There is hereby created a Washington County Planning Department under the direction of the County Administrator. The Office shall perform all administrative functions of Washington County relating to the administration of this Code.

In accordance with the Washington County Comprehensive Plan this office shall also perform these administrative functions for the municipalities of Caryville, Ebro, Vernon, and Wausau as well as for the unincorporated portions of the County. The Washington County Planning Department may also perform requested administrative functions for the City of Chipley when the City requests such services and seeks to participate in the funding and share in the services of the Planning Department.

(Ord. No. 2023-16, § 1(Exh. A), 12-14-2023)

A.

Establishment of Position and Term of Office. There is hereby established the position of Development Administrator who shall be appointed for a one-year term by the Board of County Commissioners of Washington County. The appointment may be extended for a subsequent term or terms.

B.

Expertise. The Development Administrator shall have expertise both in land development administration, and in administrative decision making.

C.

Duties. The duties of the Development Administrator are the following:

1.

To interpret the Land Development Code, including all codes, laws and regulations referred to in this Code;

2.

To make decisions and recommendations as required by this Code;

3.

To prepare forms and guidelines which interpret this Code; and

4.

To carry out other duties stated or implied by this Code.

(Ord. No. 2023-16, § 1(Exh. A), 12-14-2023)

The Development Administrator shall frequently exchange up-to-date information about Washington County, policy statements, and codes with federal and state agencies as well as adjacent local governments. The Development Administrator may inform applicants and interested parties about development requirements of other agencies, so that such agencies may inform persons about such requirements, and so that the policies of agencies concerned with land conservation and development in Washington County may be determined and administered with maximum feasible consistency and mutual reinforcement.

(Ord. No. 2023-16, § 1(Exh. A), 12-14-2023)

The Development Administrator is authorized to act as agent for another local, State or Federal agency in issuing permits for such agency, subject to the delegation of such authority to the Development Administrator by such an agency or agencies.

(Ord. No. 2023-16, § 1(Exh. A), 12-14-2023)

The Development Administrator or his/her designee shall communicate and meet with any applicant for a permit or amendment to the Code or any interested party or other person in regards to an application, the Code regulations, procedure, or other matter relevant to the Land Development Code or the Washington County Comprehensive Plan, at a mutually convenient time following a request by such a party or person.

(Ord. No. 2023-16, § 1(Exh. A), 12-14-2023)

The Development Administrator shall gather, record, and retain the following information:

A.

A log or brief notes of all communications, workshops, or meetings.

B.

Reasons for every decision or recommendation which he or she renders in writing.

C.

A record of all decisions or recommendations made by the Development Administrator, Planning Commission, the governing body of the associated municipality, or the Board of County Commissioners.

D.

A copy of each development or use permit which has been issued, filed by description of lots or parcels, or activities thereon which have been the subject of permits.

E.

The current Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Code arranged in an orderly manner.

F.

An annual report, including at a minimum that material cited in Article III (Concurrency) describing an aggregating all applications for a permit, proposed revisions of the Development Code, proposed amendments to the Washington County Comprehensive Plan, and the disposition of each before the Development Administrator, Planning Commission, the Board of County Commissioners for the previous year and other local governing bodies (i.e., Town or City Councils).

(Ord. No. 2023-16, § 1(Exh. A), 12-14-2023)

The Development Administrator shall maintain all the information described in Section 9.01.06 on file and available for inspection by the public. A copy of any such material shall be available at cost to any person requesting it.

(Ord. No. 2023-16, § 1(Exh. A), 12-14-2023)