2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 8A. Land Use Planning › Article 7. Zoning Ordinance › §8A-7-8a. Requirements for Adopting an Amendment to the Zoning Ordinance

(a) After the enactment of the zoning ordinance, the governing body of the municipality may amend the zoning ordinance in accordance with 8A-7-8 of this code, without holding an election.
(b) After the enactment of the zoning ordinance, the governing body of the county may amend the zoning ordinance in accordance with 8A-7-8 of this code, as follows:
(1) Without holding an election;
(2) Holding an election on the proposed amendment; or
(3) Holding an election on the proposed amendment pursuant to a petition.
(c) If the governing body of the county chooses to hold an election on the proposed amendment, then it must:
(1) Publish notice of the election and the proposed amendment to the zoning ordinance in a local newspaper of general circulation in the area affected by the zoning ordinance, as a Class II-0 legal advertisement, in accordance with the provisions of 59-3-1
et seq
. of this code; and
(2) Hold an election on the question of adopting or rejecting the proposed amendment to the zoning ordinance at any primary or general election for the qualified voters residing in:
(A) The entire jurisdiction of the county, if the zoning ordinance applies to the entire county; or
(B) The specific area to which the zoning ordinance applies, if the zoning ordinance only applies to a part of the county.
(d) The governing body of a county must hold an election on an amendment to a zoning ordinance if a petition, signed by at least 10 percent of the eligible voters in the area to which the zoning ordinance applies, is filed:
(1) With the governing body of the county prior to enactment of an amendment to a zoning ordinance; or
(2) After the enactment of an amendment to a zoning ordinance without an election, if the petition for an election on the amendment to a zoning ordinance is filed with the governing body of the county within 90 days.
(e) The governing body of the county holding an election on the proposed amendment pursuant to a petition must:
(1) Publish notice of the election and the proposed amendment to the zoning ordinance in a local newspaper of general circulation in the area affected by the zoning ordinance, as a Class II-0 legal advertisement, in accordance with the provisions of 59-3-1
et seq
. of this code; and
(2) Hold an election on the question of adopting or rejecting the proposed amendment to the zoning ordinance at any primary or general election for the qualified voters residing in:
(A) The entire jurisdiction of the county, if the zoning ordinance applies to the entire county; or
(B) The specific area to which the zoning ordinance applies, if the zoning ordinance only applies to a part of the county.
(f) If an election is held, then the proposed amendment to the zoning ordinance does not take effect until a majority of the voters approve it.
(g) If an election is held and the proposed amendment to the zoning ordinance is rejected, then the proposed amendment does not take effect. The governing body of the county may resubmit the proposed amendment to the zoning ordinance to the voters at another election.
(i) The election laws of this state apply to any election on a proposed amendment to a zoning ordinance.