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For statutory provisions regarding planning commissions in general, see Chapter 35.63 RCW.
A. 
Pursuant to RCW 35A.63.020, there is created an advisory planning agency to be known as "the city of North Bend planning commission," which will consist of seven members appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the city council. Four of the commissioners shall reside inside the city limits while three may reside inside the 98045 Zip Code area. The positions of the members shall be assigned position numbers. Members will be appointed to serve for a period of four years from the time of their appointment. The city clerk shall maintain a record of expiration dates by position.
For appointments made in the year 2022 only, planning commission Position No. 1 will be for a term of two years. In the year 2024, planning commission Position No. 1 will resume a four-year term.
For appointments made in the year 2023 only, planning commission Positions No. 2 and No. 3 will be for a term of one year. In the year 2024, planning commission Positions No. 2 and No. 3 will resume a four-year term.
B. 
If any person on the planning commission concludes that he or she has a conflict of interest or an appearance of fairness problem with respect to a matter pending before the agency so that he or she cannot discharge his or her planning commission duties, he or she shall disqualify himself or herself from participating in the deliberations and decision-making process with respect to that matter. If this occurs, the mayor may appoint, without confirmation, a person to serve as an alternate on the agency to serve in his or her stead in regard to such a matter.
C. 
Members may be removed by the mayor, with council approval. Members shall be selected without respect to political affiliation and shall serve without compensation.
(Ord. 272 § 1, 1966; Ord. 352 § 1, 1971; Ord. 551 § 1, 1982; Ord. 1179 § 1, 2002; Ord. 1769 § 1, 2022)
The commission shall elect its own chairman and create and fill such other offices as it may determine it requires. The commission shall hold at least one regular meeting in each month for not less than nine months in each year. It shall adopt rules for transaction of business and shall keep a written record of its proceedings which shall be a public record.
(Ord. 272 § 2, 1966; Ord. 1179 § 2, 2002)
Four members of the planning commission shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Any action taken by a majority of a quorum of the planning commission at any regular or special meeting of the planning commission shall be deemed and taken as the action of the commission.
(Ord. 272 § 3, 1966; Ord. 1179 § 3, 2002; Ord. 1637 § 1, 2017)
The commission shall prepare development regulations pursuant to applicable state laws, specifically including, but not limited to, the Growth Management Act and Shoreline Management Act, which are consistent with and implement the city's comprehensive plan(s) including, but not limited to, zoning ordinances including area-wide but not site-specific rezones, critical area ordinances, shoreline master programs other than goals and policies adopted pursuant to Chapter 90.58 RCW, planned unit development ordinances, subdivision ordinances, binding site plan ordinances, and other official controls placed on development or land use activities, together with any amendments thereto. The commission shall review other ordinances as directed by ordinances or resolutions of the city council.
(Ord. 272 § 5, 1966; Ord. 1179 § 5, 2002)
The commission shall prepare and make amendments to a comprehensive plan and a shoreline master plan for anticipating and influencing the orderly and coordinated development of land and building uses of the city and its environs. The comprehensive plan shall be developed consistent with the requirements of the Growth Management Act and the shoreline master program shall be developed consistent with the requirements of the Shoreline Management Act. The required elements of the comprehensive plan shall include, but not be limited to, a land use element, a housing element, a capital facilities element, a utilities element, a transportation element, a park element and an economic development element. The required elements of the shoreline master program shall include when appropriate, but not be limited to, an economic development element, a public access element, a recreational element, a circulation element, a land use element, a conservation element, a historic element, and a flood damage minimization element. The commission shall review other plan elements, or other plans, as directed by ordinances or resolutions of the city council.
(Formerly 2.28.070; Ord. 272 § 7, 1966; Ord. 1179 § 7, 2002)
The council, after reviewing recommendations from the planning commission, shall establish and broadly disseminate to the public a public participation program identifying procedures providing for efficient, early and continuous public participation in the development and amendment of comprehensive plans, the shoreline master program and development regulations implementing such plans. The procedures shall provide for broad dissemination of proposals and alternatives, opportunity for written comments, public meetings after effective notice that is reasonably calculated to provide notice to property owners and other affected interested individuals, agencies or organizations, and consideration and response to public comments.
(Formerly 2.28.080; Ord. 272 § 8, 1966; Ord. 1179 § 8, 2002)
Each comprehensive plan and development regulation shall be subject to continuing review and evaluation. The comprehensive plan shall be amended subject to procedures and timelines established by the city council by ordinance, no more frequently than once every year except that amendments may be considered more frequently under the following circumstances:
A. 
The initial adoption of a subarea plan;
B. 
The adoption or amendment of a shoreline master program under procedures set forth in Chapter 90.58 RCW;
C. 
The amendment of the capital facilities element of a comprehensive plan that occurs concurrently with the adoption of the city budget;
D. 
After appropriate public participation amendments that conform with the Growth Management Act whenever an emergency exists or to resolve an appeal of a comprehensive plan filed with a Growth Management Hearings Board or with the court.
(Formerly 2.28.090; Ord. 272 § 9, 1966; Ord. 1179 § 9, 2002)
The planning commission shall periodically report on their actions or recommendations concerning matters covered by their prescribed duties and authority in writing or in person to the city council as requested by council or as necessary in the determination of the commission.
(Formerly 2.28.130; Ord. 272 § 13, 1966; Ord. 1179 § 13, 2002)