Public Participation & the Docket Process

GROWTH MANAGEMENT PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PROCESS:  The Washington State Growth Management Act (GMA) requires jurisdictions planning under GMA to have a procedure for citizens to suggest changes to Comprehensive Plans and development regulations.  But for a few limited exceptions, the GMA limits Comprehensive Plan amendments to once a  year.

DOCKET:  The docketing process is the procedure by which jurisdictions receive and evaluate citizen-initiated proposals to amend the City's Comprehensive Plan and development regulations.  

CITIZEN INITIATED AMENDMENTS:  There are two different processes by which citizen initiated Comprehensive Plan and/or development regulation amendment requests need to be submitted:

1.  Site Specific.  Those wishing to propose site-specific amendments to the Comprehensive Plan and/or development regulations ordinarily need to submit an application to do so before January 31st of any given year.  

Please contact the Development Services Department if you are thinking about submitting a site-specific application because there are years leading up to periodic updates in which the City Council may choose not to accept these types of site-specific applications.  

A handout outlining the items that need to be submitted for a site specific Comprehensive Plan and/or development regulation amendment(s) is found below.

2.  Non-Site Specific.  Those wishing to propose amendments to the Comprehensive Plan and/or development regulations that are not specific to a particular property can do so at any time of the year by filling out and submitting the form identified below.  

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:  

• Click HERE to download Resolution 491 that established the City's GMA Public Participation Program
• Click HERE to download a handout containing information on how to submit site specific Comprehensive Plan and/or development regulation amendments
• Click HERE to download a handout containing information on how to submit non-site specific Comprehensive Plan and/or development regulation amendments