A. Applicability.
1. The City Council may consider an amendment to the Comprehensive Plan not in association with a Zoning Map Amendment, as may be required from time to time, with a recommendation from the Planning Board.
2. The City Council may also consider an amendment to the Comprehensive Plan when a Zoning Map Amendment application is in direct conflict with the Comprehensive Plan, as determined by the Planning and Development Director. City Council may also establish policy guidelines as to what amendments constitute a direct conflict and require an amendment.
B. Coordination with Zoning Map Amendment. When required, an application for a plan amendment must be submitted and reviewed concurrently with a zoning map amendment application.
C. Pre-application Consultation. In order to determine whether a plan amendment is required, a pre- application consultation is required in accordance with pre-application consultation requirements of Sec. 3-5.4 above.
D. Submittal Requirements.
1. An application for a plan amendment must be prepared in accordance with the common review
procedures of this chapter and submitted to the planning and development department.
2. Zoning Map Amendment applications must be submitted to the planning and development department at least 45 days before the meeting of the Planning Board at which the application is to be considered.
E. Planning Board Review.
1. Comprehensive Plan Amendment without Zoning Map Amendment.
a. Before making any recommendation on a plan amendment, the Planning Board must consider any recommendations from the Planning and Development Director and must conduct a public meeting.
b. Notice and public meeting requirements must be provided in accordance with Sec. 3-1.7.
c. The applicant or an agent of the applicant is encouraged to appear at the meetings to explain why the Comprehensive Plan should be changed.
d. Following the close of the public meeting, the Planning Board shall make a recommendation on the amendment to the City Council.
e. If the Planning Board fails to make a recommendation within 45 days of an item being placed on a Board meeting agenda, City Council may proceed to hear the application.
2. Comprehensive Plan Amendment with Zoning Map Amendment.
a. Before reviewing a plan amendment that is accompanied by a zoning map amendment, the Planning Board must consider any recommendations from the Planning and Development Director and comment on the proposed amendment.
b. The accompanying zoning map amendment with the Planning Board's comments on the proposed plan amendment shall be forwarded to City Council for their consideration and final decision.
F. Criteria for Planning Board Recommendations. The recommendations of the Planning Board to the City Council must show that the Planning Board has studied and considered the proposed change in relation to the following, where applicable:
1. Whether the proposed change would be consistent with the intent, goals, objectives, policies, guiding principles and programs of any adopted plans;
2. Whether the proposed change would be compatible with the existing land use pattern and designated future land uses; and
3. Whether the proposed change would meet the Comprehensive Plan amendment criteria.
G. City Council Final Action. The City Council must hold a public hearing on all applicable Comprehensive Plan amendments and take appropriate action following the hearing.
(Ord. No. O-21-06-15-5, §1, 6-15-21)