Chapter 14.08
APPLICATION PROCESS
Sections:
14.08.005 Application process.
14.08.010 Pre-application meetings.
14.08.015 Consolidated application process.
14.08.030 Determination of completeness.
14.08.040 Application vesting.
14.08.050 Notice of application.
14.08.005 Application process.
The application process shall consist of the following components:
A. Pre-application meetings;
B. Plan review;
C. Determination of completeness;
D. Notice of application;
E. Application review;
F. Notice of final decision. (Ord. TLS 97-05-34B Exh. B (part))
14.08.010 Pre-application meetings.
A. All prospective applicants shall participate in a pre-application meeting for major subdivisions, conditional use permits, short subdivisions within an urban growth area, commercial building permits, planned unit developments, and master planned resorts. For any other application types, the applicant may request a pre-application meeting.
B. The purpose of the pre-application meeting is to provide the applicant with the best available information regarding the development proposal and application processing requirements, and to assure the availability of complete and accurate development information necessary for review prior to the applicant’s expenditure of application fees and the scheduling of the application review process.
C. The pre-application meeting provides an opportunity for the applicant, staff and other agencies to informally discuss and review the proposed development, the application and permit requirements, fees, the review process and schedule, and applicable development standards, plans, policies and laws.
D. The pre-application meeting shall take place at the department’s offices, unless another location is agreed upon by the department and the applicant. The length of the pre-application meeting shall be determined by the complexity of the development proposed by the applicant.
E. Within twenty days after the pre-application meeting, the department shall prepare and send the applicant a written summary of the meeting, and a list of any specific documents, information, legal descriptions or other requirements that must be submitted with the application. Such list shall be in addition to the requirements set forth in the appropriate application form.
F. An applicant may request one or more additional pre-application meetings if the proposed development changes based on information received at the previous meeting. The additional meetings shall be subject to the same procedures as the initial pre-application meeting.
G. Application forms shall be made available to the applicant following a pre-application meeting. (Ord. TLS 23-12-45B Att. A; Ord. TLS 97-05-34B Exh. B (part))
14.08.015 Consolidated application process.
A. When more than one application for a proposed development is required, the applicant may elect to have all applications submitted for review at one time.
B. Applications for proposed development and planned actions subject to the provisions of the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) shall be reviewed concurrently and in accordance with the state and local laws, regulations and ordinances.
C. When more than one application is submitted under a consolidated review and the applications are subject to different types of review procedure, all of the applications for the proposed development shall be subject to the highest level of review procedure which applies to any of the applications.
D. If an applicant elects a consolidated application process, the determination of completeness, the notice of application, and the notice of final decision must include all applications being reviewed. (Ord. TLS 97-05-34B Exh. B (part))
14.08.020 Plan review.
A. A plan review shall be conducted to determine if the application is complete. Plan review shall determine if adequate information is provided in or with the application in order to begin processing the application and that all required information and materials have been supplied in sufficient detail to begin the application review process. All information and materials required by the application form or from the pre-application meeting must be submitted. All studies supporting the application or addressing projected impacts of the proposed development must be submitted.
B. The purpose of the plan review is to ensure adequate information is contained in the application materials to demonstrate consistency with applicable comprehensive plans, development regulations and other applicable county codes. Department staff will coordinate the involvement of agencies responsible for the review of setbacks, landscaping, parking, drainage, access, roads, traffic, signage, utilities and any other applicable requirements. (Ord. TLS 97-05-34B Exh. B (part))
14.08.030 Determination of completeness.
A. Within twenty-eight days after receiving an application, the department shall complete the plan review of the application and provide the applicant a written determination that the application is complete or incomplete.
B. An application shall be determined complete only when it contains all of the following information and materials:
1. A fully completed and signed application;
2. Applicable review fees;
3. All information and materials required by the application form;
4. A fully completed and signed environmental checklist for projects subject to review under the State Environmental Policy Act;
5. A plot plan disclosing all existing and proposed structures and features applicable to the desired development; for example, parking, landscaping, preliminary drainage plans with supporting calculations, signage, setbacks, etc.;
6. Any additional information and materials identified at the pre-application meeting or required by applicable development standards, plans, policies or any other federal, state or local laws;
7. Any supplemental information or special studies identified by the department.
C. For applications determined to be incomplete, the department shall identify, in writing, the specific requirements, information or materials necessary to constitute a complete application. Within fourteen days after its receipt of the additional requirements, information or materials, the department shall issue a determination of completeness or identify the additional requirements, information or materials still necessary for completeness.
D. A determination of completeness shall identify, to the extent known, other local, state or federal agencies that may have jurisdiction over some aspect of the application.
E. A determination of completeness shall not preclude the department from requesting additional information or studies if new information is required or a change in the proposed development occurs. (Ord. TLS 97-05-34B Exh. B (part))
14.08.040 Application vesting.
An application shall become vested on the date a determination of completeness is made under this title. Thereafter the application shall be reviewed under the codes, regulations and other laws in effect on the date of vesting; provided, in the event an applicant substantially changes his/her proposed development after a determination of completeness, as determined by the department, the application shall not be considered vested until a new determination of completeness on the changes is made under this title. (Ord. TLS 97-05-34B Exh. B (part))
14.08.050 Notice of application.
A. Within fourteen days after issuing a determination of completeness, the department shall issue a notice of application. The notice shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
1. The date of application, the date of the determination of completeness, and the date of the notice of application;
2. A description of the proposed project action, a list of permits required for the application, and, if applicable, a list of any studies requested;
3. The identification of other required permits not included in the application, to the extent known by the department;
4. The identification of existing environmental documents which evaluate the proposed development and the location where the application and any studies can be reviewed;
5. A statement of the public comment period, which shall be fourteen days following the date of the notice of application, and a statement of the right of any person to comment on the application, receive notice of and participate in any hearings, and request a copy of the decision once made, and a statement of any appeal rights;
6. The date, time, location and type of hearing, if applicable and scheduled at the date of the notice of application;
7. A statement of the preliminary determination, if one has been made at the time of notice of application, of those development regulations that will be used for project mitigation and of consistency with the type of land use of the proposed site, the density and intensity of proposed development, infrastructure necessary to serve the development, and the character of the development;
8. Any other information determined by the department to be appropriate.
B. Informing the Public.
1. Posting the Notice of Application. The notice of application shall be posted on the subject property for the duration of the public comment period. The applicant shall be responsible for posting and maintaining the posting throughout the entire public comment period. The location and manner of posting shall be determined at the pre-application meeting and shown on the applicant’s site plan. The applicant shall obtain the notice of application sign(s) and post(s) from the department upon payment of all applicable fees. The sign location and condition shall be the responsibility of the applicant until the sign(s) and post(s) are returned to the county. After the public comment period, the applicant shall sign an affidavit of posting before a notary public, using the form adopted by the department, and file the affidavit of posting with the department, together with a photograph of the notice of application sign(s) posted at the site. Any necessary replacement of the notice of application sign(s) and post(s) shall be the sole responsibility of the applicant.
2. Alternative Notice. When the subject property is located in a remote area and posting the notice of application will not provide reasonable and meaningful notice to the public, the director of land services may require additional and/or alternate means of informing the public of the notice of application. Such means may include notice by mail, notice by publication, and/or notice by any other means calculated to provide reasonable and meaningful notice to the public.
3. The notice of application shall be mailed to property owners within five hundred feet of all development applications that meet the threshold established in DCC Section 14.08.012(C).
C. The notice of application is not a substitute for any required notice of a public hearing.
D. A notice of application is not required for the following actions, when they are categorically exempt from SEPA or environmental review has been completed:
1. Application for a single-family residence, accessory uses or other minor construction building permits;
2. Application for a lot line adjustment;
3. Any application for which limited administrative review is determined applicable.
E. A state environmental policy act (SEPA) threshold determination may be issued for a proposal concurrent with the notice of application. (Ord. TLS 21-11-29B § 2; Ord. TLS 17-04-13C Exh. B (part): Ord. TLS 97-06-61B Exh. B (part); Ord. TLS 97-05-34B Exh. B (part))