A. Applicability and Description
A change in the text of this Chapter requires approval of a Zoning Text Amendment.
B. Application Requirements
1. Any individual or government agency may request the District Council or an individual District Council member to sponsor a Zoning Text Amendment.
2. Only the District Council may introduce a Zoning Text Amendment.
3. The District Council must send the Zoning Text Amendment to the Planning Director, the County Executive, the Board of Appeals, and the Hearing Examiner and notify them of the District Council's public hearing date.
4. Public notice is required under Division 7.5.
C. Review and Recommendation
1. Planning Director Review
The Planning Director must publish a report and recommendation a minimum of 7 days before the Planning Board public meeting. The report and recommendation must be made available to the public.
2. Planning Board Review
a. The Planning Board may consider the Planning Director’s report and recommendation as a consent item on its agenda or hold a public meeting to consider the recommendation.
b. The Planning Board must submit a recommendation on the application to the District Council before the District Council Hearing. The recommendation must also be made available to the public.
3. Other Agency Review
The County Executive, the Board of Appeals, or the Hearing Examiner may submit and make publicly available any recommendation on a Zoning Text Amendment to the District Council.
D. Decision
1. The District Council must hold a public hearing within 60 days after introduction, unless the District Council extends the hearing date. A quorum of the District Council is not required to conduct a public hearing on a Zoning Text Amendment.
2. A minimum of 6 members of the District Council must vote in the affirmative to adopt a Zoning Text Amendment.
3. Any District Council member who was not present at the hearing must review the record and sign a statement that he or she reviewed the record before voting on the amendment.
4. A Zoning Text Amendment takes effect 20 days after the District Council adopts it, unless the resolution adopting it specifies a different date.
5. If the District Council does not act on a Zoning Text Amendment within the earlier of 2 years of the date of its public hearing or expiration of the term of office of the District Council that conducted the public hearing, it may not do so unless the Zoning Text Amendment is again introduced and set for public hearing.
(Legislative History: Ord. No. 20-01, § 6.)