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A. Amendment Schedule. The public can submit requests for amendments to the comprehensive plan at any time; however, they will only be processed in accordance with these procedures once a year and conform to the following generalized schedule in Table 22.74.010: Schedule for Comprehensive Plan Amendment Review:

Table 22.74.010. Schedule for Comprehensive Plan Amendment Review

Month

Action

May and June

City issues press releases, advertisements or other “effective” means of public notice soliciting public requests for comprehensive plan amendment applications.

Last Working Day in July

The annual deadline for public submittals (including fees) of proposed plan amendments closes. Citizen-initiated plan amendment requests submitted after the last working day in July of each year will be processed during the following review and amendment cycle.

August

City staff forwards all amendment requests to the city council. The city council will hold a public hearing, including a presentation by the applicants, on the proposed items for the docket and select which amendment applications, with or without modifications, should be considered, along with a review schedule.

September/October

City staff will begin review, analysis, and evaluation of docketed plan amendment proposals, including the SEPA threshold determination.

November

Staff presents the various amendment applications and analysis to the planning commission at a public hearing.

December through March

Planning commission reviews amendment applications and develops necessary plan amendments. Planning commission solicits public input through meetings and public hearings.

April

The planning commission holds a public hearing on the final proposal and forwards their recommendation to the city council.

May

City council considers recommendations and holds first reading of ordinance. Staff also forwards recommended plan amendments to Department of Commerce.

May through July

Department of Commerce mandatory 60-day review period.

July

City council takes final action on the plan amendments. Staff will transmit the approved amendments to Department of Commerce within 10 days of council adoption.

B. Cumulative Impacts. All plan amendment proposals shall be considered concurrently so that their cumulative impacts can be ascertained. The above schedule can be modified based on the number and complexity of the requested amendments.

C. Exemptions and Emergencies. The comprehensive plan may be amended no more than once a year, except for certain exemptions and emergencies. The following amendments may be considered more frequently than once a year:

1. Initial adoption of a sub-area or neighborhood plan(s) that does not modify the comprehensive plan policies and designations applicable to the subarea;

2. Adoption or amendment to a shoreline management program;

3. An emergency exists and findings are adopted by the city council (in resolution form) showing the amendment is necessary, due to an emergency situation of a neighborhood or citywide significance;

4. Resolution of an appeal of a comprehensive plan filed with a growth management hearings board or with a county, state or federal court; and

5. An amendment of the capital facilities element of the comprehensive plan that occurs concurrently with the adoption or amendment of the city budget.

6. Plan amendments related to annexation may be considered during the normal annexation process and need not necessarily be coordinated with the annual plan amendment schedule. (Ord. 005/2019 § 10 (Exh. B))