Chapter 20.24
PROJECTS REQUIRING TWO OR MORE PERMIT APPLICATIONS – OPTIONAL CONSOLIDATION
Sections:
20.24.010 Consolidation option.
20.24.020 Consolidated permit processing.
20.24.030 Public hearing for consolidated applications.
20.24.050 Consolidation with the other government agencies.
20.24.010 Consolidation option.
A project that involves two or more project permit applications may be subject to a consolidated project permit review process as established in this chapter. The applicant may determine whether the applications shall be processed collectively or individually. If the applications are processed under the individual procedure option, the highest type procedure must be processed prior to the subsequent lower procedure. (Ord. 13-19 § 2, 2019).
20.24.020 Consolidated permit processing.
(1) When project permits are consolidated, the permit procedures of the project permit with the highest permit type shall apply to all of the consolidated project permit applications.
(2) All project permits being reviewed through the consolidated permit review process shall follow at least the requirements of BMC 20.28.050, 20.28.070, and 20.28.120; and
(3) A single report stating all the decisions made as of the date of the report on all project permits included in the consolidated permit process that do not require an open record predecision hearing and any recommendations on project permits that do not require an open record predecision hearing.
(a) The report shall state any mitigation required or proposed under the development regulations or the agency’s authority under RCW 43.21C.060.
(b) The report may be the local permit.
(c) If a threshold determination other than a determination of significance has not been issued previously by the local government, the report shall include or append this determination. (RCW 36.70B.060(5)) (Ord. 13-19 § 2, 2019).
20.24.030 Public hearing for consolidated applications.
The review process shall provide for no more than one consolidated open record hearing and one closed record appeal. If an open record predecision hearing is provided prior to the decision on a project permit, the process shall not allow a subsequent open record appeal hearing. (Ord. 13-19 § 2, 2019).
20.24.040 Decisionmaker(s).
Applications processed in accordance with BMC 20.24.020 which have the same highest numbered procedure but are assigned different hearing bodies shall be heard collectively by the highest decisionmaker(s) to the extent consistent with state law. The order of decision-making authority, from highest to lowest is city council, hearing examiner, and staff. (Ord. 13-19 § 2, 2019).
20.24.050 Consolidation with the other government agencies.
The city is also authorized to consolidate project review with the permit procedures of other government agencies. Joint public hearings with other agencies shall be processed as follows:
(1) The director may combine any public hearing on a project permit application with any hearing that may be held by another local, state, regional, federal, or other agency, on the proposed action, as long as:
(a) The hearing is held either within the city limits; and
(b) The requirements of subsection (3) of this section are met.
(2) The applicant may request that the public hearing on a permit application be combined as long as the joint hearing can be held within the time periods set forth in this chapter. In the alternative, the applicant may agree to a particular schedule if additional time is needed in order to complete the hearings.
(3) A joint public hearing may be held with another local, state, regional, federal or other agency and the city, as long as:
(a) The other agency is not expressly prohibited by statute from doing so;
(b) Sufficient notice of the hearing is given to meet each of the agencies’ adopted notice requirements as set forth in statute, ordinance, or rule; and
(c) The agency has received the necessary information about the proposed project from the applicant in enough time to hold its hearing at the same time as the local government hearing. (Ord. 13-19 § 2, 2019).