For the purposes of project permit processing, all applications shall be classified as Type I, Type II, Type III, Type IV, or Type V. Legislative decisions are Type V actions and are addressed in Chapter 14.04 FMC. Exemptions from the project permit application process are contained in FMC 14.02.050.
(Ord. 1227 § 12, 1996; Ord. 2043 § 1 (Att. D), 2021)
A. 
Determination by Director. The director shall determine the proper procedure for all project permit applications. If there is a question as to the appropriate type of procedure, the director shall resolve it in favor of the highest procedure type.
B. 
Decision-Maker. Applications processed in accordance with FMC 14.02.060 which have the same numbered procedure but are assigned different hearing bodies shall be heard collectively by the highest decision-maker. The city council is the highest decision-maker, followed by the hearing examiner and the International Building Code or the International Residential Code board of appeals, then the planning commission, and last, the director.
(Ord. 1227 § 13, 1996; Ord. 1593-06 § 32, 2006; Ord. 1777 § 1 (Exh. A), 2012; Ord. 2043 § 1 (Att. D), 2021)
Permit Processing
Permit Description
Project Permit Types
Timeline for Approval
DRC Meeting
Preapplication Meeting
Notification Distance Mailing List
Notice Newspaper
Notice Post Site
Comment Period
Recommendation Required
Open Record Public Hearing
Final
Decision Approval/ Denial
Judicial Appeal
Land Division (Title 18)
Lot Line Adjustments
Type I
65
Optional
Optional
No
No
No
No
Admin. Approval
No
CD Director
HE PC Superior Court
Binding Site Plan
Type I
120
Optional
Optional
No
Yes if SEPA required
Yes if SEPA required
Yes if SEPA required
Admin. Approval
No
CD Director
HE PC Superior Court
Large Lot Division
Type I
65
Optional
Optional
No
No
No
No
Admin. Approval
No
CD Director
HE PC Superior Court
Preliminary Short Plat 1 – 9 Lots
Type II
90
Optional
Optional
300 feet
Yes
Yes
14 days
Admin. Approval
No
CD Director
HE PC Superior Court
Final Short Plat 1 – 9 Lots
Type I
30
Optional
Optional
300 feet
Yes
No
No
Admin. Approval
No
CD Director
Preliminary SubDivision 10+ Lots (Prelim. Plat)
Type IV
90
Optional
Optional
300 feet
Yes
Yes
14 days
Staff
Yes
Hearing Examiner
PC Superior Court
Final Plat
Type V
30
Optional
Optional
300 feet
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
City Council
PC Superior Court
Land Use/Environmental Permits
Critical Areas Review (not associated with a building or construction related permit, or SEPA)
Type 1
120
Optional
Optional
No
No
No
No
N/A
No
Admin. Approval
HE
PC Superior Court
Special Event Permits
Type I
65
Optional
Optional
No
No
No
No
N/A
No
Admin. Approval
HE PC Superior Court
SEPA-DNS/MDNS
Type II
170
Optional
Optional
No
Yes
Yes
14 days
Res. Official
No
Responsible Official
HE PC Superior Court
Variance
Type III
170
Optional
Optional
300 feet
Yes
Yes
14 days
Staff
Yes
Hearing Examiner
PC Superior Court
Conditional Use Permit
Type III
170
Optional
Optional
300 feet
Yes
Yes
14 days
Staff
Yes
Hearing Examiner
PC Superior Court
Reasonable Use Exemption
Type III
100
Optional
Optional
300 feet
Yes
Yes
14 days
Staff
Yes
Hearing Examiner
PC Superior Court
Revocation of Permit
Type III
N/A
Optional
Optional
300 feet
Yes
Yes
14 days
N/A
Yes
Hearing Examiner
PC Superior Court
Sign Permits – Variance
Type III
120
Optional
Optional
300 feet
Yes
Yes
14 days
Staff
Yes
Hearing Examiner
PC Superior Court
Shoreline Mgt. Permit
Type IV
170
Optional
Optional
300 feet
Yes
Yes
14 days
Staff
Yes
Hearing Examiner
PC Superior Court
PRDs and PIDs (no subdivision)
Type IV
170
Optional
Optional
300 feet
Yes
Yes
14 days
Admin. Approval
No
CD Director
HE PC Superior Court
Developer Agreement
Type IV
170
Optional
Optional
300 feet
Yes
Yes
14 days
Planning Commission
Yes
City Council
PC Superior Court
Site-Specific Rezones Consistent With the Comprehensive Plan
Type IV
170
Optional
Optional
300 feet
Yes
Yes
14 days
Hearing Examiner
Yes
City Council
PC Superior Court
Site-Specific Rezones Requiring a Comprehensive Plan Amendment
Type IV
With annual docket process
Optional
Optional
300 feet
Yes
Yes
14 days
Planning Commission
Yes
City Council
PC Superior Court
Comprehensive Plan Adoption and Amendments
Type V
Exempt
Optional
Optional
300 feet
Yes
Yes (if site-specific)
14 days
PC
Yes
City Council
PC Superior Court
Area-Wide Rezones
Type V
Exempt
N/A
N/A
300 feet
Yes
Yes if SEPA is triggered
14 days
PC
Yes
City Council
PC Superior Court
Zoning Text Amendments
Type V
Exempt
Optional
Optional
No
Yes
Yes (if site-specific)
14 days
PC
Yes
City Council
PC Superior Court
Construction Related Permits
Building, Mechanical, Plumbing, Fire Sprinkler, Fire Alarm, Associated With New Construction or a Change in Use
Type I
170
Optional
Optional
No
No
No
No
No
No
Building Official
HE PC Superior Court
Building, Mechanical, Plumbing, Fire Sprinkler, Fire Alarm, Associated With a Tenant Improvement Without a Change in Use or Expansion of Building Footprint
Type I
120
Optional
Optional
No
No
No
No
No
No
Building Official
HE PC Superior Court
Mechanical, Plumbing, Fire Sprinkler, Fire Alarm
Type I
90
Optional
Optional
No
No
No
No
No
No
Building Official
HE PC Superior Court
Demolition
Type 1
90
Optional
Optional
No
No
No
No
No
No
Building Official
HE PC Superior Court
Right-of-Way
Type 1
90
Optional
Optional
No
No
No
No
No
No
City Engineer
HE PC Superior Court
Street Opening Permit
Type 1
90
Optional
Optional
No
No
No
No
No
No
City Engineer
HE PC Superior Court
Grading or Drainage
Type 1
170
Optional
Optional
No
No
No
No
No
No
City Engineer
HE PC Superior Court
Water or Sewer Main Extension
Type 1
120
Optional
Optional
No
No
No
No
No
No
City Engineer
HE PC Superior Court
Water or Sewer Connection
Type 1
90
Optional
Optional
No
No
No
No
No
No
City Engineer
HE PC Superior Court
(Ord. 1227 § 14, 1996; Ord. 1317 § 6, 1998; Ord. 1593-06 §§ 33, 34, 2006; Ord. 1677 § 1, 2008; Ord. 1866 § 3 (Exh. A), 2014; Ord. 1912 § 1 (Exh. A), 2015; Ord. 2043 § 1 (Att. D), 2021; Ord. 2133 § 2 (Exh. A), 2024)
A. 
Exempt Decisions. The decisions listed below are legislative and are processed in accordance with Chapter 14.04 FMC. Legislative decisions are not subject to the procedures in Chapters 14.05, 14.06, 14.07, 14.08, 14.09 and 14.10 FMC, except as otherwise stated in Chapter 14.04 FMC.
1. 
Adoption of comprehensive plan or comprehensive plan amendments, including but not limited to area plans, capital improvement plans, and shoreline management plans;
2. 
Adoption of development regulations or development regulation amendments;
3. 
Area-wide rezones to implement new city policies;
4. 
Zoning text amendments;
5. 
Annexations.
(Ord. 1227 § 15, 1996)
A. 
The following project permit applications are specifically excluded from the provisions of this title:
1. 
Street vacations;
2. 
Preliminary plats (long and short);
3. 
Final plats (long and short); and
4. 
Right-of-way permits.
B. 
Type I permits are exempt from the following provisions of this title:
1. 
Repealed by Ord. 2133;
2. 
FMC 14.03.040, Notice of application;
3. 
Chapter 14.06 FMC, Public notice, except as otherwise required by law;
4. 
FMC 14.08.080, Decision and notice of decision.
(Ord. 1227 § 16, 1996; Ord. 2043 § 1 (Att. D), 2021; Ord. 2133 § 11, 2024)
A. 
General. An applicant can choose to process two or more project permit applications concurrently. An application that involves two or more project permit application types shall be processed collectively under the highest permit type procedure required for any part of the application. Project permit applications processed under this section are subject to all the provisions of this title except as noted in FMC 14.02.060(C).
B. 
Application. An application shall fill out a master permit application and all necessary forms relating to each individual project permit as required by FMC 14.03.020.
C. 
Notice of Completeness. If an application choosing to consolidate permit applications receives a request from the city asking for additional information on one or more project permit applications, the applicant shall:
1. 
Provide the information as requested within 90 days of such request; or
2. 
Request in writing to the director that the related permits continue to be processed although the additional information has not been submitted as requested. The director can choose to continue processing one or more related permit applications as requested if feasible. The permit application that required additional information will be held for additional information and no further review or action will be undertaken by the city. If the requested information is not submitted within 90 days of the request, the permit application will be considered withdrawn.
(Ord. 1227 § 17, 1996)