Proposals for amendment of this chapter may be initiated by the Borough Council on its own motion, by the Borough Planning Commission, or by petition of one or more owners of property to be affected by the proposed amendment.

A landowner may submit a proposed curative amendment, challenging the validity of the Zoning Ordinance, in accordance with the terms of Section 609.1 of the Municipalities Planning Code.[1] The Borough Council shall proceed and act upon any such proposal in the manner stipulated by said Section 609.1.

Proposals initiated by the Borough Council. The Borough Council shall refer every proposed amendment that it originates or that is submitted to it and deemed appropriate for its formal consideration to the Borough Planning Commission and the County Planning Commission.

Proposals initiated by the Borough Planning Commission. The Borough Planning Commission may at any time transmit to the Borough Council any proposal for the amendment of this chapter.

Proposals initiated by property owner's petition. Each petition by one or more owners of property to be affected by a proposal for amendment shall be submitted, in writing, to the Director of Administration and Finance, together with a fee in accordance with a fee schedule adopted by resolution of the Borough Council. No part of such fee shall be refundable to a petitioner. Upon receipt of said petition, the Borough Council shall transmit a copy of the petition to the Borough Planning Commission and the County Planning Commission.

Referral to Borough and County Planning Commission.

The Borough Council shall hold a public hearing on any proposal for amendment prepared and submitted in accordance with § 287-142. The required public hearing shall be held within 60 days from the date of the submission of said proposal to the Borough Council or the Council's determination to consider its own amendment.

The Borough Council, by resolution, shall fix the time and place for the public hearing. It shall advertise such hearing by publishing a notice of the time and place, not more than 30 days and not less than seven days in advance of the date fixed for the hearing, in a newspaper of general circulation in the Borough. Such notice shall be published once each week for two successive weeks. The notice shall also set forth the principal provisions of the proposed amendment in reasonable detail and a reference to a place in the Borough where copies of the proposed amendment may be examined or purchased at a charge not exceeding the cost thereof. Full opportunity to be heard will be given to any citizen and all interested parties attending such hearing.

If the proposed amendment involves a Zoning Map change, notice of the public hearing shall be conspicuously posted by the Borough along the perimeter of the tract to notify potentially interested citizens. The affected tract or area shall be posted at least one week prior to the date of the hearing.

In the event that substantial revisions are made to the proposed amendment, then the Borough Council, at least 10 days prior to the scheduled enactment, shall readvertise, in a newspaper of general circulation within the Borough, a brief summary setting forth all of the provisions in reasonable detail, together with a summary of the proposed revisions. The Borough Council also shall readvertise any proposed amendment where the scheduled date of enactment is more than 60 days following the date of the last advertisement of the proposed amendment.

Within 30 days after enactment, a copy of the amendment shall be forwarded to the Chester County Planning Commission.