Section 50-8-36. Review, comment, and recommendation regarding local plans; public meetings and hearings

   (a) Each local plan shall be submitted for review, comment, and recommendation to the appropriate regional commission and shall become effective in accordance with this Code section. Each municipality and county within a region shall submit its local plan to the regional commission for that region for review, comment, and recommendation by the regional commission. The commission shall maintain all local plans which it receives in this manner in files available for inspection by the public.

(b) Within ten days after receipt of a local plan, the regional commission shall notify each municipality or county within its region which may be affected by the local plan of the general nature of the plan, the date of its submission, and the identity of the submitting municipality or county. In addition, any local governments contiguous to, or operating within, the submitting municipality or county shall be notified by the regional commission in the same manner.

(c) Within 15 days after the regional commission gives the notice required by subsection (b) of this Code section, any local government within the region and any other local government which received notice from the regional commission may present, to the regional commission, its views on the local plan in a public meeting or hearing which shall be held in accordance with rules established by the regional commission with prior approval of the department.

(d) The regional commission shall determine whether the adoption or implementation of the local plan would present any conflict. The regional commission may recommend a modification of the local plan in such a manner as to eliminate any conflict or alleviate any problem or difficulty which such conflict may create. The regional commission's determination shall be in writing, shall be made public, and shall be communicated by written notice given to the municipality or county which submitted the local plan within 15 days after the date of the public meeting or hearing.

(e) The municipality or county which submitted the local plan may request reconsideration of any recommendation by a regional commission within ten days after the regional commission's recommendation is made public. For purposes of such reconsideration, the regional commission shall schedule, announce, and hold a public hearing within 15 days after receipt of the request for reconsideration. Notice of the time and place of any such public hearing shall be given by the regional commission to all members of the regional commission, in accordance with such procedures as the regional commission may establish, subject to the prior approval of the department. The regional commission shall also give such notice to all affected municipalities and counties and appropriate state regulatory boards and agencies.

(f) Within ten days after the public hearing, the regional commission shall either continue its recommendations or modify the recommendations. In either case, the regional commission shall make public its determination and shall give written notice of its determination to the municipality or county which submitted the local plan.

Code 1981, § 50-8-36, enacted by Ga. L. 2008, p. 181, § 5/HB 1216; Ga. L. 2013, p. 1104, § 2/SB 104.