A. 
Purpose. The purpose of this chapter is to establish the permit application and review procedure related to administration of development regulations.
B. 
This chapter contains review procedures for all project permits categorized as one of the following: Type I, Type II, Type III or Type IV. Process criteria specific to development actions are found in Title 15, Building and Construction, Title 16, Subdivisions, and Title 17, Zoning, as referenced in Table 19.01.002 D. Legislative decisions are Type V actions, and are addressed in CHMC § 19.01.005. Exclusions from the requirements of project permit application processing are contained in CHMC § 19.01.007. [RCW 36.70B.120.]
(Ord. 738 § 1, 1996; Ord. 1022, 8/12/2025)
A. 
Procedure Type. The project permit’s procedure type is set forth below in Table 19.01.002 D.
B. 
Determination of New or Unlisted Permit Types. In the case that a project permit is not listed in Table 19.01.002 D, the administrator shall determine the procedure type. In making this determination, the administrator shall resolve any dispute in favor of the higher numbered procedure.
C. 
Optional Consolidated Permit Processing. An application that involves two or more procedures may be processed collectively under the highest numbered procedure required for any part of the application or processed individually under each of the procedures identified by this section. The applicant may determine whether the application shall be processed collectively or individually. If the application is processed under the individual procedure option, the highest numbered procedure must be processed prior to the subsequent lower numbered procedure. [RCW 36.70B.060(3), RCW 36.70B.120.]
D. 
Project Review Framework. The table below summarizes the requirements of each project review procedure. Where applicable, the table contains a reference to additional code standards on the topic.
TABLE 19.01.002 D
PROCEDURE PROJECT PERMIT APPLICATIONS (TYPE I – IV) LEGISLATIVE
TYPE I
TYPE II
TYPE III
TYPE IVA
TYPE IVB
TYPE V
Code Reference
Applications subject to this type of review
Building, grading, mechanical permit not requiring SEPA CHMC § 15.04.080
Sign permit CHMC Chapter 17.56
Swimming pool permit CHMC Chapter 17.48
Public place use permit (includes small wireless facilities) CHMC Chapter 12.14, CHMC Chapter 17.78
Short plat CHMC Chapter 16.12
Boundary line adjustment CHMC Chapter 16.10
Recreational facilities permit CHMC Chapter 17.40
Building, grading, mechanical permit requiring SEPA CHMC § 15.04.080
Variance and special exception (zoning) CHMC Chapter 17.72
Interpretation CHMC § 17.72.060
Variation and exception (subdivision) CHMC Chapter 16.32
Variance and exception CHMC § 15.10.070
Preliminary plat CHMC Chapter 16.16
Plat amendment CHMC Chapter 16.36
Conditional use permit CHMC Chapter 17.10
Final plat CHMC Chapter 16.20
Site-specific rezone (hearing examiner) CHMC Chapter 17.76
Public place use permit for a wireless communications facility CHMC Chapter 17.77
Comprehensive Plan Adoption or Amendment CHMC Chapter 19.08
Development Regulation Adoption or Amendment
Amendments and Changes to District Boundaries CHMC Chapter 17.76
Annexations
Recommendation made by:
N/A
N/A
N/A
For preliminary plats and plat amendments, planning commission; for all others, hearing examiner
N/A
Planning commission (unless city council has not referred the matter to the planning commission)
Final decision made by:
Administrator
For short plats, planning commission as administrator; for all others, administrator
Hearing examiner
City council
City council
City council
CHMC § 19.01.003
Notice of application:
No, unless SEPA applies
No, unless SEPA applies
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
CHMC Chapter 19.03
Open record public hearing:
No
Only if appealed, open record hearing before hearing examiner
Yes, before hearing examiner to render final decision
Yes, for preliminary plats and plat amendments, before planning commission; for all others, before hearing examiner
Yes, before council to render final decision
Yes, before planning commission to make recommendation to council (or before city council if council has not referred the matter to the planning commission)
CHMC Chapter 19.05
Closed record appeal/final decision:
No
No
Only if appealed, then before hearing examiner
City council to make final decision
No
Yes, or council could hold its own hearing
CHMC Chapter 19.06
Appeal to
Hearing examiner
Hearing examiner
Judicial appeal
Judicial appeal
Hearing examiner/judicial appeal for site-specific rezones
CHMC Chapter 19.06
Judicial appeal:
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
CHMC § 19.06.006
(Ord. 738 § 1, 1996; Ord. 741 § 1, 1996; Ord. 766 § 1, 1997; Ord. 771 § 1, 1997; Ord. 806 § 1, 1999; Ord. 853 § 4, 2003; Ord. 905 § 3, 2010; Ord. 941 § 3, 2016; Ord. 959 § 2, 2018; Ord. 1005 § 1, 2024; Ord. 1017 § 4, 2025; Ord. 1022, 8/12/2025)
A. 
Decisionmakers. As established in Table 19.01.002 D, decisionmakers for project permits may include:
1. 
Administrator. The city administrator, or the administrator’s designee. The city administrator’s roles and responsibilities are further described in CHMC Chapter 2.07.
2. 
Planning Commission. Planning commission’s roles and responsibilities are further described in CHMC Chapter 2.20 and supplemented elsewhere in the code.
3. 
Hearing Examiner. Hearing examiner roles and responsibilities are further described in CHMC Chapter 2.21.
4. 
City Council. The city council’s roles and responsibilities are established in CHMC Chapter 2.04.
B. 
Decisionmaker(s) for Consolidated Permit Processing. Applications processed in accordance with Section 19.01.002C which have the same highest numbered review type but are assigned different hearing bodies shall be heard collectively by the highest decisionmaker(s): the city council is the highest, followed by the planning commission, then the hearing examiner, and then the administrator. Joint public hearings with other agencies shall be processed according to CHMC § 19.01.004. [RCW 36.70B.060(3), RCW 36.70B.120.]
C. 
Established Review Time Limits. Table 19.01.003 C establishes the maximum number of days allowed for the city to render a decision on an application [RCW 36.70B.080]. Except for the deadlines established for subdivisions, per CHMC Title 16, these time limits supersede any review time limits for project permits stated elsewhere in CHMC.
TABLE 19.01.003 C. PERMIT REVIEW TIME LIMITS
Review Time Limit
No notice, no hearing required (excluding short, preliminary, and final plats)
65 calendar days
Notice required, no hearing (excluding short, preliminary, and final plats)
100 calendar days
Notice and hearing required (excluding short, preliminary, and final plats)
170 calendar days
D. 
Calculating Review Time Limits. For the purposes of calculating the time limits established in Table 19.01.003 C, all calendar days, starting on the first full day following the date the Notice of Complete Application is issued to the date of the Notice of Decision is issued, must be counted, except for days where the review has been paused, as determined in subsection E of this section. Time limits associated with the application process and actions prior to a complete application are found in CHMC Chapter 19.02, Type I – IV Project Permit Applications.
E. 
Calculating Review Pauses. To determine the number of days that have elapsed, the following periods must be excluded:
1. 
Any period during which the applicant has been requested by the city to correct plans, perform required studies, or provide additional required information. The period must be calculated from the date the city notifies the applicant of the need for additional information until the date the applicant satisfies the request;
2. 
If the city determines that the information submitted by the applicant under subsection E.1 of this section is insufficient or incomplete, it shall notify the applicant of the deficiencies and the procedures under subsection E.1 of this section shall apply as if a new request had been made;
3. 
Any period for administrative appeals of project permits, if an open record appeal hearing or a closed record appeal, or both, are allowed;
4. 
The parties may agree in writing to extend these time periods. Any extension of time must be mutually agreed upon by the applicant and the city in writing.
F. 
The time limits established in this title do not apply if a project permit application:
1. 
Requires an amendment to the comprehensive plan or a development regulation;
2. 
Requires approval of the siting of an essential public facility as provided in RCW 36.70A.200;
3. 
Is an application for a permit or approval described in CHMC § 19.01.007.
G. 
Exceeding Time Limits. If the permit review exceeds the time limit set forth in Table 19.01.003 C, excluding any review pauses per subsection E of this section, a portion of the permit fee must be refunded to the applicant as follows:
1. 
10% Refund. If the final decision is issued after the deadline, but the delay from the deadline to the final decision does not exceed 20% of the originally allotted time period;
2. 
20% Refund. If the delay from the deadline to the final decision exceeds 20% of the originally allotted time period.
(Ord. 1022, 8/12/2025)
A. 
Administrator's Decision to Hold Joint Hearing. The administrator may combine any public hearing on a project permit application with any hearing that may be held by another local, state, regional, federal, or other agency on the proposed action, as long as: (1) the hearing is held within the city limits; and (2) the requirements of subsection C of this section are met. [RCW 36.70B.110(7).]
B. 
Applicant's Request for a Joint Hearing. The applicant may request that the public hearing on a permit application be combined as long as the joint hearing can be held within the time periods set forth in this title. In the alternative, the applicant may agree to a particular schedule if that additional time is needed in order to complete the hearings. [RCW 36.70B.110(7).]
C. 
Prerequisites to Joint Public Hearing. A joint public hearing may be held with another local, state, regional, federal or other agency and the city, as long as:
1. 
The other agency is not expressly prohibited by statute from doing so [RCW 36.70B.110(8)];
2. 
Sufficient notice of the hearing is given to meet each of the agencies' adopted notice requirements as set forth in statute, ordinance, or rule;
3. 
The agency has received the necessary information about the proposed project from the applicant in enough time to hold its hearing at the same time as the local government hearing; and
4. 
The hearing is held within the geographic boundary of the local government.
(Ord. 738 § 1, 1996; Ord. 1022, 8/12/2025)
A. 
Procedure. Legislative decisions are not subject to the procedures in this title, except for the provisions of this section and Chapter 19.08 CHMC Comprehensive Plan and Development Regulations Amendments. The table in CHMC § 19.01.002D summarizes review procedures for Type V Legislative Reviews. These review types include:
1. 
Adoption of development regulations and amendments;
2. 
Area-wide rezones initiated by the city to implement new city policies;
3. 
Adoption of the comprehensive plan and plan amendments;
4. 
Annexations; and
5. 
Development agreements, including the development standards and conditions for development stated therein.
B. 
Planning Commission. If referred by the city council, the planning commission may hold a public hearing and make a recommendation to the city council on the decisions listed in subsection A of this section. With the exception of the comprehensive plan and amendments to the comprehensive plan and upon a majority vote of the full city council, the council may elect to address the remaining decisions listed in subsection A of this section and not refer them to the planning commission. Whether before the planning commission or the city council, the public hearing shall be held in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 19.05 CHMC.
C. 
City Council. The city council may consider the planning commission's recommendation in a public hearing or public meeting, as applicable.
D. 
Public Notice. Notice of the public hearing or public meeting shall be provided to the public as set forth in CHMC § 19.03.003B.4.
E. 
Implementation. The city council's decision shall become effective by passage of an ordinance.
(Ord. 738 § 1, 1996; Ord. 958 § 3, 2017; Ord. 1005 § 2, 2024; Ord. 1022, 8/12/2025)
Nothing in this chapter or the permit processing procedures shall limit the authority of the city council to make changes to the city's comprehensive plan, as part of an annual revision process, or to make changes to the city's development regulations. [RCW 36.70B.020(4).]
(Ord. 738 § 1, 1996; Ord. 1022, 8/12/2025)
A. 
Whenever a permit or approval has been designated as a Type I, II, III or IV permit, the procedures in this title shall be followed in project permit processing. The following permits or approvals are, however, specifically excluded from the procedures set forth in this title:
1. 
Landmark designations;
2. 
Street vacations;
3. 
Street use permits;
4. 
Impact fee decisions;
5. 
Street opening permits as provided in Chapter 12.08 CHMC;
6. 
Public place use permits as provided in Chapters 12.14, 17.77, and 17.78 CHMC.
B. 
Pursuant to RCW 36.70B.140(2), building permits, boundary line adjustments, other construction permits, or similar administrative approvals which are categorically exempt from environmental review under SEPA (Chapter 43.21C RCW) and CHMC Title 18, or permits/approvals for which environmental review has been completed in connection with other project permits, are excluded from the following procedures:
1. 
Determination of completeness (CHMC § 19.02.003A);
2. 
Notice of application (CHMC § 19.03.001);
3. 
Except as provided in RCW 36.70B.140, optional consolidated project permit review processing (CHMC § 19.01.002C);
4. 
Joint public hearings (CHMC § 19.01.004);
5. 
Single report stating all the decisions and recommendations made as of the date of the report that do not require an open record hearing (CHMC § 19.04.002(C));
6. 
Notice of decision (CHMC § 19.05.008);
7. 
Completion of project review within any applicable time periods (CHMC § 19.01.003). [RCW 36.70B.140.]
(Ord. 738 § 1, 1996; Ord. 766 § 2, 1997; Ord. 771 § 2, 1997; Ord. 969 § 4, 2020; Ord. 1022, 8/12/2025)