A. 
Initiation. The Town Board upon its own motion, upon application by one or more property owners, or upon receipt of a resolution of the Planning Board or Zoning Board of Appeals, may amend this chapter as provided herein. A property owner or authorized agent may apply for amendment to this chapter by filing three complete sets of a petition with the Town Board and two complete sets with the Planning Board. The petition shall include a description of the property or properties affected, a map showing the property or properties affected and all properties within a radius of 500 feet of the exterior boundaries thereof, and the applicable filing fee. In the case of a proposed amendment which would apply only to properties which are not immediately identifiable or to a class of properties including six or more identifiable properties, no properties need be identified as affected. The Town Board shall be under no obligation to consider or review a petition for a zoning amendment.
B. 
Review by planning agencies. As an aid in analyzing the implications of proposed amendments and to coordinate the effect of such actions on intergovernmental concerns, the Town Board shall refer proposed amendments to the Town Planning Board and to the Putnam County Department of Planning and Development as required by §§ 239-1 and 239-m of the General Municipal Law.
(1) 
Referral to Putnam County Department of Planning and Development. No action shall be taken to approve a proposed zoning amendment referred to the County Planning Department until its recommendation has been received, or 30 days have elapsed after its receipt of the full statement of the proposed amendment, unless the county and Town agree to an extension beyond the thirty-day requirement for the Putnam County Department of Planning and Development's review.
(2) 
Referral to Town Planning Board. Every proposed amendment or change initiated by the Town Board or by petition (but not if initiated by the Planning Board) shall be referred to the Town Planning Board for report thereon prior to public hearing. If the Planning Board does not report within 30 days of such referral, the Town Board may take action without the Planning Board report. This period of time may be extended by agreement of the Town Board and Planning Board.
C. 
Public hearing and notice. No proposed amendment shall become effective until after a public hearing thereon, at which the public shall have an opportunity to be heard. If the Town Board chooses to consider a proposed zoning amendment, it shall, by resolution at a duly called meeting, set the time and place for a public hearing on the proposed amendment, and shall cause public notice to be given as required by the laws of New York State and specified below. If a proposed amendment is initiated by petition, the petitioner shall be responsible for publication of notice and for notice to adjacent municipalities, if necessary.
(1) 
Publication of notice in newspaper. Notice of the time and place of the public hearing shall be published at least 10 days in advance of such hearing in the official newspaper. This notice shall provide a summary of the proposed amendment in such reasonable detail as will give adequate notice of its contents, indicating the place or places where copies of the proposed amendment may be examined and the time and place of the hearing.
(2) 
Notice to adjacent municipalities. Written notice of any proposed amendment affecting property lying within 500 feet of an adjacent Town shall be served in person or by mail upon the Clerk of such municipality at least 10 days prior to the date of public hearing. Representatives of neighboring municipalities receiving notification of a proposed amendment shall have the right to appear and be heard at the public hearing thereon, but shall not have the right to review by a court.
D. 
Adoption. The Town Board may adopt amendments to this chapter by a majority vote of its membership, except in the case of local protest or disapproval by the Putnam County Department of Planning and Development as noted below:
(1) 
Local protest. The favorable vote of three-fourths of the entire Town Board shall be required for passage of any amendment which is subject to a written protest signed by the owners of 20% or more of the land in any of the following areas:
(a) 
The land area included in the proposed amendment.
(b) 
The land area immediately adjacent to the area proposed to be changed and extending 100 feet therefrom.
(c) 
The land area directly opposite the area proposed to be changed and extending 100 feet from the road frontage of such opposite land.
(2) 
County disapproval. A majority-plus-one vote of the entire Town Board shall be required to pass any proposal which receives a recommendation of disapproval from the Putnam County Department of Planning and Development prior to Town Board action, along with a resolution setting forth the reasons for such contrary action.
E. 
Effective date. Unless the amendment provides for a different effective date, each amendment adopted by the Town Board shall take effect when filed with the Secretary of State of the State of New York pursuant to the Municipal Home Rule Law of the State of New York.