1. For the purpose of sections 251.010 to 251.440, the following terms mean:

(1) “Director”, the director of the department of economic development;

(2) “Governing body”, the board, body or persons in which the powers of a local unit are vested;

(3) “Local governmental units” or “local units” includes cities, villages, towns and counties;

(4) “Population”, the population of a local unit as shown by the last federal census or by any subsequent population estimate certified as acceptable by the director;

(5) “State office”, the department of economic development;

(6) “Transportation planning boundary”, the portion of the boundary of a metropolitan planning organization which is located in Missouri, as established pursuant to 23 U.S.C., section 134, which defines the area in which a metropolitan planning organization has responsibility for transportation planning.

2. A regional planning commission may be created by the governor upon petition in the form of a resolution by the governing body of a local governmental unit and the holding of a public hearing on such petition. If the petition shall be joined in by the governing bodies of all the local units in the proposed region, including the county commission of any county, part or all of which is in the proposed region, the governor may dispense with the hearing. Notice of any public hearing shall be given by the governor by mail at least ten days in advance to the clerk of each local unit in the proposed region. If the governor finds that there is a need for a regional planning commission, and if the governing bodies of local units within the proposed region which include over fifty percent of the population as determined by the last decennial census of the United States shall consent to the formation of such regional planning commission, the governor may create the regional planning commission by order and designate the area and boundaries of the commission’s jurisdiction, taking into account the elements of homogeneity based upon, but not limited to, such consideration as topographic and geographic conformations, extent of urban development, the existence of special or acute agricultural, forestry, conservation or other rural problems, uniformity of social or economic interests and values, park and recreational needs, civil defense, or the existence of physical, social and economic problems of a regional character.

3. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 64.530, the creation of a regional planning commission and a local unit’s participation in and adoption of plans prepared by the regional planning commission shall not require a referendum; except that, this provision shall not extend to the adoption of county zoning laws or regulations under sections 64.620 to 64.690.

4. No provision of sections 251.010 to 251.440 shall be construed to impair or affect in any way the legal existence, powers, or functions of any planning commission or other organization, public or private, in such areas which heretofore has been constituted or designated by resolutions approved by the governing bodies of the local units containing the majority of the population of such area for the purpose of conducting comprehensive planning, including transportation planning under or in conformity with the requirements of any statute of the United States or any regulation issued thereunder; and any such previously constituted planning commission or organization shall be governed in all respects by the resolutions of the governing bodies of the local units which constitute such planning commissions or organizations, by the provisions of this section, or by other applicable law.

5. A regional planning commission within a metropolitan statistical area of more than five hundred thousand in population, which area does not contain a city not within a county, and which commission is acting as a metropolitan planning organization pursuant to state and federal law, may only change its transportation planning boundary with the concurrence of the governor.