All proposed amendments to this Ordinance regardless of how or by whom initiated, shall be subject to the following limitations:
A. ADMINISTRATIVE EXAMINATION: No amendment to this Ordinance shall be adopted until the amendment has been examined by the Planning Commission as hereinafter set forth. Before any amendment is granted, the Planning Commission or the Board of the City Commissioners must find that the amendment is in agreement with the adopted Comprehensive Plan for the City of Newport or, in the absence of such a finding, that one or more of the following apply and such finding shall be recorded in the minutes and records of the Planning Commission or Board of Commissioners.
1. That the original zoning classification given to the property was inappropriate or improper.
2. That there have been major changes of an economic, physical or social nature within the area involved which were not anticipated in the community's Comprehensive Plan and which have substantially altered the basic character of such area.
The Commission shall review the proposal, and shall within sixty (60) consecutive calendar days from the date of its receipt, advise the Board of City Commissioners, after a public hearing, whether it recommends approval or disapproval of the change and shall state the reasons for its recommendation.
B. UNIFORMITY OF ZONE REGULATIONS AND RESTRICTIONS: No amendment to this Ordinance shall be adopted whereby the regulations and restrictions established thereby are not uniform for each zone having the same classification and bearing the same symbol or designation on the official zoning map.
C. MINIMUM SIZE OF NEW ZONES: No amendment of this Ordinance shall be adopted whereby the zoning classification of an area is changed unless the total area being applied for meets the following requirements as to minimum size. For the purpose of computing the total size of an area to be rezoned for compliance herewith there shall be added to such area;
1. The area of public rights of way interior to the area being changed;
2. One half the area of public rights of way abutting the area being changed;
3. The area of any land which is contiguous to the area being changed and which land already bears the zoning classification sought for the area being changed.
For the purpose of this section, neither continuity nor abutment shall be destroyed by the existence of a street or alley. Subject to the foregoing limitations, every zone shall be of at least the following size:
The zoning map or maps shall not be amended, changed or modified in such manner as to create a free standing zone of less than one (1) acre except where specific area restrictions are stipulated in this Ordinance or as outlined in the adopted Comprehensive Plan for the City of Newport.