Spokane Municipal Code

***Note: Many local criminal codes can now be located under Chapter 10.60 SMC while others are now cited under the Revised Code of Washington (RCW), which was incorporated into the municipal code in 2022. (See SMC 10.58.010). Code Enforcement, including Noise Control and Animal Regulations are located in Chapters 10.62 through 10.74.

Chapter 17G.020

Sections 17G.020.010...

Title 17G Administration and Procedures

Chapter 17G.020 Comprehensive Plan Amendment Procedure

Section 17G.020.010 Purpose and Guiding Principles

This chapter establishes the procedure and decision criteria that the City will use to review and amend the comprehensive plan, including the annual public participation process for proposals to amend the comprehensive plan. All actions taken during the amendment process are legislative actions. These actions include amendments to the land use plan map and/or text of the comprehensive plan.

The guiding principles of the annual amendment process are as follows:

1. Keep the comprehensive plan alive and responsive to the community.

1. Provide for simultaneous review of proposals to allow for cumulative impact analysis of all applications on a City-wide basis and in conjunction with budget decisions.

1. Make map adjustments based on a foundation in policy language, consistently applying those concepts citywide.

1. Honor the community’s long-term investment in the comprehensive plan, through public participation and neighborhood planning processes, by not making changes lightly.

1. Encourage development that will enable our whole community to prosper and reinforce our sense of place and feeling of community, in an ecologically, economically and socially sustainable manner.

1. Amendments to the comprehensive plan must result in a net benefit to the general public.

Scope of Amendments. A proposed plan amendment may include additions, deletions, corrections, updates, modifications or revisions to:

1. Comprehensive plan maps, goals and policies in the various elements, including the capital facilities program and other supporting documents;

1. Regulations that implement the comprehensive plan, including the land use code or zoning map, the shoreline master program and critical areas regulations;

1. Administrative and regulatory procedures that implement the comprehensive plan; or

1. The comprehensive plan or its implementation measures, as necessitated by annexation action.

1. Proposed amendments may not include amendments to the urban growth area boundary.

Date Passed: Monday, August 21, 2017

Effective Date: Saturday, October 7, 2017

ORD C35536 Section 1

Section 17G.020.010 Purpose and Guiding Principles

This chapter establishes the procedure and decision criteria that the City will use to review and amend the comprehensive plan, including the annual public participation process for proposals to amend the comprehensive plan. All actions taken during the amendment process are legislative actions. These actions include amendments to the land use plan map and/or text of the comprehensive plan.

The guiding principles of the annual amendment process are as follows:

1. Keep the comprehensive plan alive and responsive to the community.

1. Provide for simultaneous review of proposals to allow for cumulative impact analysis of all applications on a City-wide basis and in conjunction with budget decisions.

1. Make map adjustments based on a foundation in policy language, consistently applying those concepts citywide.

1. Honor the community’s long-term investment in the comprehensive plan, through public participation and neighborhood planning processes, by not making changes lightly.

1. Encourage development that will enable our whole community to prosper and reinforce our sense of place and feeling of community, in an ecologically, economically and socially sustainable manner.

1. Amendments to the comprehensive plan must result in a net benefit to the general public.

Scope of Amendments. A proposed plan amendment may include additions, deletions, corrections, updates, modifications or revisions to:

1. Comprehensive plan maps, goals and policies in the various elements, including the capital facilities program and other supporting documents;

1. Regulations that implement the comprehensive plan, including the land use code or zoning map, the shoreline master program and critical areas regulations;

1. Administrative and regulatory procedures that implement the comprehensive plan; or

1. The comprehensive plan or its implementation measures, as necessitated by annexation action.

1. Proposed amendments may not include amendments to the urban growth area boundary.

Date Passed: Monday, August 21, 2017

Effective Date: Saturday, October 7, 2017

ORD C35536 Section 1