1.   Proposed Amendments and Recommendations. Amendments to the text of this chapter or to the boundaries of the various zoning districts established on the official zoning map, including changes in the restrictions applicable to any district and requests for the rezoning of any lots or areas, may be proposed by the Commission, the Council or by any property owner. A request for a change in the zoning classification for any lot or property shall be made on a rezoning application form provided by the City. Each rezoning application filed by or on behalf of the owner of private property for which rezoning is requested shall be accompanied by a non-refundable application fee of $100.00. All such proposals for amendments or changes shall be first referred to the Commission for review and recommendation. The Commission shall submit its recommendation concerning each proposed amendment or change to the Council prior to action thereon by the Council. Prior to making its recommendation to the Council concerning any rezoning request, the Commission shall conduct a public hearing on the proposal. Notice of the rezoning proposal and of the time and place of the public hearing shall be mailed to owners and occupants of lots located, in whole or in part, within 200 feet of the exterior boundaries of any lot or property for which the zoning change is proposed at least seven days before the public hearing.

   2.   Public Notice and Hearing. No amendment to the text of this chapter or to the official zoning map shall become effective until after a public hearing is held on the proposed amendment at which parties in interest and citizens shall have an opportunity to be heard. The notice of time and place of such hearing shall be published in a newspaper having general circulation in the City at least once, not less than seven days nor more than 20 days before the public hearing. In the case of any proposed change in the zoning classification for any lot or property, notice of the public hearing shall also be mailed to owners and occupants of lots located, in whole or in part, within 200 feet of the exterior boundaries of any lot or property for which the zoning change is proposed. Mailed notice shall not be deemed inadequate if it is sent to property owners as disclosed by the records maintained by the County Auditor and to occupants as disclosed by the utility records maintained by the Clerk. In no case shall the public hearing be held earlier than the next regularly scheduled Council meeting following the published notice.

   3.   Written Protest. If a written protest against any amendment to the text of this chapter or to the official zoning map is filed with the Clerk and signed by the owners of 20 percent or more of the area of the lots included in any zoning district to which the proposed amendment would have application, or by the owners of 20 percent or more of the property which is located within 200 feet of the exterior boundaries of such property, the amendment shall not become effective except by the favorable vote of at least three-fourths of all the members of the Council. The protest, if filed, must be filed before or at the public hearing on the proposed amendment.

   4.   Amendment by Ordinance. Following the public hearing on any proposed amendment, the amendment may be adopted by the Council by ordinance.

   5.   Conditional Rezoning. As part of an ordinance changing land from one zoning district to another zoning district, the Council may impose conditions on a property owner which are in addition to existing regulations if the additional conditions have been agreed to in writing by the property owner before the public hearing required under this section or any adjournment of the hearing. The conditions must be reasonable and imposed to satisfy public needs which are directly caused by the requested change.