pursuant thereto.
Hear and decide upon applications for use and area variances in accordance with the provisions of this Ordinance.
Undertake such other responsibilities as may be required by this Ordinance or by the Board of Aldermen.
In exercising the above mentioned powers, such Board may, in accordance with the provisions of this Ordinance, reverse or affirm wholly or partly, or may modify the order, requirement, decision or determination appealed from and may make such order, requirement, decision or determination as ought to be made and to that end shall have all the powers of the officer from whom the appeal is taken.
Meeting Schedule: Because of the duties of the Board of Zoning Adjustment, meetings are not on a predetermined schedule, but are held when an application is received and public notice has been given.

Members: The current membership roster can be found in this page's supporting documents section.

Staff Liaison: Director of Community Development, (816) 741-3993

PARKS BOARD
The Parks Board consists of seven (7) citizen members appointed by the Mayor with the consent of the Board of Aldermen. The Parks Board is an advisory body that makes recommendations to the Board of Aldermen for matters related to construction, reconstruction and improvement of the public parks and recreation facilities.

Duties: The board recommends recreational and park programs, as well as the planning and initiation of future park developments.

Meeting Schedule: The Parks Board's regular meetings are held the first Wednesday of each month at 6:00 p.m. at Riverside City Hall.

Members: The current membership roster can be found in this page's supporting documents section.

Staff Liaisons: Director of Community Relations and Director of Public Works, (816) 741-3993

PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION
The Commission consists of at least seven (7), but no more than fifteen (15) citizens appointed by the Mayor and approved by the Board of Aldermen.

Duties: The Planning Commission is the body that reviews development proposals for compliance with the Municipal Code. They make recommendations to the Governing Body in the following areas:

Long-range plans and maps for the City and plans for public improvements within the City, including planning studies and general development and planning policies
Plats and development plans proposed for property within the City
Zoning and rezoning of property within the City
Grading Permits, Special Use Permits, Change of Use Permits
Ordinance Proposals and Amendments regarding Land Use

Meeting Schedule: Regular meetings are held the second and fourth Thursdays at 7:00 p.m. in the Board of Aldermen Chambers at City Hall in accordance with a schedule that is approved at the beginning of each year.

Members: The current membership roster can be found in this page's supporting documents section.

Staff Liaison: Director of Community Development, (816) 741-3993

TAX INCREMENT FINANCING (TIF) COMMISSION
Tax increment financing (TIF) is a redevelopment tool used by local governments to underwrite redevelopment project costs that would otherwise make a redevelopment project economically unfeasible. TIF is premised on the theory that by agreeing to underwrite certain redevelopment project costs, local government can attract new private development in a redevelopment area, which will in turn generate the new tax revenues used to retire notes or bonds issued to pay for the redevelopment project costs.

Duties: The Commission is charged with the review and recommendation of Tax Increment Financing proposals and plans.

Meeting Schedule: The TIF Commission meets only when an application has been submitted to the City and public notification requirements have been met in accordance with State Statute.

Members: The Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Commission is comprised of eleven (11) members. Six (6) of these eleven (11) members are citizens of Riverside and are appointed by the Mayor after approval from the Board of Aldermen. The remaining five (5) members are representatives of the other "taxing jurisdictions". The current membership roster can be found in this page's supporting documents section.

Staff Liaison: Director of Community Development, (816) 741-3993

TOURISM COMMISSION
The Tourism Commission is responsible for administering the funds received from the City's tourism sales tax.

Meeting Schedule: The Tourism Commission's regular meetings are held the second Wednesday of each month at 6:00 p.m. at Riverside City Hall.

Members: Tourism Commission members are appointed by the Mayor and must consist of: One representative of the hotel/motel industry, two members active in the tourism industry, and two members of local general business interest in the City. The current membership roster can be found in this page's supporting documents section.

Staff Liaison: Director of Community Relations, (816) 741-3993