§ 18.142.010 — Purpose

This Chapter provides procedures for the amendment of the General Plan, this Zoning Code, and the Official Zoning Map whenever the Council determines public necessity and general welfare require an amendment. A. General Plan Amendments. The General Plan is the City's guiding land use policy document on which the Official Zoning Map is based, and the City shall strive to achieve substantial consistency between the two documents. Amendments to the General Plan shall be by resolution adopted by the Council, following noticed public hearings before the Planning Commission and Council. B. Zoning Code Amendments. This Zoning Code specifies all the rules, regulations, and standards that serve to implement the General Plan. Amendments to this Zoning Code shall be by resolution adopted by the Council, following noticed public hearings before the Planning Commission and Council. C. Zoning Map Amendments. 1. All land in the incorporated area of the City is classified into various zones. These zones are outlined on one or more of the City’s Official Zoning Maps. Article 2 (Zones, Allowable Uses, and Development Standards) describes the uses of land that are allowed in each zone and Article 4 (Standards for Specific Land Uses) describes the development standards applicable for each specific use. 2. A Zoning Map Amendment is a procedure involving an application to reclassify land to a different zone. If approved by the Council, it results in a change to the adopted Official Zoning Map. It is also common to process a General Plan Map Amendment together with a Zoning Map Amendment since the General Plan is the City's guiding land use policy document which the Zoning Map is based on, and the City shall strive to achieve substantial consistency between the two. 3. Amendments to the Zoning Map shall be by resolution adopted by the Council, following noticed public hearings before the Planning Commission and Council.