The following procedures shall be followed in amending the zoning map of the village.

A. Initiation of Amendment. Amendments may be proposed by the village board, zoning board of appeals, planning commission or any citizen of Metamora.

B. Application for Amendment. An application for an amendment shall be obtained from and filed with the zoning administrator in such form and accompanied by such information as required by the planning commission. In order to partially defray the expense of a zoning change public hearing, the person applying for a zoning change shall deposit with the village clerk the sum of thirty-five dollars. No part of such amount shall be refunded for failure of the amendment to be enacted into law.

C. Hearing on Applications. The planning commission shall hold a public hearing on each application for a zoning map amendment. Notice of the public hearing shall be published at least once at least fifteen days, but not more than thirty days before the hearing in a newspaper published in the village.

D. Findings of Fact and Recommendation of the Planning Commission. Within thirty days after the close of the hearing on a proposed zoning map amendment, the planning commission shall make written findings of fact and shall submit same together with its recommendations to the village board. The commission shall make findings based upon the evidence presented to it in each specific case with respect to the following matters:

1. Existing uses of property within the general area of the property in question;

2. The zoning classification of property within the general area of the property in question;

3. The suitability of the property in question to the uses permitted under the existing and proposed classifications;

4. The trend of development, if any, in the general area of the property in question, including changes, if any, which have taken place since the date the property in question was placed in its present zoning classification.

The planning commission shall not recommend the adoption of a proposed amendment unless it finds that the adoption of such amendment is in the public interest and is not solely for the interest of the applicant. The commission may recommend the adoption of an amendment changing the zoning classification of the property in question to any other classification than that requested by the applicant.

E. Action by the Village Board.

1. The village board shall not act upon a proposed amendment to this title until it shall have received a written report and recommendation from the planning commission on the proposed amendment.

2. The village board shall act within three months of the decision of the planning commission.

3. In case of a written protest against any proposed amendment, signed and acknowledged by the owners of twenty percent of the frontage proposed to be altered, or by the owners of twenty percent of the frontage immediately adjoining or across an alley therefrom, or by the owners of twenty percent of the frontage directly opposite the frontage proposed to be altered, such protest being filed with the village clerk, the amendment shall not be passed except by a favorable vote of two-thirds of the village board. (Zoning ordinance dated 6/3/03 § 15-11.0)