14.25.040 Application and docketing procedures.
(1) Who May Apply.
(a) Any person may apply for an area-wide map amendment or a text amendment to the comprehensive plan.
(b) A property owner or authorized agent of a property owner may apply for a site-specific amendment to the comprehensive plan.
(c) Any person or group may informally suggest a comprehensive plan amendment to the City Council and request their sponsorship for area-wide amendments. Agreement to sponsor such an amendment is at the discretion of the City Council.
(d) Amendment proposals submitted through the formal application process by private individuals or groups shall be deemed “privately initiated.” Privately initiated proposals shall not include those sponsored by the City Council.
(e) The City Council, Planning Commission, or Community Development Director may initiate consideration of an amendment to the comprehensive plan and submit it during the designated time period for applications. Such proposals shall be deemed “City-initiated.”
(2) Application. Each year the City shall designate a period of no less than 60 days during which it will officially accept applications for proposed comprehensive plan amendments. At least 30 days prior to that period, the City will make information on the comprehensive plan amendment process available to the public through a variety of media. The City shall establish additional application procedures and make those available to the public.
(3) Three-Year Limitation. A specific property, policy topic or land use issue shall not be the subject of a comprehensive plan amendment proposal initiated by the public and reviewed by the City more frequently than once every three years, measured by three annual amendment cycles. When new property is added to a previously submitted, substantially similar amendment proposal due to geographic expansion by the City, the following shall apply:
(a) If the original proposal was not selected for the final docket, the new proposal is not subject to the three-year limitation.
(b) If the original proposal was selected for the final docket, but was not adopted pursuant to final City Council review and action, the new proposal is subject to the three-year limitation.
(4) Fees. Applications submitted by private individuals or groups are subject to fees as set forth in the current fee resolution. Proposals for which an applicant pays a fee that are rejected in the initial review shall be subject to refund as set forth in the current fee resolution. Applicants may also be responsible for fees related to environmental analysis and review (SEPA process) if these are required by the nature of the amendment. No fees shall apply to City-initiated amendment proposals.
(5) Docketing. The City shall compile and maintain a list, known as a “docket,” of all City-initiated and privately initiated proposed comprehensive plan amendments. The list shall be organized as to amendment type and include a description of the amendment in nontechnical terms, as well as the name of the applicant and date of submission to the City. The preliminary docket shall be made available to the public for review and comment for at least 15 days prior to consideration by the Planning Commission. Written comments that are submitted by the end of the comment period shall be added to the preliminary docket. The final docket will be determined as described in CMC 14.25.050. (Ord. 24-08 § 2 (Exh. 1))