Spokane Municipal Code

Title 17G Administration and Procedures

Chapter 17G.020 Comprehensive Plan Amendment Procedure

Section 17G.020.070 Notification

1. Application Deadline.
   As a courtesy, the city will publish a reminder notice once in early August regarding each year’s amendment application deadlines.

2. Private Applicant.
   A private applicant assumes all responsibility for the costs and timely accomplishment of notice requirements related to their amendment proposal.

3. Text Changes.
   Notice of application and notice of plan commission public hearings related to comprehensive plan or development regulation text changes require legal notice in the newspaper, and notice in the Official Gazette, written notice to neighborhood councils impacted by the text change, and prominent display on the planning services department Web site. After the notice is performed, affidavits of publishing/posting/mailing are provided to the planning department by the applicant.

4. Map Changes.
   Notice of application and notice of plan commission public hearings related to comprehensive land use plan map amendments or area-wide rezones require legal notice in the newspaper, and notice in the Official Gazette, written notice to neighborhood councils impacted by the map change and prominent display on the planning services department Web site. If initiated by private application, additional requirements include individual notice, and posted notice, as specified in SMC 17G.061.210. In the case of an amendment proposal that could potentially affect multiple sites, requirements for individual notice shall apply to all potentially affected sites. The applicant submits affidavits of publication/posting/ mailing of the notice of public hearing to the planning services department at least ten days prior to the hearing.

5. City Council Hearing.
   Notice of city council hearings must be published in the Official Gazette, and shall also be published as a legal notice in the newspaper. Written notice shall be given to neighborhood councils impacted by the change and amendments shall be prominently displayed on the planning services department Web site.

6. City Council Decisions.
   City council decisions regarding comprehensive plan text or map amendments, development regulation text adoption or amendments, area-wide rezones or other land use decisions, regardless of whether initiated by private application, are legislative actions, and as such, only require notice in the Official Gazette. They do not require individual notice, even if numerous map changes could result from such an amendment. However, the city council may decide to provide notice of their decisions on site-specific or area-wide land use amendment proposals according to SMC 17G.061.320.

7. Duration, Content of Notice.
   Notice of plan commission public hearings shall be published at least fourteen days in advance of the hearing. Notice of city council public hearings must be published at least fourteen days before the hearing is scheduled to take place. When appropriate, notices should announce the availability of relevant draft documents upon request on the planning services department Web site.

8. Transmittal to State, Notice of Intent to Adopt.
   At least sixty days prior to final adoption, copies of proposed amendments to the comprehensive plan or development regulations (e.g., application, staff report, draft ordinance) must be provided to the Washington state) department of commerce (Commerce) for their review and comment. In addition, copies of adopted amendments must be transmitted to Commerce within ten days after final adoption (RCW 36.70A.106, WAC 365-195-620).

Date Passed: Monday, August 21, 2017

Effective Date: Saturday, October 7, 2017

ORD C35536 Section 9