Ordinance 3774-20 - Laserfiche WebLink

A. Review Process I, minor administrative review decisions; B. Review Process II, planning director administrative review decisions; C. Review Process III,hearing examiner decisions 1. Review Process IIIA, hearing examiner final decision; 2. Review Process IIIB, hearing examiner recommendation to city council for final decision; D. Review Process V, planning commission and city council land use quasi-judicial decisions; 15.02.040 Determining appropriate review. A. The planning director shall determine the proper classification for all project permit applications. If the planning director determines that the choice among appropriate classifications cannot be ascertained from the code and its intent,the planning director shall resolve it in favor of the higher classification number. B. A project that involves two or more land use permits may be processed collectively under the highest numbered classification required for any part of the application or processed individually under each of the classifications identified by the specific city regulation.The applicant may determine whether the application is processed under the individual procedure option(see EMC 15.02.050). If the application is processed under the individual procedure option,the highest numbered classification must be processed prior to the subsequent lower numbered procedure. C. For any project dependent on a legislative decision, including a change in the comprehensive plan(see EMC 15.02.095),the legislative decision must be made prior to processing the land use permit application. D. Applications processed in accordance with subsection B of this section that have the same highest numbered classification,but are assigned different hearing bodies,shall be heard by the highest decisionmaker.The city council is the highest,followed by the hearing examiner or planning commission,as applicable,the planning director,and then the planning department or other authorized city staff. 15.02.050 One project review process. The city shall provide a project review process that is integrated with the SEPA review process to the maximum extent feasible. For projects that require more than one project permit approval,the SEPA threshold determination,and all land use permit decisions shall be made concurrently to the extent permissible by law.To promote integration and avoid duplication, it is the intent of this process that any studies be used to fulfill all regulatory needs for which they provide adequate information, regardless of the specific law or requirement that caused their preparation. Likewise,it is the intent of this process to avoid duplication under different laws or regulations of measures to avoid or otherwise mitigate the same project impacts. A. Individual Procedure Option. Under the individual procedure option,an applicant may request:(1)processing land use permits separately;or(2)processing land use and all other project permits including construction permits in a single consolidated project review process,which may include a request for a designated permit coordinator. An application that involves two or more Review Process I, II,or III procedures shall be processed collectively under the highest numbered procedure required for any part of the application unless the applicant requests that the application be processed under the individual procedure option. Based upon the specific content of the application and the required permits,the planning director may grant or deny a request to process the application under individual procedures for separate permit decisions. If an applicant elects a single consolidated project review process for all city permits,as provided by RCW 36.706.120,the planning director may determine the specific scope and procedures for the project review on the proposed action consistent with this title and other applicable city requirements. B. Timing of Notice of Application and SEPA Threshold Determination.The planning director shall integrate the timing of the notice of application with environmental review under SEPA as follows: Ch.15.02 Local Project Review 3 City Council Action(11/04/2020)