§8A-7-5. Enactment of zoning ordinance.

(a) After the study and the report, and before the governing body enacts the proposed zoning ordinance, the governing body shall hold at least two public hearings and give public notice. At least one public hearing shall be held during the day and at least one public hearing shall be held during the evening.

(b) The public notice shall be published in a local newspaper of general circulation in the area affected by the proposed zoning ordinance, as a Class II legal advertisement in accordance with the provisions of article three, chapter fifty-nine of this code, at least fourteen consecutive days prior to the public hearing. The public notice must contain the following:

(1) The date, time and place of the public hearings;

(2) That it is a public hearing on a proposed zoning ordinance;

(3) A brief summary of the principal provisions of the proposed zoning ordinance;

(4) A reference to the place where copies of the proposed zoning ordinance may be examined; and

(5) That written objections to the proposed zoning ordinance may be made and will be heard at the public hearings and must be filed with the clerk of the applicable governing body.

(c) Copies of the proposed zoning ordinance must be made available to the public, at least two weeks prior to the public hearings, at the office of the governing body and all public libraries in the area to be zoned.

(d) After the public hearings, if the governing body makes substantial amendments to the proposed zoning ordinance prior to voting on the zoning ordinance, the governing body shall hold another public hearing, after public notice. The public notice shall be as provided in subsections (b) and (c) of this section, and must contain a brief summary of the amendments.

(e) After the public hearings and any amendments, the governing body may enact the zoning ordinance or it may hold an election to have the qualified voters residing in the affected area approve the zoning ordinance.