11.18.060 Timing and process for consideration of suggested amendments.
A. The city council shall initiate consideration of suggested amendments by motion. The scope and timing of consideration of suggested plan amendments shall be determined by the council, except for amendments to correct a deficiency identified during project review which shall be considered annually pursuant to BMC 11.18.040. The city council shall generally assign suggested amendments to advisory bodies as outlined in Table 11.18-1. Assigned advisory bodies will consult with other advisory bodies and provide recommendations consistent with Table 11.18-1. The city council shall take final action on any suggested amendments and reserves the authority to consider and act upon any suggested amendment without referring the suggested amendment to an advisory body for recommendation. The council may prioritize suggested amendments for further consideration and may defer to future years or decline to further consider suggested amendments.
For the purposes of this chapter, “recommendation” means a process where an advisory body crafts a recommendation to another advisory body or to the city council and “consults with” means one advisory body seeks input and advice from another advisory body.
Type of Amendment | Recommendation and Action Process (unless council decides to consider and act upon an amendment without prior referral to an advisory body) |
|---|---|
Amendments to Imagine Bothell... Comprehensive Plan | |
Executive Summary, Table of Contents, Introduction, Vision Statement and Glossary | Planning commission makes recommendation to city council; council takes final action. |
Land Use Element | Planning commission consults with shorelines board (if shorelines jurisdiction is involved); parks and recreation board (if parklands are involved); and landmark preservation board (if designated historic districts are involved); planning commission makes recommendation to city council; council takes final action. |
Natural Environment Element | Planning commission consults with shorelines board (if shorelines jurisdiction is involved) and makes recommendation to city council; council takes final action. |
Shorelines Element | Shorelines board makes recommendation to the planning commission; planning commission considers that recommendation in crafting a final recommendation to city council and includes shorelines board recommendation in information to council; council takes final action. |
Housing and Human Services Element | Planning commission makes a recommendation to city council; council takes final action. |
Economic Development Element | Planning commission makes a recommendation to city council; council takes final action. |
Parks and Recreation Element | Parks and recreation board consults with the shorelines board (if shorelines jurisdiction is involved) and makes recommendation to planning commission; planning commission considers that recommendation in crafting a final recommendation to city council and includes parks and recreation board recommendation in information to council; council takes final action. |
Historic Preservation Element | Landmark preservation board makes recommendation to planning commission; planning commission considers that recommendation in crafting a final recommendation to city council and includes landmark preservation board recommendation in information to council; council takes final action. |
Urban Design Element | Planning commission consults with landmark preservation board (if historic districts are involved) and makes recommendation to city council; council takes final action. |
Annexation Element | Planning commission makes recommendation to city council; council takes final action. |
Utilities Element | Planning commission makes recommendation to city council; council takes final action. |
Conservation Element | Planning commission makes recommendation to city council; council takes final action. |
Transportation Element | Planning commission makes recommendation to city council; council takes final action. |
Capital Facilities Element | Planning commission consults with shorelines board (if shorelines jurisdiction is involved), parks and recreation board (if parklands are involved), and landmark preservation board (if historic districts are involved); planning commission makes recommendation to city council; council takes final action. |
All Subarea Elements | Planning commission consults with shorelines board (if shorelines jurisdiction is involved), parks and recreation board (if parklands are involved), and landmark preservation board (if historic districts are involved); planning commission makes recommendation to city council; council takes final action. |
Amendments to Development Regulations | |
Title 11, Administration of Development Regulations | Planning commission makes recommendation to city council; council takes final action. |
Title 12, Zoning | Planning commission makes recommendation to city council; council takes final action. |
Title 13, Shoreline Management | Shorelines board makes recommendation to city council; council takes final action. |
Title 14, Environment | Planning commission consults with shorelines board (if shorelines jurisdiction is involved) and makes recommendation to city council; council takes final action. |
Title 15, Subdivisions | Planning commission makes recommendation to city council; council takes final action. |
Title 17, Transportation | Planning commission makes recommendation to city council; council takes final action. |
Title 18, Utilities Infrastructure | Council takes final action (no advisory body recommendation). |
Title 20, Buildings and Construction | Council takes final action (no advisory body recommendation); except that the planning commission makes a recommendation to city council concerning any amendments to Chapter 20.20 BMC, Billboards, and the council takes final action. |
Title 21, Development Impacts | Council takes final action (no advisory body recommendation). |
Title 22, Landmark Preservation | Landmark preservation board consults with planning commission and makes recommendation to city council; council takes final action. |
B. The comprehensive plan shall be amended no more often than once each calendar year, except that amendments may be considered more frequently as provided below:
1. For the initial adoption of a subarea plan;
2. For the adoption of a shoreline master program;
3. Amendments to the capital facilities element occurring concurrently with the adoption of the city budget;
4. In cases of emergency;
5. To resolve an appeal of an adopted comprehensive plan filed with a Growth Management Board or with the court; or
6. If the city’s final legislative action is taken in a subsequent calendar year, it may still be considered part of the prior year’s docket so long as the consideration of the amendments occurred within the prior year’s comprehensive plan amendment process.
C. Suggested amendments shall be considered by the city council or applicable advisory body, in public hearings, public meetings, workshops, and other settings as warranted to ensure that each suggested amendment is thoroughly deliberated. All recommendations concerning suggested comprehensive plan amendments shall be considered concurrently by the city council subject to the exceptions set forth in subsection B of this section.
D. Where amendments to both a plan and development regulations are suggested, or where an amendment to the comprehensive plan would be implemented by an amendment to the development regulations, such amendments may be considered concurrently. (Ord. 2316 § 1, 2020; Ord. 2282 § 3, 2019; Ord. 2073 § 2 (Exh. B), 2011; Ord. 1853 § 1, 2001; Ord. 1815 § 1, 2000; Ord. 1746 § 1 (Att. A), 1998; Ord. 1691 § 1, 1997; Ord. 1628 § 1, 1996).