(a) Any proposed amendment, supplement, change or repeal of a zoning ordinance originating upon resolution of Council; or by petition of the owners of 50% or more of the real property in the area subject to the proposed amendment, shall be referred to the Planning Commission for consideration and report before any action is taken by Council.
(b) (1) Within 60 days of referral from City Council of a proposal or petition to amend a zoning ordinance, then the Planning Commission must hold a public hearing after giving public notice.
(2) The public notice of the date, time and place of the public hearing must be published in a local newspaper of general circulation in the area affected by the proposed zoning ordinance, as a Class I legal advertisement, at least 15 days prior to the public hearing and shall identify the nature of the matters to be considered.
(c) Within ten days of the conclusion of the public hearing provided for in subsection (b) above, the Planning Commission shall submit to City Council its findings in writing specifically addressing whether the proposed amendment is consistent with the comprehensive plan and to the extent the proposed amendment is inconsistent with the comprehensive plan, then determine whether there have been major changes of an economic, physical or social nature within the area involved which were not anticipated when the comprehensive plan was adopted and those changes have substantially altered the basic characteristics of the area thereby justifying the proposed amendment.
(Ord. passed 8-18-2020)