This chapter is intended to detail the procedures and responsibilities of the community development director in the processing, consideration and action on preliminary site plans. Preliminary site plan is the administrative process by which a development project, which is otherwise permitted by right in the particular zone, is reviewed by the city to ensure conformance with applicable policies, codes and standards. This process is separate from, and typically precedes, final building/engineering permit review and issuance.

Upon the filing of a proper application, the community development director or his/her designee shall have the authority, subject to the provisions of this chapter, to approve, approve with conditions, or deny preliminary site plan approval requests. This approval may be subject to conditions as deemed appropriate by the city to ensure conformance to city policies, codes and development standards.

The director or designee shall develop administrative procedures defining size thresholds for projects warranting preliminary site plan review versus those more minor projects which can simply be reviewed through final permit issuance.

Upon submittal of a complete preliminary site plan application, the case planner shall route said application through other applicable city departments, as well as any interested outside agencies, to determine the project's conformance with city policies, codes and development standards. This intent of this review is to identify specific conditions of approval to ensure the project conforms with applicable city standards. If a companion SEPA checklist has been filed for the same project, the city SEPA review shall generally take place concurrently with the preliminary site plan review, unless circumstances warrant other procedures. Upon completion of the city's review of the preliminary site plan application, a condition letter shall be forwarded to the applicant disclosing the city's approval of the preliminary site plan and detailing all conditions of approval. The date of that letter constitutes the approval date of the preliminary site plan. There is no formal appeal process for preliminary site plans; any appeals to companion SEPA determinations shall be processed in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 21.04 PMC.

The director or designee shall have the authority to impose conditions and safeguards as the director deems necessary to protect and enhance the health, safety and welfare and aesthetics of the surrounding area, and to assure compliance with all applicable city policies, codes and development standards.

A preliminary site plan granted by the director or designee shall become null and void if not exercised within two years of the date of approval of such preliminary site plan. A preliminary site plan shall be deemed exercised and remain in full force and effect when a complete building permit, or complete civil engineering permit when no building permit is required, has been submitted in reliance upon said permit.

Upon written request by a property owner or his/her authorized representative prior to the date of preliminary site plan expiration, the director may grant an initial extension of time up to but not exceeding six months. Such initial extension of time shall be based upon a finding that there has been no material change of circumstances applicable to the property since the granting of said approval which would be injurious to the neighborhood or otherwise detrimental to the public health, safety and general welfare. A second further extension of six months may additionally be granted by the director. This second extension shall be based upon the following findings: