2013/07/03 Council Agenda Packet

1 ORDINANCE NO. An Ordinance Amending the Expiration Date for Preliminary Subdivisions and Preliminary Short Subdivisions, amending Section 5(C) of Chapter 5 of Ordinance No. 2530-01, as amended (EMC 15.20.210). WHEREAS,the City Council finds the following: 1. RCW 58.17 regulates the division of land in Washington, and EMC 15.20.210 established provisions for the expiration of preliminary subdivisions and preliminary short subdivisions consistent with RCW 58.17. 2. EMC 15.20.210 provides five years before expiration of a preliminary subdivision or preliminary short subdivision. 3. The Legislature amended RCW 58.17.140 in 2012 providing for a longer time frame for preliminary subdivision approvals to be valid before expiration. WHEREAS,the City Council concludes the following: 1. The economic recession has caused delay on the part of owners of land that have valid preliminary subdivisions or preliminary short subdivisions from being able to complete necessary improvements to qualify for final subdivision or final short subdivision approval. 2. The City's land division development standards have not been amended since 2003, and all remaining valid preliminary subdivisions and preliminary short subdivisions that have not been completed continue to meet the City's land division development standards currently in effect. 3. It is in the public interest to amend the City's regulations to be consistent with State law concerning the expiration of preliminary subdivision and preliminary short subdivision approvals; NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY DOES ORDAIN: Section 1. Section 5(C) of Chapter 5 of Ordinance No. 2350-01, as amended by Section 1 of Ordinance No. 3154-09 (EMC 15.20.210),which reads as follows: Time periods and expiration of land division approvals. A. Expiration of Preliminary Subdivision or Cluster Subdivision or Short Subdivision Approval. Final subdivision or cluster subdivision or short subdivision approval must be 2