This chapter establishes procedures for preliminary screening of development projects ("prescreening"). This chapter is intended to achieve, and shall be implemented to accomplish, the following purposes:
(a) To maximize opportunities for meaningful public discussion of development projects, at the earliest feasible time, for the guidance of the public, project proponents and city decision makers. Prescreening is intended to focus on purpose, scope, conceptual design and other similar matters and is not intended to involve review of complete drawings and documentation.
(b) To focus public and environmental review of development projects on the issues of greatest significance to the community, including, but not limited to, planning concerns, neighborhood compatibility, Comprehensive Plan consistency, economics, social costs and benefits, fiscal costs and benefits, technological factors, and legal issues. These procedures are not intended to permit or foreclose debate on the merits of approval or disapproval of any given development project.
(c) To provide members of the public with the opportunity to obtain early information about development projects in which they may have an interest.
(d) To provide project proponents with the opportunity to obtain early, non-binding preliminary comments on development projects to encourage sound and efficient private decisions about how to proceed.
(e) To encourage early communication between elected and appointed public officials and staff with respect to the implementation of city policies, standards, and regulations on particular development projects.
(f) To facilitate orderly and consistent implementation of the City's Comprehensive Plan and development regulations.
(Ord. 5359 § 1 (part), 2015)