§ 106-41. Public participation.

During the development of the comprehensive plan in accordance with the Local Government Comprehensive Planning and Land Development Regulation Act of 1985 (F.S. § 163.3161 et seq.), or any element or part thereof, the following steps shall be taken and complied with in order to ensure public participation and comment to the fullest extent possible:

(1)

An executive summary shall be written for each proposed element of the comprehensive plan. These summaries shall be available for the general public and groups, organizations or associations. There shall be no charge for the first copy. Additional copies will be made available for a reasonable cost of reproduction. These summaries will be available at the city planning office and any public workshop or hearing held to discuss and review comprehensive plan elements or parts.

(2)

When an element or elements have been drafted, the proposed element or elements shall be reviewed by both the planning and zoning commission and the city council in workshop sessions.

(3)

Following the preliminary review by the planning and zoning commission, public meetings will be held, on a rotating basis, in one of the following three sections of the city: west, central or east. The purpose of these meetings will be to receive public comment on the proposed elements presented.

(4)

Comments on each proposed element will be solicited from adjacent local governments, the Withlacoochee Regional Planning Council, and any other governmental body or agency that requests copies of the comprehensive plan or elements.

(5)

The local news media will be notified of all workshops, public meetings and public hearings, and shall be sent copies of any materials to be reviewed and discussed at such meetings.

(6)

A second series of public meetings will be held with the planning and zoning commission to review and discuss the proposed elements and any changes made as a result of the first series of meetings.

(7)

After the second series of meetings, a public hearing will be held in order to transmit the draft of the comprehensive plan to the city council. The city council will then hold at least two public hearings in which to receive public comment. A final public hearing will be held in order to review any changes and to transmit the final draft of the comprehensive plan to the state department of community affairs.

(8)

All public workshops, meetings and hearings shall be advertised as required by F.S. §§ 163.3184 and 163.3187, and Florida Administrative Code chapter 9J-5. In addition, other newspaper, radio and television advertisements may be run as deemed reasonable and useful to encourage active participation by the public.

(Code 1985, § 7-75; Ord. No. 2050, § 1, 12-13-88; Ord. No. 2172, §§ 1, 2, 7-3-90)