1. Area-Wide Amendments. Area-wide amendments may be initiated only by the city council, mayor or designee, or planning commission. Area-wide amendments could include both text and map amendments.

2. Site-Specific Amendments. Site-specific amendments may be initiated by property owners, city council, mayor or designee, or planning commission.

1. Docket. Except as allowed by Chapter 36.70A RCW, the comprehensive plan may only be amended once per year. The city shall review all revisions as a comprehensive package of updates to the plan so the cumulative effect of all proposed amendments is fully understood. The planning director is authorized to set deadlines for applications to amend the comprehensive plan and establish the docket for consideration of amendments. See Chapter 15.02 for application requirements.

2. Amendments are considered by Review Process V. See Chapter 15.02 for procedures.

1. The proposed land use designation must be supported by or consistent with the existing policies of the various elements of the comprehensive plan.

2. Have circumstances related to the subject property and the area in which it is located changed sufficiently since the adoption of the land use element to justify a change to the land use designation? If so, the circumstances that have changed should be described in detail to support findings that a different land use designation is appropriate.

3. Are the assumptions upon which the land use designation of the subject property is based erroneous, or is new information available which was not considered at the time the land use element was adopted, that justify a change to the land use designation? If so, the erroneous assumptions or new information should be described in detail to enable the planning commission and city council to find that the land use designation should be changed.

4. Does the proposed land use designation promote a more desirable land use pattern for the community as a whole? If so, a detailed description of the qualities of the proposed land use designation that make the land use pattern for the community more desirable should be provided to enable the planning commission and city council to find that the proposed land use designation is in the community’s best interest.

5. Should the proposed land use designation be applied to other properties in the vicinity? If so, the reasons supporting the change of several properties should be described in detail. If not, the reasons for changing the land use designation of a single site, as requested by the proponent, should be provided in sufficient detail to enable the planning commission and city council to find that approval as requested does not constitute a grant of special privilege to the proponent or a single owner of property.

6. What impacts would the proposed change of land use designation have on the current use of other properties in the vicinity, and what measures should be taken to assure compatibility with the uses of other properties in the vicinity?

7. Would the change of the land use designation sought by the proponent create pressure to change the land use designation of other properties in the vicinity? If so, would the change of land use designation for other properties be in the best long-term interests of the community in general?

1. Have circumstances related to the subject policy changed sufficiently since the adoption of the plan to justify a change to the subject policy? If so, the circumstances that have changed should be described in detail to support the proposed amendment to the policy.

2. Are the assumptions upon which the policy is based erroneous, or is new information available that was not considered at the time the plan was adopted, that justify a change to the policy? If so, the erroneous assumptions or new information should be described in detail to support the proposed policy amendment.

3. Does the proposed change in policy promote a more desirable growth pattern for the community as a whole? The manner in which the proposed policy change promotes a more desirable growth pattern should be described in detail.

4. Is the proposed policy change consistent with other existing plan policies, or does it conflict with other plan policies? The extent to which the proposed policy change is consistent with or conflicts with other existing policies should be explained in detail. (Ord. 3774-20 § 3 (Exh. 2), 2020.)