CHAPTER 4
TYPES OF PERMIT ACTIONS

SECTION:

15-4-1: Procedures For Processing Permit Applications

15-4-2: Determination Of Procedure Type

15-4-3: Exemptions

15-4-1: PROCEDURES FOR PROCESSING PERMIT APPLICATIONS:

All development permit applications shall be classified as one of the following: type 1, type 2, type 2a, type 3, type 3a or type 4. Legislative decisions are type 5 actions. Exclusions from the requirements of permit applications procedures are included at section 15-4-3 of this chapter. Table 15-4-1 of this section describes the city's permit processing procedures.

TABLE 15-4-1

	Procedure For Permit Applications						Legislative
	Type 1	Type 2	Type 2a	Type 3	Type 3a	Type 4	Type 5
Recommendation by	n/a	n/a	Administrator	n/a	n/a	Planning commission	Planning commission
Final decision by	Administrator	Administrator	Planning commission	Hearing examiner	Planning commission	City council	City council
Notice of application	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Open record public hearing or open record appeal of final decision	Only if appealed. Open record hearing with hearing examiner	Only if appealed. Open record hearing with hearing examiner	Only if appealed. Open record hearing with hearing examiner; recommendati on made by hearing examiner to the city council	Yes, before hearing examiner	Yes, before planning commission	Yes, before planning commission	Yes, before planning commission
Closed record appeal/final decision	No, unless appealed to council	No, unless appealed to council	City council	No, unless appealed to council	No, unless appealed to council	Yes, before council	Yes, or council may hold another public hearing
Judicial appeal	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes (or appeal to the Growth Management Hearings Board, as applicable)

 

Table 15-4-2 of this section describes the types of decisions rendered in each permit procedure category.

TABLE 15-4-2
DECISIONS

 

Type 1 (Administrator)	Type 2 (Administrator)	Type 2a (Planning Commission)	Type 3 (Examiner)	Type 3a (Planning Commission)	Type 4 (Council)	Type 5 (Council)
Permitted uses; boundary line adjustments; cottage development; home occupations; minor amendments to subdivisions and PUD; nonconforming use permit; temporary construction trailer; minor amendments to site plans; final plats; mobile/ manufactured home parks or subdivisions; binding site plans	Short plats; land clearing and grading; shoreline permits; administrative variances; administrative interpretations; landscape plan modifications; alternative landscape plans; site plans and major amendments thereto 2	Architectural design review; sign permits	Conditional use permits1; general variances; sign permit variances; certain appeals	Sign code hardship variances; plat vacations and alterations; major amendments to PUDs	Preliminary plats; preliminary PUDs; final PUDs; certain appeals	Comprehensive plan amendments; development regulations; shoreline master program amendments; zoning text amendments; zoning map amendments; annexations; development agreements

Notes:

1.   All applications for conditional use permit approval shall be accompanied by a site plan.

2.   In accordance with RCW 35.70B.140(3) projects with only interior alterations are exempted from site plan review provided no new sleeping quarters or bedrooms are added and certain other thresholds are not exceeded.

(Ord. 778, 10-30-2003, eff. 11-11-2003; amd. Ord. 830, 6-28-2006; Ord. 886, 9-8-2010; Ord. 2021-1073, 3-10-2021; Ord. 2021-1074, 3-10-2021; Ord. 2024-1136, 12-11-2024)

15-4-2: DETERMINATION OF PROCEDURE TYPE:

   A.   The administrator shall determine the proper procedure for all development applications. Questions concerning an appropriate procedure for a specific project shall be resolved by using the higher numbered procedure.

   B.   An application that involves two (2) or more procedures may be processed collectively under the highest numbered procedure that is required for any part of the application. (Ord. 778, 10-30-2003, eff. 11-11-2003; amd. Ord. 2024-1136, 12-11-2024)