(a) When deemed necessary, Council may appoint a Board of Zoning Appeals. The Planning Commission shall act as the Board of Zoning Appeals in accordance with this chapter and all references to the Board of Zoning Appeals shall be taken to mean the Planning Commission until Council appoints the Board of Zoning Appeals. Council is empowered to enact amendments to the Zoning Ordinance following recommendation of the Planning Commission and following the holding of a public hearing with public notice in a newspaper of general circulation in the Municipality thirty days prior to the hearing date. Amendment may be initiated by a resolution of intention by the Planning Commission, or Council, or by a verified application of one or more of the owners or authorized representatives of the owners of property within the areas proposed to be changed.
(b) Council shall favorably consider an application for a zoning text amendment or a change of zoning district on the Official Zoning District Map, only if the request for a change of zoning can be justified on one of the following grounds.
(1) Manifest error in the Zoning Ordinance.
(2) Accordance with, or more appropriate conformance to, the Comprehensive Plan and its relative priorities.
(3) Substantial change in area conditions.
(4) Legitimate requirement for additional land area for the particular zoning district.
(c) In the case of a change to the Official Zoning District Map, Council shall not consider favorably any petition which would result in a total contiguous area, separated only by streets and excluding the area of streets of less than the acreage minimums specified as the minimum size requirement for zoning district in Section 1141.05.
(d) Council shall keep up to date the Official Zoning District Map and shall keep on permanent display in the City Hall a current copy of such map.
(Ord. 314. Passed 5-30-73.)