OVERVIEW

In the first half of 2017, Mayor Backus directed staff to put together a list of potential code amendments that were intended to eliminate or ease some of the challenges that developers and city staff face when reviewing development proposals.  The idea was to identify areas where greater efficiency and flexibility could be achieved by eliminating or modifying a city code without compromising the greater objectives that the code was intending to achieve.  Mayor Backus direct staff to assemble the list, present it to City Council for review and feedback, and to proceed with the process to make the code modifications (assuming City Council endorsed the list).  On May 8, 2017, City staff presented the initial list of potential code changes to City Council.  After discussion, City Council endorsed the list.

UPDATE OF MAY 8, 2017 LIST

Under cover of this memo is the May 8, 2017 list of endorsed code amendments.  This list contains status information about each item including identification of a lead (Community Development or Engineering), a description of the process, identification of key dates related to each item, ordinance numbers and adoption dates, and an estimate of the number of hours that staff spent on each item.

NEXT ROUND OF CODE AMENDMENTS

Community Development has identified a suggestion for the next round of potential code amendments.  Staff is eager to hear any feedback that City Council may have on this list.  Does this list make sense?  Are there items on the list that are of concern?  Is there something missing from the list? 

Of note, SEPA categorical exemptions are included on this list because it is a topic that has come up during prior Council discussions.  Thus far, staff’s approach to both rounds of code updates is to identify “simple” code changes that provide meaningful and recurring positive impact.  Modifying the SEPA categorical exemptions could have meaningful and recurring positive impact, however, this code change is complex and time consuming.  Staff will be prepared to discuss further on December 11, 2017.