A.
Whenever the public necessity, convenience, general welfare or good
zoning practice requires, the Mayor and Council may, by ordinance,
after recommendation by the Planning and Zoning Commission and subject
to the procedure set forth in this article, amend, supplement or change
the regulations, district boundaries or classifications of property
now or hereafter established by this chapter or amendments thereof.
Such amendment, supplement or change may be initiated by resolution
of the Mayor and Council, by motion of the Planning and Zoning Commission
or by petition of any property owner or contract purchaser addressed
to the Mayor and Council.
B.
The Mayor and Council hereby express their recognition of the fact
that sections of the community are changing from a rural to a residential,
commercial, industrial or other character, and, although an attempt
has been made in the Land Use Plan to anticipate and direct such growth
along desirable lines, it is inevitable that no such plan can be perfect
or everlastingly valid. They anticipate, therefore, that the Land
Use Plan will need amending from time to time as contemplated and
authorized by § 4.05 of Article 66B of the Annotated Code
of Maryland, and that the Zoning Map must also be amended from time
to time in order that it may continue to be in conformity with such
Comprehensive Plan, as required by §§ 3.05 through
3.09 of said Article 66B.
[Amended 6-2-1997 by Ord.
No. 349]
[Amended 6-2-1997 by Ord.
No. 349]
A.
Any proposed amendment, supplement or change originating with or
received by the Mayor and Council shall first be referred to the Planning
and Zoning Commission for investigation and recommendation. The Planning
and Zoning Commission shall cause such investigation to be made as
it deems necessary and for this purpose may require the submission
of pertinent data and information by any person concerned, may hold
such public hearings as are provided by its own rules and shall submit
its report and recommendation within 60 days, unless an extension
of time is granted.
B.
After receiving the recommendation of the Planning and Zoning Commission
on any proposed amendment, supplement or change and before adopting
such amendment, the Mayor and Council shall hold a public hearing
in relation thereto, at which parties in interest and citizens shall
have an opportunity to be heard. Notice of the time and place of such
hearing and a summary of the proposed change shall be published in
a newspaper of general circulation in the community once each week
for two successive weeks, with the first such publication of notice
appearing at least 14 days prior to the hearing. If the purpose of
the proposed ordinance is to change the classification or boundary
of any specific individual property, the property so affected shall
be posted with a notice of the hearing. The property owner will be
notified of the proposed change by mail by the City Clerk. The change
shall not become effective until 10 days after the public hearing.
C.
No substantial change in or departure from the proposed amendment
as recommended by the Planning and Zoning Commission shall be made
unless the same shall be resubmitted to said Commission for its further
recommendation.
D.
A nonrefundable filing fee shall be charged for processing an application
for a change in zoning, as may be determined by the Mayor and Council.
E.
Every application for a change in zoning district boundaries shall
be accompanied by a plat, drawn to such scale as the Zoning Inspector
shall require, showing the existing and proposed boundaries and such
other information as he or she may need to enable him or her to properly
locate and plot the amendment on the Official Zoning Map. It shall
be the duty of the Zoning Inspector to change the Official Zoning
Map promptly upon the adoption of any amendment so that there will
always be an up-to-date public record of the zoning districts.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: The Zoning Map is on file in the office of
the Zoning Inspector.
