How the council and director propose changes to the zoning law

(a) Any amendment initiated by the director shall be reviewed by the commission. (1) The amendment shall be submitted to the commission with the director’s justification and recommendation on the amendment. (2) Upon receipt of a proposed amendment from the director, the commission shall hold at least one public hearing. Notice of the hearing by the publication shall be provided by the commission in accordance with section 25-2-5, except that when a proposed amendment involves a specific parcel of land, notice shall be provided by the commission in accordance with subsections (c) and (d). (3) Within sixty days after receipt of the amendment from the director, the commission shall transmit the proposed amendment together with its recommendations thereon through the mayor to the council. The commission shall recommend approval in whole or in part, with or without modifications, or rejection of such amendment. In the event that the commission fails to act on the amendment within the sixty-day period, such inaction shall be considered as unfavorable recommendation by the commission, and the amendment shall then be submitted through the mayor to the council with such recommendation. (b) The council shall refer any proposed council-initiated amendment to this chapter to the director and the commission with requests for their respective comments and recommendations thereon, prior to the first reading of any such amendment. The director and the commission shall each submit comments and recommendations on the proposed amendment to the council within one hundred twenty days from the date that the amendment is transmitted by the council to the director and the commission. (1) The director shall submit comments and any recommendations to both the commission and the council within the one-hundred-twenty-day review period. 25-27 SUPP. 17 (1-2025) (2) The commission shall hold at least one public hearing on the proposed amendment. Notice of the hearing by publication shall be provided by the commission in accordance with section 25-2-5, except that when a proposed amendment involves a specific parcel of land, notice shall be provided by the commission in accordance with subsections (c) and (d). (3) The commission shall transmit the amendment together with its recommendations thereon through the mayor to the council. The commission shall recommend approval in whole or in part, with or without modifications, or rejection of such amendment. In the event that the commission fails to act on the amendment within the one-hundred-twenty-day review period, such inaction shall be considered as an unfavorable recommendation by the commission. (4) After the one-hundred-twenty-day review period has expired, the council may proceed to act on the proposed amendment as it deems appropriate. (c) Notice by mail to surrounding owners and lessees of record of properties within the boundaries established by section 25-2-4, shall not be required for any amendment initiated by the council or the director. In lieu of mailing written notice to surrounding property owners and lessees of record, the director shall publish notice of the commission’s public hearing in at least two newspapers of general circulation in the County, once a week for three consecutive weeks, with the last notice to be at least ten days prior to the hearing. The notice shall specify the time, date and place of the hearing, its purpose and a description of any property which may be involved. (d) Notice to owners of any properties specifically subject to the proposed amendment shall be provided by mail from the director, no later than thirty days prior to the commission’s public hearing on the amendment. (1996, ord 96-160, sec 2; ratified April 6, 1999.)25-2-43