(A) Notice of public hearing.
(1) Amendments to this Implementation and Enforcement Plan shall be in accordance with the notice and public hearing requirements set forth in the Coastal Area Management Act, being G.S. §§ 113A-100 et seq. and the Coastal Resources Commission’s “Criteria for Local Implementation and Enforcement Plans” pertaining to the adoption of the original plan.
(2) In addition the following shall be required:
(a) Prior to this plan being amended, a public hearing shall be held by the Town Council concerning the proposed amendment. It shall be open to comment from any interested persons, agencies or groups;
(b) Notice of the public hearing shall go out at least 15 days prior to the date of the hearing; shall state the time, place and subject matter of the hearing and shall indicate the nature of the proposed action; shall state that copies of the proposed amendment are available for public inspection at the town office; and shall appear at least once no less than 15 days prior to the hearing in at least 1 newspaper of general circulation in the affected area; and
(c) A complete record of the public hearing and comments shall be compiled and maintained. The record of the public hearing, written comment and any documentation filed with the Local Permit Officer as to the proposed amendment must:
1. Consist of a written account from the minutes or transcribed from an electronic recording, and all written documents;
2. Remain open for 15 days after the hearing; and
3. Be available to the Commission upon request.
(B) Procedure to amend. Requests for amendment of this plan shall be referred to the Planning Board. If the amendment is recommended by the majority of the Board, that recommendation shall then be conveyed to the Town Council for final approval.
(C) Request to waive formal amendment requirements. Whenever a proposed amendment is deemed by the Planning Board and Town Council to be of little interest to the public, a petition may be sent to the Coastal Resources Commission for a waiver of the formal hearing and notice requirements. A like petition shall include the proposed amendment and state why the Planning Board and Town Council concluded that the rights or convenience of the public is not substantially affected by it.
(D) Commission approval.
(1) Upon local acceptance of any amendment requiring notice and hearing, the amendment shall be submitted to the Commission for approval.
(2) Upon Coastal Resources Commission’s approval, the amendment shall be adopted as part of the ordinance(s) implementing this plan.
(Ord. 06-03, passed 5-3-2006)