A. Initiation:
1. The city council may, on its own motion or on petition, designate by ordinance areas of the city as design review districts. Any proposed design review district initiated by the city council shall first be submitted to the planning and zoning commission for its recommendation and report.
2. The planning and zoning commission may, on its own motion or on petition, recommend to the city council areas of the city for designation as a design review district.
B. District Report: Once the proposal for a design review district is initiated by the city council or the planning and zoning commission, the commission will direct city staff to prepare a district report. The district report will include background information and recommendations regarding the proposed district, including the following:
1. A map defining the boundaries of the proposed district; and
2. A study of the characteristics of the proposed district, including zoning and existing land use, elements of the streetscape, property ownership patterns, and the architectural characteristics, physical condition, and age of buildings in the proposed district; and
3. A list of any proposed design guidelines for the district.
C. Approval Procedure: The process of designating an area as a design review district is considered a design review overlay rezoning and must therefore follow the procedures for a zoning map amendment (rezoning) as specified in section 14-8D-5 of this article. (Ord. 05-4186, 12-15-2005)