2028_00001ORDINANCE NO.2028
ANORDINANCE AMENDINGCHAPTER 14.06 OF THE MOSESLAKEMUNICIPAL
CODE ENTITLED"STATE ENVIRONMENTALPOLICY ACT"
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITYOF MOSESLAKE,WASHINGTON DOORDAINAS FOLLOWS:
Section 1.Chapter 14.06 of the Moses Lake Municipal Code entitled"State Environmental Policy Act"is
amended as follows:
14.06.020 General Requirements:
A.Purpose:This partcontains the basic requirements that apply tothe SEPA process.The cityadoptsthefollowingsectionsofChapter197-11 of the Washington Administrative Code byreference:
197-11-040 Definitions197-11-050 Lead Agency
197-11-055 Timing oftheSEPA Process197-11-060 Content of Environmental Review197-11-070 Limitations on Actions During SEPA Process197-11-080 Incomplete or Unavailable Information197-11-090 SupportingDocuments197-11-100 Information Required ofApplicants
B.Additional Definitions:In addition to those definitions contained withinWAC 197-11-700
through197-11-799,when used in thisordinance,thefollowingtermsshall have thefollowing
meanings,unless thecontext indicates otherwise:
1."Department"means any division,subdivision,or organizational unitofthecityestablished
by ordinance,rule,or order.
2."SEPA rules"means Chapter 197-11 WAC adopted by the Department of Ecology.
3."Ordinance"means theordinance,resolution,or other procedureused by thecitytoadoptregulatoryrequirements.
4."Early notice"means the city's response to an applicant stating whether it considersissuanceofadeterminationofsignificancelikelyfortheapplicant's proposal [mitigateddeterminationofnon-significance (DNS)procedures].
C.Designation ofResoonsibleOfficial:
1,For thoseproposalsfor which thecityis the lead agency,theresponsibleofficialshall betheCommunityDevelopmentDirectorordesignee.
2.For all proposals forwhichthecityis thelead agency,theresponsibleofficialshallmakethethresholddetermination,supervise scoping,supervise the preparation of any requiredEnvironmentalImpactStatement(EIS),and perform any other functions assigned tothe"leadagency"or "responsibleofficial"by these sections of the SEPA rules that wereadoptedbyreferenceinWAC173-806-020.
Any party aggrieved by a decision rendered by the responsible official on a thresholddeterminationmayappealthedecisiontothePlanningCommission,subject to theprovisionsofMLMC18.74 of this title.
3.Thecityshallretainalldocuments requiredby theSEPA rules (Chapter197-11 WAC)andmakethemavailableinaccordancewithChapter42.17 RCW.
D.Lead Agency Determination and Responsibilities:
1.The department withinthe city receiving an application for or initiating a proposal thatinvolvesanonexemptactionshalldeterminetheleadagencyforthatproposalunderWAC197-11-050 and 197-11-922 through197-11-940;unless the lead agency has beenpreviouslydeterminedorthedepartmentisawarethatanotherdepartmentoragencyisintheprocessofdeterminingtheleadagency.
2.When the cityis thelead agency for a proposal,the depaitment receiving theapplicationshalldeterminetheresponsibleofficialwhoshallsupervisecompliancewiththethresholdOdeterminationrequirements,and ifan EIS is necessary,shallsupervise preparation of theEIS.
3.When the cityis notthe lead agency for a proposal,alldepartments of thecityshall useandconsider,as appropriate,eithertheDNSorthefinal EIS of the lead agency inmakingdecisionsontheproposal.No city department shall prepare or requirepreparationof aDNSorEISinadditiontothatpreparedbytheleadagency,unless required under WAC197-11-600.In some cases,the city may conduct supplementalenvironmentalreviewunderWAC197-11-600.
4.Ifthe cityor anyofitsdepartments receives a lead agency determination made byanotheragencythatappearsinconsistentwiththecriteriaofWAC197-11-922 through197-11-940,it mayobject to thedetermination.Any objectionmust be made totheagencyoriginallymakingthedeterminationandresolvedwithinfifteen(15)daysofreceipt of thedetermina-
tion,or the city must petition the Department of Ecology for a lead agency determination
under WAC 197-11-946within thefifteen (15)day timeperiod.Anysuch petition on behalfofthecitymaybeinitiatedbytheCommunityDevelopmentDirector.
5.Departmentsof thecity are authorized tomake agreements as tolead agency status orsharedleadagencydutiesforaproposalunderWAC197-11-942 and 197-11-944;Provided,thattheresponsible officialand any department thatwillincur responsibilitiesastheresultofsuchagreementapprovetheagreement
6.Any department making a lead agency determinationfor a private project shall requiresufficientinformationfromtheapplicanttoidentifywhichotheragencieshavejurisdiction
over theproposal.
E.Transfer of Lead Agency Status toa State Agency:For any proposal for a private project
where thecity would be the lead agency and for which one or more state agencies have
jurisdiction,the city'sresponsible officialmay elect totransferthelead agencyduties toa state
agency.The state agency with jurisdictionappearing first on the priority listing in WAC
197-11-936 shall be the lead agency and the cityshall be an agency with jurisdiction.To
transferlead agencyduties,thecity'sresponsible officialmusttransmita noticeofthe transfer
togetherwithanyrelevantinformation available ontheproposaltotheappropriate state agencywithjurisdiction.The responsible officialofthecityshall also give notice ofthetransfertotheprivateapplicantandanyotheragencieswithjurisdictionovertheproposal.
F.Additional Timing Considerations:
1.For nonexempt proposals,theDNS orFinal EISforthe proposalshall accompany thecity's
staff recommendation toany appropriateadvisory body.
2.Ifthecity'sonlyaction on a proposalis a decision on a building permitorotherlicense that
requires detailed projectplans and specifications,the applicantmay request inwritingthat
the city conduct environmentalreviewpriorto submission of the detailed plans and
specifications.
14.06.050 Commenting:
A.Adoption by Reference:This partcontains rules for consulting,commenting,and responding
on all environmental documents under SEPA,including rules forpublic noticeand hearings.
The cityadopts the following Washington Administrative Code sections by reference,assupplementedinthispart:
197-11-500 Purpose ofThis Part197-11-502 InvitingComment197-11-504 Availabilityand Costof Environmental Documents
197-11-508 SEPA Register
197-11-535 Public Hearings and Meetings
197-11-545 Effect of noComment
197-11-550 Specificityof Comments197-11-560 FEIS Response toComments
197-11-570 Consulted Agency Costs toAssist lead agency
B.Public Notice:
1.Whenever the CityofMoses Lake issues a DNS under WAC 197-11-340(2)or a DS under
WAC197-11-360(3)thecityshallgive publicnotice as follows:
a.Ifpublic noticeis required for a nonexemptlicense,the notice shallstate whether a DS
or DNS has been issued and when comments are due.
b.Ifno public noticeis required forthepermít or approval,thecityshallgivenotice oftheDNSorDSby:
(1)Posting the property,for site-specificproposals
(2)Publishing a notice in a newspaper of general circulationin the county,city,orgeneralareawheretheproposalislocated.
c,Whenever the city issues a DS under WAC 197-11-360(3),the cityshall state the
scoping procedurefor the proposal inthe DS as required in WAC 197-11-408 and in
the publicnotice.
2.Whenever the city issues a DEIS under WAC 17-11-455(5)or a SEIS under WAC
197-11-620,notice of theavailabilityof thosedocumentsshall be given by:
a.Indicating theavailabilityof the DEIS in any public notice required for a nonexempt
license;and
b.Posting the property,for site-specificproposals;and
c.Publishing notice in a newspaper of general circulation in the county,city,or general
area where the proposal is located.
3.Whenever possible,the cityshall integrate thepublicnotice requiredunder this section
withexistingnotice procedures forthecity'snonexemptpermits(s)orapproval(s)required
for the proposal.
4.The city may require an applicantto complete the public notice requirements for theapplicant'sproposal at his or her expense.
C.Desicination ofOfficialto Perform Consulted Agency Responsibilities for the City:
1.The Community Development Director shallbe responsiblefor preparation ofwritten com-ments forthecity in response to a consultation request prior toa thresholddetermination,participation in scopingand reviewing a DEIS.
2.The CommunityDevelopment Director shallbe responsiblefor the city'scompliancewithWAC197-11-550 whenever thecityis a consulted agency and is authorized to develop0operatingproceduresthatwillensurethatresponsestoconsultationrequestsarepreparedinatimelyfashionandincludedatafromallappropriatedepartmentsofthecity.
14.06.070 SEPA and Aqenev Decisions:
A.Purpose and Adoption by Reference:This part contains rules (andpolicies)for SEPA'ssubstantiveauthority,such as decisions to mitigate or reject proposals as a result of SEPA.This part also contains procedures for appealing SEPA determinations toagencies or thecourts.The cityadopts the followingWashington Administrative Code sections by reference:
197-11-650 Purpose ofThis Part197-11-655 Implementation197-11-660 Substantive Authority and Mitigation197-11-680 Appeals
B.SubstantiveAuthority:
1.The policies andgoals set forth inthisordinancearesupplementarytothoseintheexistingauthorizationoftheCityofMosesLake.
2.The city may attach conditions toa permit or approval for a proposal so long as:
a.Such conditions are necessary to mitigate specific probable adverse environmentalimpactsidentifiedinenvironmentaldocumentspreparedpursuanttothisordinance;and
b.Such conditionsare inwriting;and
c.The mitigationmeasures includedin such conditionsare reasonable and capable ofbeingaccomplished;and
d.The city has considered whether other local,state,or federal mitigation measuresappliedtotheproposalaresufficienttomitigatetheidentifiedimpacts;and
e.Such conditionsare based onone or morepolicies in subsection4 ofthissectionandcitedinthelicenseorotherdecisiondocument.
3.The citymay deny a permitor approvalfor a proposal onthe basis ofSEPA so long as:
a.A finding is made that approving the proposal would result in probable significantadverseenvironmentalimpactsthatareidentifiedinaFEISorfinalSEISpreparedpursuanttothisordinance;and
b.A findingis made thatthereare no reasonable mitigation measures capable of beingaccomplishedthataresufficienttomitigatetheidentifiedimpact;and
c.The denial is based on one or more policies identified in subsection 4 of thissectionandidentifiedinwritinginthedecisiondocument.
4.The citydesignates and adopts by reference thefollowingpolicies as the basis forthecity'sexerciseofauthoritypursuanttothissection:
a.The cityshalluse allpracticable means,consistentwithotheressential considerationsofstatepolicy,toimprove and coordinate plans,functions,programs,and resourcestotheendthatthestateanditscitizensmay:
1)Fulfillthe responsibilities of each generation as trustee of the environment forsucceedinggenerations;
2)Assure for all people ofWashington safe,healthful,productive,and aestheticallyandculturallypleasingsurroundings;
3)Attain thewidest range of beneficial uses of theenvironment without degradation,risk to health or safety,or other undesirable and unintendedconsequences;
4)Preserve important historic,cultural,and natural aspects of our nationalheritage;
5)Maintain,wherever possible,an environment which supportsdiversity and varietyofindividualchoice;
6)Achieve a balance between populationand resource use whichwillpermit highstandardsoflivingandawidesharingoflife's amenities;and
7)Enhancethequalityof renewable resources and approach themaximum attainable
recyclingofdepletableresources.
b.The cityrecognizes thateach person has a fundamental and inalienable rightto ahealthfulenvironmentandthateachpersonhasaresponsibilitytocontributetothepreservationandenhancementoftheenvironment
5.Exceptfor permitsand variances issued pursuant to the ShorelineManagement Master
Plan ofthecity,whenany proposalor actionnotrequiringa decisionof theCity Council is
conditioned or denied onthebasis ofSEPA by a nonelected official,thedecision shallbe
appealable totheCity Council.Such appeal maybe perfectedby theproponentor anyaggrievedpartybygivingnoticetotheresponsibleofficialwithinten(10)days of the
decision being appealed.Reviewby theCityCouncil shallbe on a de nova basis.
C.Appeals:
1.The City of Moses Lake establishes the followingadministrativeappeal procedure under
RCW43.21C.075 and WAC 197-11-680:
a.Any agency or person may appeal the city's procedural compliance with Chapter
197-11 WAC forissuance of thefollowing:
1)A finalDNS:Appeal ofthe DNSmust be made tothe City Councilwithin ten(10)days ofthedate theDNS is final [seeWAC197-11-390(2)(a)].
2)A DS:The appeal must be madeto the CityCouncil withinten(10)days of the
date theDSis issued.
3)An EIS:Appeal ofthe FEIS must be madeto the CityCouncilwithinten(10)days
of thedate the permit or other approval is issued.
b.For any appeal under thissubsection,thecityshall providefor a record to be made at
any hearing that shallconsist of thefollowing:
1)Findings and conclusions
2)Testimony under oath;and
3)A tapedor written transcript
c.The city mayrequiretheappellant toprovide a transcriptattheappellant's cost
d.The proceduraldetermination by the city'sresponsible officialshall carrysubstantial
weight in anyappeal proceeding.
2.The cityshall giveofficialnoticeunder WAC 197-11-680(5)wheneveritissues a permit orapprovalforwhichastatuteorordinanceestablishesatimelimitforcommencingjudicial
appeal.
D.Notice/Statute of Limitations:
1.The city,applicant for,or proponent of an actionmay publisha notice of action pursuant
toRCW 43.21C.080 forany action.
2.Theform of the notice shall be substantially inthe form providedinWAC197-11-990.The
notice shallbe publishedbythe Finance Director orCounty Auditor,applicantor proponent
pursuant to RCW 43.210.080.
Section 2.This ordinance shalltake effectand be in force five (5)days afterits passage and publication of
its summary as provided by law.
Adopted by theCity Council and signed by its Mayoron tember11,2 .
Mayor
AT
FWanceDirector
AP VED AS TO :
rney
PUBLISHED:9/14/01