Public hearing process for planning applications

A. With the exception of section 19.510.020 (B) and the specific requirements of each application, the general processing requirement for all applications which require a public hearing by a planning commission shall be as follows: 1. The planning director shall set the application for public hearing on the agenda of the planning commission; 2. The planning director shall notify the applicant and the appropriate State and County agencies of the date of the public hearing not less than forty-five calendar days prior to the date of the public hearing; 3. The planning director shall publish the notice of the date, time, place, and subject matter of the public hearing once in a newspaper printed and issued at least twice weekly in the County and which is generally circulated throughout the County at least thirty calendar days prior to the date of the public hearing; 4. The applicant shall provide notice of the public hearing date on the application to the owners and lessees of record located within a five-hundred-foot distance from the parcel identified in the application by complying with the following procedures: a. The applicant shall: i. Mail a notice of the date of the public hearing of the application in a form prescribed by the director of planning by certified mail, return receipt requested, to each of the owners and lessees not less than thirty calendar days prior to the date of the public hearing, ii. Submit each of the return receipts for the certified mail to the planning director not less than ten business days prior to the date of the public hearing, and iii. Publish the subject matter, in a form prescribed by the planning director, once a week for three consecutive weeks prior to the date of the public hearing in a newspaper which is printed and issued at least twice weekly in the County and which is generally circulated throughout the County, b. For purposes of this section, notice shall be considered validly given if the applicant has made a good faith effort to comply with subsection (A)(4)(a) of this section; 5. The planning director shall transmit a report on the application to the planning commission, the applicant, the appropriate State and County agencies, and all interested persons not less than six business days prior to the date of the public hearing; 6. Except as provided in section 19.510.020A.7, after holding a public hearing, the planning commission: a. For applications which require final action by the County council, shall transmit its findings, conclusions, and recommendations to the County council, the applicant, public agencies, and all interested parties, and b. For applications which require final action by the planning commission, shall notify the applicant, public agencies, and interested parties of the action taken by the planning commission; 7. The commission shall transmit to the County council findings, conclusions, and recommendations for all changes in zoning and conditional use permits within ninety days, and within one hundred twenty days for all other applications requiring council approvals, after the application is deemed complete by the planning department. However, if a consolidated application for a community plan amendment and change in zoning is submitted, the findings, conclusions, and recommendations shall be transmitted within one hundred twenty days. B. All amendments to this title, including proposed zoning ordinances, land use ordinances, zoning maps, and regulations and any amendments or modifications thereto, may be proposed by the planning director, the County council or a planning commission and shall be processed as follows: 1. The planning director shall set the proposed amendment for public hearing on the agenda of the planning commission; 2. If a resolution of the County council initiated pursuant to the charter of the County is transmitted to the planning commission, the director shall set a public hearing date not later than sixty calendar days from the date of the receipt of the resolution of the County council and within one hundred twenty calendar days upon receipt of the resolution, the planning commission shall transmit its findings and recommendations to the County council. 3. The planning director shall notify the County council, and the appropriate State and County agencies, and those persons who requested notification of meetings pursuant to subsection A of this section. (Ord. 2316 § 3, 1994; Ord. 2032 § 5 (part), 1991)