Chapter 15.52
Site Plan Review
Sections:
15.52.025 Rules and regulations.
15.52.040 Application procedure.
15.52.050 Site plan review log--Summary of action.
15.52.060 Decision to be mailed.
15.52.070 Appeal of decision to city council.
15.52.080 Preliminary site plan conference.
15.52.090 Contents of application.
15.52.100 Amendment of the site plan.
15.52.130 Final approval--Expiration.
15.52.140 Filing and processing fee.
15.52.150 Review services deposit.
15.52.010 Purpose.
The purpose of this chapter is to allow for the placement of uses permitted by this chapter, through a comprehensive site plan review process, which insures compliance with the adopted plans, policies, and ordinances of the city. It is further intended to provide for the examination of development proposals with respect to overall site design and to provide a means for guiding development in logical, safe and attractive manners. (Ord. 1222 §1, 1985).
15.52.020 Applicability.
(a) A site plan review and approval shall be required prior to issuance of a building permit when provided under this chapter.
(b) Site plan review and approval shall be required for all nonresidential and nonagricultural uses of land, or for the location of any building or multifamily development in which more than four dwelling units would be contained, and shall apply throughout the city. Approved planned unit developments are exempt from review.
(c) Construction and development of projects reviewed through the site plan review process shall be in strict compliance with the approved site plan and conditions attached thereto. (Ord. 1222 §2, 1985).
15.52.025 Rules and regulations.
The site plan review committee shall have the authority to establish such rules and regulations relating to its procedures as it may from time-to-time deem appropriate. (Ord. 1338 §2, 1993).
15.52.030 Filing.
(a) Applications for site plan review shall be made on forms provided by the city and made available at the office of the clerk-controller, City Hall.
(b) An application for site plan review in completed form shall be filed with the office of the clerk-controller. An application shall not be considered completed if it fails to contain any of the information and material required under Section 15.52.090.
(c) Upon receipt of an application, the office of the clerk-controller shall enter into the site plan review log a general description of the project and a case number. The purpose of this procedure is to provide the opportunity for interested citizens to be aware of site plans under consideration so that they may present written comments. (Ord. 1222 §3, 1985).
15.52.040 Application procedure.
(a) Review by Site Plan Review Committee (SPRC).
(1) The site plan review committee shall consist of the following: the director of public works, the city engineer, the fire chief, the police chief, and the building inspector, or their regularly designated representatives.
(2) The site plan review committee, except in cases where the applicant agrees to an extension of time, shall within thirty days from the date of application, approve, disapprove, or approve with conditions, any site plan submitted to it and accepted for review. Notice of the SPRC's action will be submitted to the building official for subsequent action on the building permit application. Any time required to review an environmental checklist and make a threshold determination and to develop and review an environmental impact statement as required under the provisions of SEPA shall not be included under the time constraints of this subsection.
In the event a decision is not made in thirty days, such inaction shall be reported to the city council by the office of the clerk-controller.
(3) The SPRC shall review a site plan and approve or approve with conditions an application if it finds the site plan conforms to the standards and provisions of the city as expressed in the various adopted plans and ordinances, including this chapter.
Whenever the SPRC disapproves a site plan, it shall set forth, in writing, its findings which shall specify the reasons for disapproval.
(4) The decision of the SPRC shall be final unless appealed to the city council by affected persons pursuant to Section 15.52.070.
(b) Referral to the Site Plan Review Committee. The SPRC shall have the prerogative of refusing to rule on a site plan review if, in the SPRC's opinion, the site plan is sufficiently involved or presents sufficient environmental concerns under RCW Chapter 43.21C that it should be reviewed by the city council action. (Ord. 1338 §1, 1993: Ord. 1222 §4, 1985).
15.52.050 Site plan review log--Summary of action.
On the first work day following action of the SPRC or city council on a site plan, a brief summary of the action shall be entered into the site plan review log (maintained in the office of the clerk-controller) along with the date indicating the end of the appeal period. (Ord. 1222 §5, 1985).
15.52.060 Decision to be mailed.
The decision of the SPRC or city council shall be put into writing and mailed to the applicant within five working days following the action. (Ord. 1222 §6, 1985).
15.52.070 Appeal of decision to city council.
(a) Appeals of all site plan review decisions may be taken to the city council by any aggrieved or affected parties. Appeals will be considered only on the basis of whether or not the design aspects of a proposed site plan are consistent with the standards, provisions, and policies of the city. Appeals regarding the land uses permitted in underlying zoning districts will not be considered. All appeals shall be filed in writing, in duplicate, with the city clerk-controller within thirty days of the date of the decision being appealed. The filing fee for appeals shall be the same as may from time-to-time be required for the filing of a variance request in relation to zoning.
The city clerk-controller shall send written notification of receipt of the appeal to the applicant and all affected city departments prior to the date the city council will consider the matter.
(b) The city council shall, at its next regular meeting following the filing of the appeal, consider the matter or set a date to consider the matter.
(c) If the city council affirms the decision of the SPRC, the council's action shall be final unless the original applicant or aggrieved or affected parties apply to superior court for an extraordinary writ within ten days of the council's action.
(d) In considering an appeal, the city council shall review the site plan as presented to it, shall receive such additional information as it deems appropriate and approve, or approve with conditions, if it finds the site plan as ultimately established by it conforms to the standards, provisions, and policies of the city as expressed in its various plans and ordinances. In the event that it finds it does not so conform to the standards, provisions, and policies of the city, the city council may refer a site plan back to the SPRC, and it shall set forth in writing its findings which shall include the reasons why the site plan does satisfy the particular standards, provisions, or policies which were cited by the SPRC as reasons for disapproval, and the reasons why the SPRC's interpretations are rejected by the city council.
These same provisions shall apply in the event that a site plan has been referred to the city council by the SPRC pursuant to the provisions of subsection (b) of Section 15.52.040.
(e) Any action taken by the city council which reverses a decision by the SPRC shall be final unless application is made to superior court as prescribed in subsection (c) of this section.
(f) The city council shall not consider a site plan different that that considered finally by the SPRC. (Ord. 1222 §7, 1985).
15.52.080 Preliminary site plan conference.
Prior to applying for site plan review, a developer may present to the SPRC a preliminary site plan, which shall contain in a rough and approximate manner all of the information required on the site plan application. The purpose of the preliminary site plan is to enable the developer presenting the plan to obtain the advice of the SPRC as to the intent, standards, and provisions of this section to the plan. Information presented for preliminary site plan discussion shall be considered confidential. (Ord. 1222 §8, 1985).
15.52.090 Contents of application.
Each application for site plan review shall contain the following information:
(1) An environmental checklist when required;
(2) The title and location of the proposed development, together with the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of the recorded owners of the land and the applicant, and if applicable, the name, address, and telephone number of any architect, planner, designer, or engineer responsible for the preparation of the plan, and of any authorized representative of the applicant;
(3) A written description addressing the scope of the project, the nature and size in gross floor area of each use, and the total amount of square feet to be covered by impervious surfaces;
(4) A vicinity map showing site boundaries and existing roads and accesses within and bounding the site;
(5) A site map showing the existing structures, easements, and utilities, including distances to existing operational fire hydrants;
(6) If requested by the city engineer, a topographic map delineating contours, existing and proposed, at intervals acceptable to the city engineer and which locates existing streams, lakes, marshes, and other natural features;
(7) Site plans drawn to a scale acceptable to the city engineer showing location and size of uses, buffer areas, yards, open spaces, and landscaped areas;
(8) A circulation plan drawn to a scale acceptable to the city engineer illustrating all access points for the site and the size and location of all driveways, streets and roads, and the location, size, and design of parking and loading areas;
(9) The application shall show proposed use of structures and gross floor area, off-street parking design, and access roadways to and circulation routes through the site with proposed width and outside turning radius;
(10) A drainage and stormwater runoff plan, said plan to be prepared and certified by a professional engineer duly authorized to carry forth engineering work within the state of Washington;
(11) A utility plan, including size and location of all utility lines to be installed, as well as the location of any and all fire protection facilities, including but not limited to fire hydrants;
(12) All special districts including, but not limited to, fire, school, and sewer districts in which the proposed project shall be located and all such districts within two hundred feet of the proposed development site;
(13) A plot plan of all proposed landscaping shall be submitted with the site plan for review by the city;
(14) Any other information deemed pertinent by the SPRC. (Ord. 1222 §9, 1985).
15.52.100 Amendment of the site plan.
A site plan granted approval by the SPRC or city council may be amended only by the same procedures provided under this chapter for original site plan approval. (Ord. 1222 §10, 1985).
15.52.110 Variances.
(a) The board of adjustment may grant variances from the provisions of this chapter as will promote the health, safety, and general welfare. Application for a variance shall be made in writing stating fully the reasons for the variance and the provisons of this chapter for which the variance is requested.
A variance shall be granted only upon the making of findings as to the same criteria as would be applied if this were a request for variance from a zoning requirement.
(b) In granting any variance, the board of adjustment may prescribe appropriate conditions and safeguards in conformity with this chapter. Violation of such conditions and safeguards, when made a part of the terms under which the variance is granted, is a violation of this chapter and is punishable under its penalty provisions. (Ord. 1222 §11, 1985).
15.52.120 Performance bond.
It may be required as a condition of approval of a site plan that the applicant furnish a performance bond to the city to secure the applicant's obligation to complete the provisions and conditions of the site plan as approved. (Ord. 1222 §12, 1985).
15.52.130 Final approval--Expiration.
The final approval of a site plan shall expire within one year of the date of approval by the city council if substantial progress has not been made toward implementing the plan; provided, that upon request made to the city council prior to the expiration of the one-year period, the final approval may be continued for additional one-year periods if the council deems it appropriate to do so. (Ord. 1222 §13, 1985).
15.52.140 Filing and processing fee.
A filing and processing fee in such amount as may be from time-to-time established by resolution shall be due upon presentation of an application for site-plan review. (Ord. 1222 §14, 1985).
15.52.150 Review services deposit.
Upon receipt of a site plan, the SPRC shall develop an estimate as to the amount of money, if any, to be expended by the city in the obtaining of professional review services, including but not limited to those provided by the engineering firm designated to act as city engineer. The applicant shall be notified of this sum and shall deposit the same with the clerk-controller of the city. It shall only be upon the deposit of these moneys that the SPRC's review shall commence and the thirty-day period established pursuant to the provisions of Section 15.52.040 be deemed to have started. (Ord. 1222 §15, 1985).