§ 1-7. Conduct of public hearings.

The Commission and the Mayor and Council shall each conduct a separate public hearing on any proposed zoning decision other than as provided in Sections 1-4 and 1-4A of this Ordinance. Although the planning commission will convene a public hearing on each proposal, the official public hearing will be held by the city council. The public hearings shall be conducted on the date and at the time and place specified by the Commission and the Mayor and Council. The purpose of such public hearings is to enable the proponent of the zoning decision to present the proposal before the general public and to receive comments on the proposed zoning decision from interested persons and the general public. The Commission and the Mayor and Council shall consider germane comments presented by the proponent of the zoning decision and by interested persons and the general public at such public hearing prior to the Commission making its advisory recommendation to the mayor and council, and the Mayor and Council shall consider the same and the recommendation of the Commission prior to making a final zoning decision. Zoning standards and factors as enumerated in Section 1-8 or Section 1-9 of this Ordinance, as applicable, shall be applied by the Commission and the Mayor and Council in making its advisory recommendation to the mayor and council and the final zoning decision, respectively. The Commission and the Mayor and Council shall prescribe rules of order for its conduct of public hearings pursuant to this section and shall be consistent with the general requirements and purposes set forth in this Ordinance and the general laws of the State of Georgia concerning the conduct of proceedings by municipal authorities. The following procedures (Section 1-7.1 through Section 1-7.9) shall govern the conduct of hearings and other proceedings before the Commission and the Mayor and Council, and the reference to the Chairman of the Commission shall also be applicable to the mayor or his designee in conducting the public hearing before the Mayor and Council.

(Ord. No. 2014-0324, § 1, 3-24-14)