§ 8.1. [Procedure.]

No amendment, supplement or change of the zoning ordinance or district map shall become effective unless and until:

8.101. There shall have been a public hearing in relation thereto before the city zoning commission at which parties in interest and citizens shall have had an opportunity to be fully heard.

8.102. Any party of interest may file a petition containing a request for rezoning. All such rezoning requests must be submitted in writing, accompanied by [a] $50.00 fee to the city clerk, on or before five days prior to the first Monday of each month. One-half of the fee shall be returnable, provided no action is taken by the city zoning commission or the mayor and board of aldermen.

8.103. Notice of the proposed change and of the time and place of the hearing shall have been published once a week for three different weeks in the official journal of the City of Rayne, Louisiana. At least 15 days shall elapse between the first publication and the date of the hearing.

8.104. A printed notice in bold type shall have been posted for not less than ten consecutive days prior to the hearing on signs not less than one by one-half square feet in area, prepared, furnished and placed by the building inspector [official] on each block of each street adjoining the area proposed for a change in zoning classification. Said signs shall contain an accurate statement of the proposed changes and also the time and place of the public hearing as provided above. The city zoning commission shall have submitted its report and recommendations upon the proposed changes and amendments to the clerk of the city council [board of aldermen]. Any amendment that has failed to receive the approval of the planning commission shall not be passed by the city council [board of aldermen] except by the affirmative vote of three-fifths of the legislative body of the municipality [city].

8.105. A final yea or nay vote shall have been taken on the recommendations of the city zoning commission, by the city council [board of aldermen], if the vote is favorable, the amendment or rezoning request shall not become effective until ten days after publication of the proposed changes by the city.

8.106. In case, however, of a protest against such change signed by the owners of 20 percent or more either of the area of the lots included in such proposed change, or in those immediately adjacent, extending 200 feet therefrom, or of those directly opposite thereto extending 500 feet from the street frontage of such opposite lots, such amendments not being effective except by the favorable vote of at least three-fifths of the governing body [board of aldermen] of the city.

8.107. In the event an applicant does not take action to make use of the property rezoned within six months from the date of final approval by the mayor and board of aldermen, the city zoning commission may upon its own motion advertise said property to be rezoned to its original classification. (Ord. No. 803, § 2, 6-14-82)