Chapter 18.59
OLYMPIA COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT PROCESS
18.59.000 Chapter Contents
Sections:
18.59.010 Plan amendment procedures.
18.59.020 Preliminary review and evaluation criteria.
18.59.030 Council approval of final docket.
18.59.040 Final review and evaluation.
18.59.050 Decision criteria for rezone requests.
18.59.060 Planning Commission and City Council review and adoption process.
18.59.070 Timing and exemptions.
18.59.080 Notification of comprehensive plan amendment process.
18.59.010 Plan Amendment Procedures
Individual and agency initiated proposals to amend the Olympia Comprehensive Plan shall be submitted to the Department on forms provided by the City. Proposals may be submitted at any time; however, to be considered in the same calendar year, they must be submitted by the deadline set by the City Council, unless otherwise specifically authorized by the City Council. All proposals shall be considered collectively once each year except in the case of an emergency as determined by the City Council (see Timing and Exemptions). The Comprehensive Plan Amendment calendar shall be approved by the City Council. No fee shall be charged at this proposal stage. The Department shall maintain a log or docket of all such proposals including a summary of the proposal, the principal proponent’s name and address, the date on which the proposal was submitted, and its review status.
(Ord. 5792 §1, 1998).
18.59.020 Preliminary review and evaluation criteria
A. Prior to City Council action, the Department shall conduct a preliminary review and evaluation of proposed amendments, including rezones, and assess the extent of review that would be required under the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA). The preliminary review and evaluation shall also include any review by other departments deemed necessary by the Department, and except as provided in 18.58.080 shall be based on the following criteria:
1. Is the proposed amendment consistent with the county-wide planning policies, the Growth Management Act (GMA), other state or federal law, or the Washington Administrative Code?
2. Would the proposed amendment cause little or no adverse environmental impacts and, is the time required to analyze impacts available within the time frame of the standard annual review process?
3. Is sufficient analysis completed to determine any need for additional capital improvements and revenues to maintain level-of-service, and is the time required for this analysis available within the time frame for this annual review process?
4. Can the proposed amendment be considered now without conflicting with some other Comprehensive Plan established timeline?
5. Can the proposed amendment be acted on without significant other amendments or revisions not anticipated by the proponents and is the time required for processing those amendments or revisions available within the time frame of this annual review process?
6. If the proposed amendment was previously reviewed, ruled upon or rejected, has the applicant identified reasons to review the proposed amendment again?
B. If the Department determines that the answer to any of the above questions is no, it may recommend to the City Council that the proposed amendment or revision not be further processed in the current amendment review cycle. Upon direction from City Council, Department staff will inform those whose proposed amendments or revisions will not be considered because (a) impact analysis beyond the scope of the amendment process is needed; (b) the request does not meet preliminary criteria; or (c) likelihood of inclusion of the proposal in a department’s work program. Proponents may resubmit proposals to the department at any time, subject to the timelines contained in this chapter.
(Ord. 5792 §1, 1998).
18.59.030 Council approval of final docket
A. The Department shall compile a list giving the status of all proposed amendments, including rezones, and forward the list to the City Council. The City Council shall review all such proposals, determine which are appropriate and worthy of further review and consideration, and move those to the Planning Commission for review and public hearing. (See Preliminary Review and Evaluation Criteria.)
B. The list approved by the City Council shall be known as the final docket. The Department shall notify proponents of the items on the docket that will be moved to the Planning Commission for review. Proponents shall be required to submit an application and shall pay such fee as may be established by the City Council. Proponents of the proposals not moved to the Planning Commission shall also be notified of the Council’s decision. Department and City initiated proposals are exempt from application fees. Information about the amendment process and the schedule shall be distributed with final application forms.
(Ord. 5792 §1, 1998).
18.59.040 Final review and evaluation
A. The Department shall distribute the final docket of proposed amendments, including rezones, to any state or local agency which is required by law to receive notice of proposed amendments and revisions to the Comprehensive Plan and implementing development regulations within the time required. In addition, the Department shall distribute the final docket of proposed amendments to recognized neighborhood associations and other affected interests identified by the City Council. The Department shall include issues identified in amendment proposal analyses and conduct any review required by SEPA of the proposed amendments, including rezones, listed on the final docket.
B. The Department shall prepare a report including any recommendations on each proposed amendment, including rezones, on the final docket and forward the report to the Planning Commission. At a minimum the Planning Commission recommendation and the Council decision should address the following:
1. Does the proposed amendment or revision maintain consistency with other plan elements or development regulations? If not, are amendments or revisions to other plan elements or regulations necessary to maintain consistency with the current final docket that will be considered by the Planning Commission and the City Council?
2. Is the proposed amendment or rezone consistent with the goals of the Comprehensive Plan?
3. Is the proposed amendment or revision consistent with the county-wide planning policies?
4. Does the proposed amendment or rezone comply with the requirements of the GMA?
(Ord. 5792 §1, 1998).
18.59.050 Decision criteria for rezone requests
The Department shall forward rezone requests to the Planning Commission for review and recommendation and to the City Council for consideration for review and action. The following criteria will be used to evaluate the rezone request.
A. The rezone is consistent with an approved amendment to the future land use map.
B. The rezone is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan; and
C. The rezone will maintain the public health, safety, or welfare; and
D. The rezone is warranted in order to achieve consistency with the Comprehensive Plan, or because of a need for additional property in the proposed land use district classification, or because the proposed zoning classification is appropriate for reasonable development of the subject property; and
E. The rezone will not be materially detrimental to uses or property in the immediate vicinity of the subject property.
Rezone requests not accepted for review may be resubmitted by the proponent, subject to the timelines contained in this chapter.
(Ord. 5792 §1, 1998).
18.59.060 Planning Commission and City Council review and adoption process
A. Following one or more public hearings the Planning Commission shall forward its written recommendation regarding each amendment, including rezones, to the Council.
B. The Council shall review the recommendations of the Planning Commission, may hold a public hearing, and shall decide whether to adopt, modify and adopt, reject or defer to a later date, each proposed amendment, including rezones.
C. Each proponent shall be notified by mail of all public hearings and of the Council’s final decision.
(Ord. 5792 §1, 1998).
18.59.070 Timing and exemptions
A. The City will consider proposed amendments to the Comprehensive Plan only once each year, except when amendments are adopted as part of:
1. the adoption of a subarea plan;
2. the adoption or amendment of a shoreline master program under the procedures set forth in WAC 173-19;
3. the response to an existing emergency;
4. amendments necessitated by changes in state or federal laws;
5. the resolution of an appeal filed with the Growth Management Hearings Board or with a court; or
6. the amendment of a capital facilities element that occurs concurrently with the adoption or amendment of the city budget.
B. The Department will accept proposals for Comprehensive Plan amendments and revisions at any time; however, proposals or applications received after their established due dates will be considered in the next annual amendment review cycle.
However, Olympia and Thurston County have adopted a joint plan that includes goals, policies and regulations that they will jointly administer in Olympia’s urban growth area. Proposals and applications for urban growth area amendments, including rezones, applications must also meet County process requirements.
(Ord. 5792 §1, 1998).
18.59.080 Notification of comprehensive plan amendment process
Notification will be provided - See UDC Chapter 18.78.
(Ord. 5792 §1, 1998).