Chapter 16.16
DOCUMENT COMMENTING

Sections:

16.16.010    Adoption by reference.

16.16.020    Public notice requirements.

16.16.030    Consulted agency responsibilities – Official designated.

16.16.010 Adoption by reference.

This chapter contains rules for consulting, commenting and responding on all environmental documents under SEPA, including rules for public notice and hearing. The city adopts the following sections by reference, as supplemented in this chapter:

WAC

197-11-500    Purpose of this part

197-11-502    Inviting comment

197-11-504    Availability and cost of environmental documents

197-11-508    SEPA register

197-11-535    Public hearings and meetings

197-11-545    Effect of no comment

197-11-550    Specificity of comments

197-11-560    FEIS response to comments

197-11-570    Consulted agency costs to assist lead agency

(Ord. 84-339 § 5(A), 1984)

16.16.020 Public notice requirements.

A. Whenever the city issues a DNS under WAC 197-11-340(2) or a DS under WAC 197-11-360(3), the city shall give public notice as follows:

1. If public notice is required for a nonexempt license, the notice shall state whether a DS or DNS has been issued and when comments are due.

2. If no public notice is required for the permit or approval, the city shall have notice of the DNS or DS by:

a. Posting the property, for site-specific proposals;

b. Publishing notice in a newspaper of general circulation in the county, city or general area where the proposal is located;

c. Notifying public or private groups which have expressed interest in a certain proposal or in the type of proposal being considered;

d. Notifying the news media;

e. Placing notices in appropriate regional, neighborhood, ethnic or trade journals; and/or

f. Publishing notice in agency newsletters and/or sending notice to agency mailing lists (either general lists or lists for specific proposals for subject areas).

3. Whenever the city issues a DS under WAC 197-11-360(3), the city shall state the scoping procedure for the proposal in the DS as required in WAC 197-11-408 and in the public notice.

B. Whenever the city issues a DEIS under WAC 197-11-455(5) or an SEIS under WAC 197-11-620, notice of the availability of those documents shall be given by:

1. Indicating the availability of the DEIS in any public notice required for a nonexempt license by:

a. Posting the property, for site-specific proposals;

b. Publishing notice in a newspaper of general circulation in the county, city, or general area where the proposal is located;

c. Notifying public or private groups which have expressed interest in a certain proposal or in the type of proposal being considered;

d. Notifying the news media; and/or

e. Publishing notice in agency newsletters and/or sending notice to agency mailing lists (general lists or specific lists for proposals or subject areas).

C. Whenever possible, the city shall integrate the public notice required under this section with existing notice procedures for the city’s nonexempt permit(s) or approval(s) required for the proposal.

D. The city may require an applicant to complete the public notice requirements for the applicant’s proposal at his or her expense. (Ord. 84-339 § 5(B), 1984)

16.16.030 Consulted agency responsibilities - Official designated.

A. The mayor or his designees shall be responsible for preparation of written comments for the city in response to the consultation request prior to a threshold determination, participation in scoping, and reviewing DEIS.

B. This official shall be responsible for the city’s compliance with WAC 197-11-550 whenever the city is a consulted agency and is authorized to develop operating procedures that will ensure that responses to consultation request are prepared in a timely fashion and include data from all appropriate departments of the city. (Ord. 84-339 § 5(C), 1984)