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The county has many different types of preliminary development review, ranging in size from a sign for a commercial building to the master plan for the WSU campus and a two lot short plat to a 300-unit apartment complex. A summary of the reviews and procedures used is shown below.
These handouts provide more information about the land use processes:
Review types
| Review | Who receives public notice | General time frame for preliminary review | Decision maker |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type I | None | 21 days | Staff |
| Type II |
Property owners within 300 feet in urban area Property owners within 500 feet in rural area Neighborhood association Others who request it |
78 days | Staff |
| Type II-A | Same as Type II |
78 days - no hearing 92 days – with hearing |
Staff unless public hearing by hearings examiner is requested |
| Type III | Same as above | 92 days | Hearings examiner through public hearing process |
| Type IV |
Property owners within 300 feet in urban area (for Annual Reviews) Property owners within 500 feet in rural area (for Annual Reviews) Neighborhood association Others who request it |
Varies widely | Board of County Commissioners with recommendation from Planning Commission in most cases |
Examples of preliminary reviews
| Type I | Type II | Type II-A | Type III | Type IV | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accessory Dwelling Units (such as an apartment in basement of a single-family residence) | X | ||||
| Boundary Line Adjustment | X | ||||
| Legal Lot Determination | X | ||||
| Short Plat | X | ||||
| Site Plan Review (for commercial/ industrial development) | X | X | X | ||
| Conditional Use Permit (usually for commercial/ industrial development with unusual characteristics or impacts) | X | ||||
| Subdivision | X | ||||
| Annual Reviews (for example changing the comprehensive plan designation from residential to commercial) | X |
Procedure for preliminary, final and building reviews
Stage 1: Pre-Application – Pre-Application Conferences are required for most Type II, III and IV applications
- Permit Technicians provide information and assist applicants with understanding codes and laws.
- Applicant submits pre-application.
- Applicant and planning staff meet at pre-application conference to discuss project.
- Applicant receives pre-application report from staff.
Stage 2: Preliminary Development Approval – Basic process for all review types is similar, main differences include time frames and decision makers
- Applicant submits application.
- Staff reviews application for completeness.
- Surrounding property owners are notified of proposal.
- Staff reviews proposal for compliance with codes.
- Staff writes staff report and decision for Type I and Type II cases.
- Staff writes staff report, public hearing is conducted for Type III proposals, decision made by hearings examiner.
Stage 3: Final Development – Development Engineering in Public Works
- Engineering staff reviews detailed engineering drawings.
- Staff manages the approval of final site plans and final plats.
- Construction of environmental facilities/mitigation installations is inspected.
- Construction of site development such as roads, utilities and stormwater facilities is inspected.
Stage 4: Building
- Plans examiners review building plans for compliance with building safety codes.
- Permit Technicians issue building, plumbing, mechanical and related permits.
- Building construction is inspected and final occupancy is achieved.