It is the intent of the City of Hendersonville to administer this zoning ordinance in accordance with the city's current, adopted comprehensive plan. Therefore the city council shall consider consistency with the comprehensive plan whenever considering legislative decisions that are made concerning this ordinance. As part of its consideration, the city council shall adopt a comprehensive plan consistency statement as required by G.S. 160D-605 when making a legislative zoning decision. The comprehensive plan sets forth the goals and policies which serve as the basic policy guide for development in the City of Hendersonville and its extraterritorial jurisdiction. These goals and policies may be amended from time to time to meet the changing requirements of the city and its extraterritorial jurisdiction.

Amendments to the comprehensive plan may be initiated at any time and shall be made in accordance with the following procedures:

a)

An amendment to the plan may be adopted only by city council, either on its own initiative or at the request of the planning board or any other person or agency.

b)

Requests to amend the comprehensive plan shall first be reviewed by city council. If council is willing to consider the proposed amendment, it will refer the matter to planning board which shall make a recommendation thereon to council.

c)

City council shall hold at least one public hearing on each amendment or group of amendments initiated. Notice of the public hearing shall be provided and the public hearing shall be conducted in accordance with section 7-4-9 of this ordinance. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as preventing this public hearing from being held at the same meeting as a public hearing for the rezoning of a particular tract or parcel affected by the amendment. In cases where a public hearing on the zoning amendment is to be held at the same time as the public hearing on the amendment to the comprehensive plan, the notice of the public hearing shall state that both issues shall be considered at the hearing.

d)

Upon receiving the recommendation of the planning board, city council may:

1)

Adopt the proposed amendment;

2)

Revise and adopt the proposed amendment;

3)

Reject the proposed amendment;

4)

Refer the matter back to the planning board for further consideration or hearing; or

5)

Conduct an additional hearing on the proposed amendment.

e)

In deciding whether to adopt a proposed amendment to the plan, the city council shall consider whether the amendment is necessary or desirable and whether it will promote the health, safety, and welfare of the City of Hendersonville.

f)

Notwithstanding the foregoing, as provided in G.S. 160D-605, if a legislative zoning decision is made that is inconsistent with the comprehensive plan, the comprehensive plan, including the future land use map, shall be deemed amended as to that parcel(s) of land affected by the legislative zoning decision. Pursuant to G.S. 160D-501, these types of amendments shall be noted in the plan.