40.560.030    Amendments Docket

A.    Purpose.

1.    This section is enacted pursuant to RCW 36.70A.470.

2.    It is the purpose of this section to:

a.    Provide a means by which the county will docket identified deficiencies in plans or regulations and ensure their considerations for possible future plan or development regulation amendments; and

b.    Promote orderly growth and development by providing for suggested improvements in comprehensive plans and development regulations submitted by interested persons, hearing examiners and staff of other agencies.

(Amended: Ord. 2019-05-07)

B.    Definitions.

    For the purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:

Deficiency	“Deficiency” means the absence of required or potentially desirable contents of a comprehensive plan or development regulation.
Development regulations	“Development regulations” means the control placed on development or land use activities by county legislation.
Docket	“Docket” means a list of suggested changes to the comprehensive plan or development regulations that the responsible official compiles and maintains for consideration by Council.

(Amended: Ord. 2019-05-07)

C.    Method of Review.

    The responsible official shall maintain a docket that is kept in a manner to ensure that suggested changes will be considered by the county and will be available for review by the public. The following are the procedures for considering all suggested changes:

1.    Suggested plan or development regulation amendments may be submitted in writing to the responsible official.

2.    Any plan map changes initiated through this section must be processed in accordance with Section 40.560.010 and relevant county code and plan provisions.

3.    Requests for map or text amendments to the comprehensive plan or implementing development regulations received by the county prior to September 1st will be considered in conjunction with the adoption of following year’s work program.

4.    The compiled list of suggested changes must be:

a.    Available for public review and comment; and

b.    Forwarded to affected city and other agencies for comment.

5.    Based on the comments and staff evaluation, the responsible official shall at least on an annual basis review the docket and any comments thereon, and shall recommend in the annual work program items to be included for future plan or development regulation amendments.

6.    Placement of an item on the docket does not establish the right to have that matter considered beyond what is provided in this section.

(Amended: Ord. 2019-05-07)

D.    Council Determination.

    Council shall review the recommendation of the responsible official at a work session for the following year’s work program and determine which of the proposed amendments and revisions should be:

1.    Rejected;

2.    Included in the following year’s work program; or

3.    Placed on a future work program.

(Amended: Ord. 2019-05-07)