4-9-020 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ADOPTION AND AMENDMENT PROCESS:

A. PURPOSE:

The purpose of this section is to describe the procedures and review criteria for Comprehensive Plan amendments.

B. AUTHORITY:

The Growth Management Act (“GMA”) requires that an adopted Comprehensive Plan shall be subject to continuing review and evaluation and that any amendment or revision to the Comprehensive Plan conform to the requirements of Chapter 36.70A RCW, and that any change to development regulations or official controls is consistent with and implements the Comprehensive Plan. GMA requires that the City perform its activities and make capital budget decisions in conformity with the Comprehensive Plan. Additionally, GMA specifically requires that the City establish procedures whereby proposed amendments or revisions of the Comprehensive Plan are considered by City Council no more frequently than once every year, with the following exceptions: initial adoption of a subarea plan; adoption or amendment of a Shoreline Master Program; amendment of the Capital Facilities element; and whenever an emergency exists. Proposed amendments must be considered concurrently so the cumulative effect of the proposals can be ascertained.

C. INITIATION OF PROPOSED COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENTS:

1. The Mayor, City Council, or Planning Commission may initiate a Comprehensive Plan amendment by submitting the request in writing to the Community and Economic Development Administrator.

2. The Community and Economic Development Administrator may initiate Comprehensive Plan amendments that are necessary to ensure the consistency of the Comprehensive Plan, or other City plans and policies, with GMA.

3. Private parties may initiate a Comprehensive Plan amendment by submitting an application by October 15th for consideration the following year. (Ord. 5579, 11-15-2010; Ord. 5676, 12-3-2012)

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS:

1. The application and submittal requirements for amendments initiated by private parties are listed in RMC 4-8-120C, Land Use Applications. City-initiated amendments are exempt from formal application.

2. The fee for amendments initiated by private parties is listed in the City of Renton Fee Schedule. City-initiated amendments will not be assessed a fee.

3. Applications for Comprehensive Plan amendments shall not be accepted in the following circumstances, unless the amendment involves the correction of a technical error:

a. Applications which were submitted for amendment in the previous Comprehensive Plan amendment cycle that were denied;

b. Applications for amendment of the Comprehensive Plan land use map involving properties considered for amendment in the previous Comprehensive Plan amendment cycle;

c. Applications for amendment involving properties located within a community planning area in which the community planning process has been initiated; or where a community plan has been adopted within the two (2) years prior to the amendment cycle. (Ord. 5984, 10-26-2020)

E. REVIEW PROCESS:

1. Comprehensive Plan amendments shall be considered by the City Council concurrently, and no more frequently than once per year, unless the amendment is exempt by GMA from the annual amendment cycle.

2. Applications for Comprehensive Plan amendments by private parties shall be accepted by the Department of Community and Economic Development between August 1st and October 15th for consideration during the following year. (Ord. 5579, 11-15-2010)

3. City-initiated applications may be accepted at any time, but shall be initiated by March 15th for consideration during the current year’s amendment cycle. City-initiated applications accepted after March 15th will be considered during the next amendment cycle. This does not apply to amendments exempt from adoption during the annual cycle by GMA. (Ord. 5579, 11-15-2010)

4. The Department of Community and Economic Development shall conduct its review of Comprehensive Plan amendments concurrently with Planning Commission review. However, all departmental reporting and evaluation, including necessary environmental review, shall be completed prior to the Planning Commission making recommendations on the Comprehensive Plan amendments.

5. The Planning Commission shall consider all Comprehensive Plan amendments, unless exempt by GMA from the annual amendment cycle, concurrently so that the cumulative effect of the proposals can be ascertained.

6. Planning Commission shall forward a recommendation to the City Council after a public hearing.

7. Comprehensive Plan amendments shall be adopted by ordinance of the City Council.

F. REVIEW CRITERIA:

1. All Comprehensive Plan amendments will be evaluated on their merits based upon the following:

a. The effect upon the rate of growth, development, and conversion of land as envisioned in the Comprehensive Plan;

b. The effect upon the City’s capacity to provide adequate public facilities;

c. The effect upon the rate of population and employment growth;

d. Whether Comprehensive Plan objectives are being met as specified or remain valid and desirable;

e. The effect upon general land values and housing costs;

f. Whether capital improvements or expenditures, including transportation, are being made or completed as expected;

g. Whether the initiated amendment conforms to the requirements of the GMA, is internally consistent with the Comprehensive Plan, and is consistent with the County-wide Planning Policies for King County;

h. The effect upon critical areas and natural resource lands;

i. Consistency with locational criteria in the Comprehensive Plan and application requirements established in this section;

j. Consistency with the policies set forth in the Comprehensive Plan;

k. The effect upon other considerations as deemed necessary by the Department. (Ord. 5853, 8-7-17)

2. All applications must meet at least one of the following criteria:

a. The request supports the vision embodied in the Comprehensive Plan; or

b. The request supports the adopted business plan goals established by the City Council; or

c. The request eliminates conflicts with existing elements or policies; or

d. The request amends the Comprehensive Plan to accommodate new policy directives of the City Council.

3. Proposals that include a concurrent rezone proposal shall also comply with the decision criteria for a change of zone classification in RMC 4-9-180.

G. PUBLIC NOTICE AND COMMENT PERIOD:

1. Public Notice of Application: The applicant and the public shall be notified of the application for a Comprehensive Plan amendment at least ten (10) days prior to the first Planning Commission meeting in which the Department of Community and Economic Development reports on the amendment. Notice should consist of at least two (2) of the following methods: mailings to property owners potentially affected by the proposal, posting of at least three (3) notices in the area affected by the proposal, publication in the official newspaper if one has been designated, or in a newspaper of general circulation if one has not been designated, notice posted on the City’s website, or postings at City Hall and public libraries within the City.

2. Notice of Public Hearing before the Planning Commission: The public shall be notified at least ten (10) days prior to the date of the Planning Commission public hearing with a publication in the official newspaper if one has been designated, or a newspaper of general circulation if one has not been designated. The applicant and any parties of record shall also be sent a notice by mail at least ten (10) days prior to the date of the hearing.

3. Comment Period for Planning Commission Public Hearing: Written comments will be accepted for ten (10) days prior to the date of the public hearing until seven (7) days after the date of the public hearing, unless the comment period is extended by a vote of the Commission. Verbal comments will only be accepted at the time of the hearing. All comments, including those sent by electronic means, must be accompanied by the full name and mailing address of the person making the comment. (Ord. 3976, 3-3-1986; Ord. 4437, 2- 21-1994; Ord. 4722, 5-11-1998; Ord. 4794, 9-20-1999; Ord. 5516, 12-14-2009)