13.16.020 PRELIMINARY PLAN: Review Procedure -- Preliminary Plan

The Zoning Administrator shall, upon receipt of the complete preliminary plan submission, distribute copies of the plan to County departments and other agencies as in the opinion of the Zoning Administrator who may contribute comments or suggestions on the proposed subdivision which are deemed to be in the best interests of the public. The Zoning Administrator, County departments, contracted positions, and selected consultants shall review the submitted preliminary plan and check compliance of applicable sections of the County’s General Plan, Master Transportation Plan, subdivision and zoning ordinances, and other appropriate regulations and standards and shall make findings regarding the submitted preliminary plan, specifying any inadequacy in the information submitted or noncompliance with County regulations. The Zoning Administrator, County departments, contracted positions, and selected consultants may during their reviews request additional information or studies to be provided for the overall development which may assist them to evaluate the proposed subdivision. The Zoning Administrator shall be responsible for compiling all review comments into a staff report which shall be transmitted with the preliminary plan application to the Recommending Body and Land Use Authority as outlined in 13.08.005. When identified as the Recommending Body, the Planning Commission at their next regularly scheduled meeting, shall review the staff report and preliminary plan submittal and determine compliance with the County’s General Plan, subdivision and zoning ordinance, and other regulations of the County in a public meeting and shall recommended approval, approval with modifications, or denial of the submitted preliminary plan application to the Land Use Authority. The Land Use Authority shall then consider the application for preliminary plan approval at its next available regularly scheduled public meeting. The Land Use Authority shall approve, or approve with modifications only those preliminary plans which it finds to be developed in accordance with the intent, standards, and criteria specified in this title and other regulations of the County. Approval of the preliminary plan application by the Land Use Authority shall not constitute final approval of the subdivision by the County, but shall allow the applicant to proceed with the preparation of the final subdivision application and all required documents. A preliminary subdivision approval by the Land Use Authority shall not authorize the issuance of any building permit for the subdivision site or any proposed lots. Unless otherwise specified in a development agreement or during the preliminary plan approval by the Land Use Authority, the approval of a preliminary subdivision application shall be effective for a period of one (1) year from the date the preliminary subdivision application is approved by the Land Use Authority. If a final subdivision application is not submitted for approval within the one (1) year period, the preliminary plan approval shall be void, and the applicant shall be required to submit a new preliminary plan application for review and approval. One (1) extension of six months (6) may be approved by the Zoning Administrator upon the written request of the applicant prior to the expiration of the original preliminary plan approval.