The Commission shall consist of a minimum of five members and a maximum of seven members. They shall consist of at least four members and up to six members at large and one member from the town council and shall be appointed by the town council. One member may be a member of the administrative branch of government of the town. They shall be residents of  the town qualified by knowledge and experience to make decisions on questions of community growth and development provided, however, that at least one-half of the members so appointed shall be owners of real property. The term of the member from the town council, and from the administrative branch, if there are any, shall be coextensive with the term of office to which he or she has been elected or appointed, unless the town council, at the first regular meeting each year, appoints others to serve as their representatives. Appointments of members shall be for staggered terms of four years each, unless the town council shall desire to establish different terms of office. Vacancies shall be filled by appointment for the unexpired term only. Members may be removed for malfeasance.

The expenditures of the commissions, exclusive of gifts or grants, shall be within the amounts appropriated for such purpose by the town council. The commission shall adopt rules for the transaction of business and shall keep a record of its transactions which shall be a public record. Upon request of the commission, the town council or other public officials may, from time to time, for the purpose of special surveys under the direction of the commission, assign or detail to it any members of the staffs of town administrative departments, or the town council or other public official may direct any such department employee to make for the commission special surveys or studies requested by the commission.