Richard Rutz,
			Sr. Planner
		Debra "D.J." Sessner,
			Sr. Planner
		Lynda Guernsey,
			Departmental Assistant

 

Under Section 130 of the Growth Management Act, the County may consider and make changes to the Comprehensive Plan and its land-use maps once each year. Any interested person, organization, agency, business, or tribe may submit suggestions, proposals, or requests to the County for changes to the Comprehensive Plan or the regulations of the UDC, or for non-site-specific changes to the Comp Plan's Official Maps. (Note: a request for a site-specific map redesignation of a parcel has more specific application requirements and a more limited submittal period under the UDC, Section 18.90.030: see the Redesignations page.)

In accordance with this direction, the County has established a docket for the annual receipt, registration, processing, and consideration of suggested amendments. The full set of submittals for amendments may be examined at the Community Development and Planning Department.

Submittal procedures are described below. Note: submittals do not need to use the County forms, but must provide the required information and signatures.

Time Period and Notice

Application Period. Suggestions, proposals, or requests for amendments may be submitted to the Community Development and Planning Department at any time during the year. To be considered in the annual amendment process, submittals must be received no later than the end of January. Submittals that are received after the end of January will be considered in the amendment process for the following year.

Thus, submittals for Docket 2004 must be received by January 31, 2004. Submittals that are received Feb. 1, 2004 through Jan. 31, 2005 will be considered in the amendment process for the year 2005.

Notice. The County will publish a legal notice(s) in the official County newspaper each year, as well as provide continuing notice and information on the County's website to inform the public of the opportunity to submit suggestions, proposals or requests for amendments to the Comprehensive Plan and UDC. All suggestions and requests will be considered at advertised public hearings before the Planning Commission and Board of County Commissioners, in accordance with state law and County requirements. Notice of public hearings or public meetings will be provided to the public as set forth in the UDC Section 18.80.030(C) SJCC, and all other notice required by RCW 36.32.120 will be provided.

Review and Decision Procedures

All proposed amendments to the Comprehensive Plan and Unified Development Code will be handled according to the procedures established in the Comprehensive Plan and in the UDC, Sections 18.90.010, .020, and .030 SJCC. Nothing in UDC Chapter 18.90 SJCC, or in the permit processing procedures of the UDC, shall limit the authority of the BOCC to make changes to the County's Comprehensive Plan or the UDC as part of an annual revision process.

•	Community Development and Planning Department Review and Recommendations. Each year at the beginning of February the Long-Range Planning staff of the Community Development and Planning Department will evaluate all suggestions and requests for amendments, and will prepare recommendations for a hearing before the Planning Commission at its regular September meeting. Department recommendations will not generally involve extensive analysis of issues, but will consider the problem to be resolved, applicable direction from state laws and regulations, and where applicable, alternative solutions and available budget and staffing. Should detailed analysis be needed, this will be conducted once the Planning Commission or BOCC have selected the issues for action or for the Department's work program—see below. In addition to the Department's recommendations, the full set of suggestions and requests will be provided to the Planning Commission for its consideration.
•	Planning Commission Consideration and Recommendations. The Planning Commission will consider the requests for amendments, and the Community Development and Planning Department's recommendations, in a public hearing. The Planning Commission and the Department will then make recommendations to the BOCC following the hearing. In addition to these recommendations for action, the full set of suggestions and requests will be provided to the BOCC for its consideration.
•	BOCC Consideration and Decision.The BOCC will consider the requests for amendments, and the recommendations of the Planning Commission and of the Community Development and Planning Department, and will determine 1) which proposals to approve for amendment, 2) which proposals to refer to the Department for further staff work (as part of the Department's work program for the following year), and 3) which proposals will not be approved. The BOCC may, at its option, consider the Planning Commission's recommendation in a public meeting or hearing held in accordance with the requirements of the Comprehensive Plan.
•	Other Reviews and Notice. Any amendments are subject to environmental review and public notice. The Community Development and Planning Department will also formally notify the state Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development (DCTED) of the County's intent to adopt amendments to the Comprehensive Plan or UDC at least sixty days prior to final adoption as required by the GMA.
•	Final Action and Implementation. Final action is reserved for the BOCC. The BOCC's decision shall become effective by passage of an ordinance or resolution, and publication of a notice of implementation. For changes to the Shoreline Master Program, this action is further subject to certification by the Washington Department of Ecology (WDOE) as required by RCW 90.58.120. Within ten days of final adoption the county will transmit a copy of the amended Comprehensive Plan and UDC sections to DCTED, and a copy of the amended Shoreline Master Program sections to the WDOE.
•	Appeal Procedures. BOCC decisions on amendments or on requests for site-specific map redesignations may be appealed to the Western Washington Growth Management Hearing Board per UDC Section 18.90.030(G) of the UDC by filing a Petition for Review with the Western Washington Growth Management Hearings Board within sixty days of publication of notice of adoption or action taken, in accordance with RCW 36.70A.290(2). A decision by the WDOE to approve, adopt by rule, or deny a proposed Shoreline Master Program amendment may be appealed to the Growth Management Hearing Board as provided in RCW 90.58.190 and Chapter 461–08 WAC.

The County-provided forms do not need to be used to submit proposals or suggestions for amendment. However, the following information is required for all proposals, suggestions or requests for amendment:
 

1.	Name, address, and phone number of the person(s) or other interested party(ies) who is(are) submitting the suggestions or requests for amendment.
2.	Description of the suggested or proposed amendment: • Describe your suggestion or proposal for amending the Plan, UDC, or Maps; • Provide suggested new language or new wording that would meet your concerns; and  • Provide a reference to the particular section or sections of the Comprehensive Plan or UDC that you think should be amended.
3.	Describe how the policies or regulations in their current form affect you or your organization, and how the change would benefit you if it were made.
4.	Fully explain the reasons why the change should be made, and why it is in the public interest. Describe how the proposed change will: • Correct an incorrect citation or description, or an obvious omission; • Correct an inconsistency or improve consistency within the documents or with state law (indicate specifically what the inconsistency is, and the specific policies or regulations that you believe to be inconsistent); or  • Address an issue or problem that is not satisfactorily addressed by the current documents, or on which the documents are silent.
5.	Signature(s) of the person(s) who is(are) submitting the proposal for amendment. If an agent is submitting the proposal, the agent must demonstrate that he or she is authorized to submit this application on behalf of the person or organization.

For further information. If you have questions or need assistance, please contact the Community Development and Planning Department at the Courthouse Annex or by phoning (360) 378-2393.

Note: Documents that are formatted as .pdf files require the use of the free Adobe® Reader®. If you do not already have this installed, you may get it by clicking this hyperlink.

Amendment Forms and Information Note: These forms are provided for your convenience. Submittals do not need to use these forms, but must provide the required information and signatures. • Request for Comp Plan/UDC Amendment.pdf. This .pdf file (Acrobat format) can be viewed or printed from this Web site or from your computer.  (151 kB) • Request for Comp Plan/UDC Amendment.doc. This Word 97-format file can be downloaded and used to directly fill out the forms using your word processor. (49 kB)

 

Supportive Information • Comprehensive Plan • Unified Development Code (UDC) • Official Maps