§ 22.5. Conduct of the planning commission's hearing.

22.5.1.

Sign up. All persons who wish to address the planning commission at a hearing on the proposed amendment under consideration by the planning commission shall first sign up on a form to be provided by the city prior to the commencement of the hearing.

22.5.2.

Matter presented. The chair of the planning commission or their designee will read the proposed amendments under consideration in the order determined by the zoning administrator. The zoning administrator, or his designee, shall then present the amendment, along with the pertinent departmental reviews, if any, prior to receiving public input on the proposed amendment. If an application is not complete, or all requirements of this chapter have not been complied with, the application is out of order and will not be called at that meeting. It shall be tabled for one (1) month. If the application is still incomplete or out of order at the next meeting, it shall be deemed withdrawn. The applicant shall have to wait six (6) months to reapply.

22.5.3.

Speakers. The chair of the planning commission or their designee will then call each person who has signed up to speak on the amendment in the order in which the persons have signed up to speak, except the applicant who will always speak first. Prior to speaking, the speaker will identify himself or herself and state his or her current address. Only those persons who signed up to speak prior to the commencement of the hearing shall be entitled to speak, unless a majority of the commission, in its discretion, allows the person to speak to the amendment, notwithstanding the failure of the person to sign up prior to the hearing.

22.5.4.

Time limits. Each speaker shall be allowed five (5) minutes to address the planning commission concerning the amendment then under consideration, unless the planning commissions, by majority vote of the members present, votes to allow additional time for a particular speaker to address the commission on said proposed amendment. The applicant shall have a minimum of ten (10) minutes for his presentation (including all related witnesses or experts). The applicant may initially use all of the time allotted to him to speak, or he may speak and reserve a portion of his allotted time for rebuttal. Opponents are not allowed rebuttal or a second opportunity to speak, unless specifically granted by majority vote of the commission. In all circumstances, in order to comply with state law, the proponent(s) and opponent(s) of each amendment shall have no less than ten (10) minutes per side for presentation of data, evidence, and opinion thereon; if there is only one (1) applicant or opponent, such person shall have the full ten (10) minutes if desired. In the event the opponents collectively take more than ten (10) minutes, the applicant's time shall be extended similarly if desired. One (1) member of the planning commission or zoning staff shall be designated as the time keeper to record the time expended by each speaker.

22.5.5.

Decorum and order. Each speaker shall speak only to the merits of the proposed amendment under consideration and shall address his remarks only to the members of the planning commission. Each speaker shall refrain from personal attacks on any other speaker or the discussion of facts or opinions irrelevant to the proposed amendment under consideration. The chair may limit or refuse a speaker the right to continue, if the speaker, after first being cautioned, continues to violate this subsection. Nothing contained herein shall be construed as prohibiting the chair from conducting the hearing in an orderly and decorous manner to assure that the public hearing on a proposed amendment is conducted in a fair and orderly manner.

22.5.6.

These procedures shall be available in writing at each hearing.