(A) Deadline for response.
(1) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter and notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, the city must approve or deny within 60 days a written request relating to zoning or septic system permits, licenses or any other governmental approval of an action.
(2) Failure of the city to deny a request within 60 days shall be considered approval of the request.
(3) If the city denies the request, it must state in writing the reasons for the denial at the time it denies the request.
(B) Applications; extensions.
(1) (a) The time limit in division (A) above begins upon the city's receipt of a written request containing all information required by law or by a previously adopted rule, ordinance or policy of the city.
(b) If the city receives a written request that does not contain all required information, the 60-day limit starts over only if the city sends notice within 10 business days of receipt of the request stating what information is missing.
(2) If an action relating to zoning or septic systems requires the approval of more than 1 state agency in the executive branch, the 60-day period in division (A) above begins to run for all executive branch agencies on the day a request containing all required information is received by 1 state agency. The city receiving the request must forward copies to those state agencies whose approval is required.
(3) A city response meets the 60-day time limit if the city can document that the response was sent within 60 days of receipt of the written request.
(4) (a) The time limit in division (A) above is extended if a state statute, federal law or court order requires a process to occur before the city can act on a request, and the time periods prescribed in the state statute, federal law or court order makes it impossible to act on the request within 60 days.
(b) In cases described in this subsection, the deadline is extended to 60 days after completion of the last process required in the applicable statute, law or order. Final approval of an agency receiving a request is not considered a process for purposes of this subsection.
(5) The time limit in division (A) above is extended if an application submitted to the city requires prior approval of a state or federal agency. In cases described in this division, the deadline for city action is extended to 60 days after the required prior approval is granted.
(6) The city may extend the timeline under this division before the end of the initial 60-day period by providing written notice of the extension to the applicant. The notification must state the reasons for the extension and its anticipated length, which may not exceed 60 days unless approved by the applicant.
(1987 Code, § 703.09)