Chapter 18.55
SITE PLAN REVIEW
Sections:
18.55.040 Application requirements.
18.55.070 Duration of site plan approval.
18.55.080 Exception to duration of approval for phased projects.
18.55.090 Minor modifications.
18.55.100 Major modifications.
18.55.120 Penalty for noncompliance.
18.55.010 Purpose.
A. The purpose of the site plan approval process is to:
1. Facilitate project design that is consistent with the city’s comprehensive plan and regulations and in keeping with the physical constraints of the project site;
2. Promote orderly community growth;
3. Minimize discordant and undesirable impacts of development both on site and off site;
4. Coordinate public or quasi-public elements, such as walkways, driveways, paths, and landscaping within segments of larger developments and between individual developments;
5. Ensure convenience and safety of vehicular and pedestrian movement within the site and in relation to adjacent areas;
6. Protect the desirable aspects of the natural landscape and environmental features of the city by minimizing the undesirable impacts of proposed developments on the physical environment; and
7. Minimize conflicts that might otherwise be created by a mix of uses within an allowed area.
B. The site plan review is not intended to determine whether a particular land use activity is appropriate on a particular site.
C. Land uses that are otherwise permitted in this title shall not be denied through the site plan review process unless such uses cannot meet the development standards required for the use.
D. Site plan review shall be consolidated with other land use permit approvals pursuant to TMC Title 14, Development Code Administration.
E. Site plan review does not replace any required environmental, land division or zoning approvals.
(Ord. O2024-005, Added, 12/03/2024)
18.55.020 Applicability.
A. Site plan elements subject to this chapter include, but are not limited to:
1. Site layout;
2. Building orientation;
3. Pedestrian and vehicular access;
4. Signage;
5. Landscaping and natural features of the site;
6. Integration of stormwater management techniques;
7. Screening and buffering;
8. Parking and loading arrangements, and illumination; and
9. Design review.
B. Site planning is the horizontal and vertical arrangement of the elements in subsection A of this section that is compatible with the city’s comprehensive plan and regulations, and the physical characteristics of a site and the surrounding area.
C. Site plan review shall be required in the following instances:
1. Construction or expansion of new facilities or structures, except for individual single-family dwellings, duplexes, triplexes, quadplexes, townhouses, and stacked units; or
2. Where, in the opinion of the director, the magnitude and character of the project is sufficiently complex to warrant site plan review, or the project could result in an adverse effect on adjacent properties or the subject property or other public facilities if not planned early and carefully.
(Ord. O2024-005, Added, 12/03/2024)
18.55.030 Exemptions.
A. Site plan review shall not be required for remodeling existing buildings or structures provided:
1. The alterations conform with any prior approved site plan review approval; or
2. The alterations do not modify the existing site layout.
B. The following types of uses are not exempt from site plan review unless they meet the conditions of subsection A of this section:
1. Individual single-family dwellings, duplexes, triplexes, or quadplexes located on property with critical areas; or
2. Two or more single-family dwellings, duplexes, triplexes, or quadplexes built on the same lot.
(Ord. O2024-005, Added, 12/03/2024)
18.55.040 Application requirements.
A. Site plan review applications shall not be accepted for processing until the applicant has scheduled and attended a preapplication conference pursuant to TMC 14.14.020.
B. For any project requiring a site plan approval as identified in TMC 18.55.020, a site plan review application shall be submitted to the community development department for review and approval pursuant to TMC Chapter 14.12 as either a Type I land use permit application, if SEPA review is not required, or as a Type II land use permit application, if SEPA review is required.
C. Application for site plan review shall include the information required by TMC 14.14.030, unless waived by the director.
(Ord. O2024-005, Added, 12/03/2024)
18.55.050 Review process.
A. Upon receipt of the complete site plan review application, the director shall circulate the site plan review application pursuant to the requirements of TMC 14.16.040.
B. Site plan review applications shall be reviewed as either a Type I land use permit application, if SEPA review is not required, or as a Type II land use permit application, if SEPA review is required.
C. Modifications and conditions may be imposed to meet city regulations and to the extent reasonably necessary to eliminate or minimize adverse effects on adjacent properties, subject properties, or public facilities.
1. The decision to require modifications or conditions shall be based upon the following factors:
a. Noise level;
b. Traffic flow, internal circulation, sight obstruction, and parking;
c. Drainage and flood control;
d. Location, size, and availability of public facilities;
e. Requests for variance or conditional use;
f. Environmental or land division approvals;
g. Effect of the project on adjacent and surrounding properties; and
h. Landscaping, and site or building design.
D. Modifications and conditions required by the director shall be limited to:
1. Location, dimensions, and method of improvements to all property to be dedicated to the public or to public utilities including, but not limited to, street right-of-way and utility easements;
2. Location, size, dimensions of yards, courts, setbacks, and all other open spaces between buildings and structures;
3. Location, dimensions, and method of improvement of all driveways, curbs and gutters, parking areas, walkways and means of access, ingress and egress, and drainage;
4. Location, size, bulk, exterior surfaces, height, and number of stories of all buildings and structures, including signs, walls, and fences;
5. Location, size, dimensions, design elements, and materials used in landscaped areas; and
6. Improvements to city standards of adjacent streets by the applicant, including paving, curbs, gutters, sidewalks, provisions of streetlights, and traffic-control facilities where the city determines that traffic generation, flow, and circulation patterns warrant such improvement.
(Ord. O2024-005, Added, 12/03/2024)
18.55.060 Appeals.
Appeals of decisions by the director relating to site plan applications may be appealed to the hearing examiner by submitting to the city clerk a written notice of appeal within fourteen days of the director’s decision.
(Ord. O2024-005, Added, 12/03/2024)
18.55.070 Duration of site plan approval.
A. The approval of a site plan shall vest the applicant to the land use regulations in effect at the time of the application for a period of eighteen months after approval; provided, that the applicant files a complete application for a building permit within this time frame.
B. The director may grant an extension pursuant to TMC 14.10.070(B).
(Ord. O2024-005, Added, 12/03/2024)
18.55.080 Exception to duration of approval for phased projects.
A. Phasing Permitted.
1. For development proposed on only a portion of a particular site, an applicant may choose to submit a site plan application for either the entire site or a portion of the site.
2. For development proposed on only a portion of a particular site, the application shall clearly state the area of the portion of the site and the proposed development, including phases, for which site plan approval is being requested.
3. In every case, the site plan application and review shall cover at least that portion of the site which is directly related to or may be impacted by the actual proposed development, as determined by the director.
B. Authority for Extension of Time.
1. The director may grant site plan approval for large projects planned to be developed or redeveloped in phases over a period of years, exceeding the normal time limits of this chapter.
2. Such approval shall include clearly defined phases and specific time limits for each phase.
C. Expiration of Phase(s).
1. If the time limits of a particular phase are not satisfied then site plan approval for that phase and subsequent phases shall expire.
2. The director shall determine if such a phased project will be eligible for any extensions of the time limits.
D. Vesting.
1. If the development of a phased project conforms to the approved phasing plan, the land use regulations in effect at the time of the original approval shall continue to apply.
2. However, all construction shall conform to the current regulations in TMC Title 15, Buildings and Construction, and stormwater regulations in force at the time of a complete building permit application.
(Ord. O2024-005, Added, 12/03/2024)
18.55.090 Minor modifications.
A. Minor modifications to an approved site plan may be permitted by the director.
B. To be considered a minor modification, the amendment must not:
1. Involve more than a ten percent increase in area or scale of the development in the approved site plan;
2. Have a significantly greater impact on the environment and facilities than the approved site plan; or
3. Change the boundaries of the originally approved site plan.
(Ord. O2024-005, Added, 12/03/2024)
18.55.100 Major modifications.
A. Major modifications to an approved site plan require a new application.
B. The review and approval shall be by the approval body which approved the original site plan.
C. Major modifications involve a substantial change in the basic site design plan, intensity, density, use and the like involving more than a ten percent change in area or scale.
(Ord. O2024-005, Added, 12/03/2024)
18.55.110 Compliance.
No person shall violate or fail to comply with the provisions of this chapter or any adopted site plan approval or any conditions or provisions thereof, nor shall a building permit be issued for any structure which would violate or fail to comply with any adopted site plan approval for the parcel or parcels on which such structure is to be located.
(Ord. O2024-005, Added, 12/03/2024)
18.55.120 Penalty for noncompliance.
A. Anyone found in violation of this chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor as defined in TMC Chapter 1.10.
B. Each day the violation continues may be considered as a separate violation.
(Ord. O2024-005, Added, 12/03/2024)