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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommenting and Appealing a Development Proposal rentonwa.gov/permitcenter | planningcustomerservice@rentonwa.gov | 425-430-7294 11/22/2022 Page 1 of 7 CITY OF RENTON Ι PERMIT CENTER COMMENTING AND APPEALING ON PROPOSED DEVELOPMENTS Concerned citfzens can review the following list of land use issues when commentfng on a proposal that may impact their neighborhood. This list should not be considered to be all-inclusive, but provides guidance regarding issues to consider when commentfng on development proposals. • Zoning: uses allowed, are there any restrictfons; • Development Regulations: maximum building height, structure setbacks, lot coverage, minimum and maximum number of units, lot size, landscaping requirements; • Critical Areas: shoreline, geological hazards, wetlands, aquifer protectfon areas; • Parking: minimum and maximum number of required parking stalls; • Utilities: sanitary sewer, storm drainage, water; • Environmental Impacts:  Earth: grading/filling, slopes, soil types;  Air: emissions to the air;  Water: surface runoff, withdrawals of surface or ground water;  Vegetation: plant removal or alteratfons;  Animal Habitat: threatened or endangered species;  Energy and Natural Resources: potentfal solar impacts;  Environmental Health: special emergency services, hazardous waste;  Noise: short-term and long-term noise impacts, measures to reduce or control noise impacts;  Housing: dwelling units provided or units lost, compatfbility with existfng housing;  Aesthetics: bulk, mass, height, blockage of public views;  Transportation: impacts on existfng streets, public transit, new streets, and new trips per day. If you believe any of the above-mentfoned issues have not been adequately addressed, or there is insufficient informatfon provided, please take a moment to comment on the project as described on the backside of this informatfonal handout. Or, if you have some general questfons about a project proposal or just want to speak to someone about potentfal development, please feel free to contact the City of Renton Planning Division at PlanningCustomerService@rentonwa.gov. WHAT INTERESTED PARTIES SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE LAND USE PROCESS The City of Renton encourages all interested partfes to get involved in the land use process. This handout provides a brief overview of the process. It also highlights key elements that one should consider when commentfng on development proposals. State and local laws require certain land use projects to undergo a notfficatfon/comment/ appeal process as part of the applicatfon process. For example, a new shopping center would be required to obtain site plan and environmental review approval, which triggers a public notfce, comment and appeal period. However, once the site is developed, if a tenant wants an electrical permit for a new electrical outlet a public notfce and comment period is not required. rentonwa.gov/permitcenter | planningcustomerservice@rentonwa.gov | 425-430-7294 11/22/2022 Page 2 of 7 COMMENTING AND APPEALING DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL Some of the land use permits that require notfce/comment/appeal periods are: site plan review; environmental review (SEPA); variances; conditfonal use permits; short plats; preliminary plats; rezones; and comprehensive plan amendments. In contrast, many other land use and building related permits do not require public notfce/ comment periods such as: building permits for single family (new homes); minor commercial tenant improvement permits; electrical and mechanical permits; signs; business licenses; lot line adjustments; right-of-way use permits; and constructfon and utflity permits. The Notification and Comment Period Process: Once the City accepts a complete land use applicatfon the “Comment Period” begins. The comment period is the tfme when interested partfes can get involved in land use projects. The following list of steps outlines the notfficatfon and comment period process: 1. The Notice of Application is issued when a project applicatfon is accepted by the City as complete. This notfce provides a brief overview of the project, its locatfon, and City contact informatfon if a neighbor chooses to comment on a project. More specific details of the project can be obtained by visitfng the City’s Digital Records Library or Land Use Public Notfce page. 2. The Comment Period begins when the City of Renton Planning Division mails a “Notfce of Applicatfon” to property owners within 300 feet of the proposed project boundaries. In additfon, the notfce is posted on the City of Renton’s webpage. 3. Anyone that would like to become a party of record or provide public comment on a specified project applicatfon may do so by completfng our online form at https://cutt.ly/SQvBak4. Please include your name, email or mailing address, the Land Use file number or project address in your comment letter. The comment period last for two weeks and the City will not make any decision or recommendatfon on the project untfl the comment period expires. Anyone submitting written comments is automatfcally made a party of record and will receive copies of project decisions and correspondence throughout the review process. Becoming a party of record assures that they will be notffied of any opportunity to attend a public hearing and, that you will receive a copy of the land use decision. Once a project decision has been issued, a 14-day appeal period begins. Any party withstanding can appeal a project during the 14-day appeal period. An appeal of a decision or recommendatfon must be received by the City Clerk’s Office by 5:00 p.m. on the appeal deadline date. All appeals are filed with the City of Renton City Clerk’s Office. Due to the ongoing state of emergency enacted by Governor’s Proclamatfon 20-05, the City Clerk’s Office is working remotely. For that reason, appeals must be submitted electronically to the City Clerk at cityclerk@rentonwa.gov or delivered to City Hall 1st floor Lobby Hub only on Tuesdays and/or Wednesdays. The appeal fee, normally due at the tfme an appeal is submitted, will be collected at a future date if your appeal is submitted electronically. Appeals to the Hearing Examiner are governed by RMC 4-8-110 and additfonal informatfon regarding the appeal process may be obtained from the City Clerk’s Office, cityclerk@rentonwa.gov. HOW TO REACH US You may contact the City of Renton Hearing Examiner for pre-hearing procedural questfons or a pre-hearing conference: Olbrechtslaw@gmail.com Please reach out to Planning Customer Service at PlanningCustomerService@rentonwa.gov or (425) 430-7294. rentonwa.gov/permitcenter | planningcustomerservice@rentonwa.gov | 425-430-7294 11/22/2022 Page 3 of 7 COMMENTING AND APPEALING DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL LETTERS TO A PUBLIC HEARING BODY Letters are very important to City Council, Planning Commission and Hearing Examiner as they make decisions. A well- written letter can be as influentfal as the Staff Report. Preparation 1. Read the staff report and other background materials. 2. Confer with your neighbors. 3. Know the decision-making criteria. 4. Brainstorm a list of the points you wish to make. If you represent a group, ask other people for ideas and add their input to the list. Writing Your Letter Part I State the Facts 1. Include your name, address and phone number and/or email. 2. State your interest in the case and whom you represent (if you are speaking for yourself, say that). 3. What you want/don’t want the hearing body to do (one or two sentences if you can, early in the letter). 4. Cite specific, measurable impacts. 5. Try to avoid hearsay or prophetfc (“chicken little”) statements. Use facts. 6. Provide informatfon, if you can, that reveals gaps or errors in the applicatfon material or the analysis, or introduce new informatfon. 7. Offer solutfons if you can. 8. Specifically request follow up if you expect it. Writing Your Letter Part II Organizatfon 1. In the heading, identffy the subject and state if you are in favor or opposed. 2. Organize your letter similarly to the Staff Report. 3. Provide evidence for why the hearing body should make a partfcular decision. 4. Relate evidence directly to the decision-making criteria from the Staff Report. 5. Provide reference to page numbers in the Staff Report. 6. Use bullet points or numbered lists to outline your points. 7. Keep it short (one or two pages). Writing Your Letter Part III Common Mistakes 1. Forgetting to put your name on the letter. 2. Straying from the facts in the case. 3. Addressing issues that are not related to the decision at hand. 4. Addressing issues that are outside the influence/responsibility of the hearing body. 5. Statfng inaccurate facts. rentonwa.gov/permitcenter | planningcustomerservice@rentonwa.gov | 425-430-7294 11/22/2022 Page 4 of 7 COMMENTING AND APPEALING DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL 6. Making assumptfons. 7. Illegible handwritfng. 8. Spelling errors. 9. Disorganized. 10. Too much emotfonal language (be personal without letting your emotfons drive the letter). 11. Forgetting to include your address or phone number. 12. Not acknowledging whom you represent. 13. Writfng too much. 14. Relying on rumors. 15. Making threats. 16. Name-calling. 17. Lack of facts – only hearsay and assumptfons. Advice from Those Who have Written Before: From citfzens: “Write the letter and put it away for a few days. Reread it, and if you stfll feel the same way, send it.” “Don’t save the letter writfng only for objectfons. Praise helps city staff know what they are doing right as well.” From a City Councilperson: “It is especially helpful if the writer has informatfon that is unique or has a point that is unlikely to be covered by others.” Decision-Making Criteria: These are the applicable standards and criteria that the hearing body must use when they make a decision. The decision-making or applicable criteria are outlined in the Staff Report. If you can’t find the criteria or have questfons, contact the staff person who wrote the report or the Planning Division at PlanningCustomerService@rentonwa.gov.. Where to Find the Staff Report: Staff Reports and other related documents can be found in our Digital Records Library. Writing Alone or Writing For a Group: The first questfon you might want to ask yourself is, am I speaking just for myself or for others as well? Advantages/Disadvantages As a group: • Different perspectfves in additfon to your own. • Power in numbers. • Requires coordinatfon to rally support. As an individual: • One person’s opinion might be biased in some way. • You may have an important perspectfve. rentonwa.gov/permitcenter | planningcustomerservice@rentonwa.gov | 425-430-7294 11/22/2022 Page 5 of 7 COMMENTING AND APPEALING DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL • Less coordinatfon required. Suggestions for Writing as a Group • Cite the broadest base of support you have for your positfon such as a petftfon or letter signed by neighbors, an approved neighborhood plan, or an annual neighborhood opinion survey. • If you have approval (as defined by your Associatfon’s by-laws) to represent your Neighborhood Associatfon, use Neighborhood Associatfon letterhead. Suggestions for Writing as an Individual • Remain objectfve and avoid emotfonal language. Making Your Case in One Sentence: Your case will be conveyed most powerfully if you can make it in one short and succinct statement. Most of us can’t write a great statement like this the first tfme. Try this technique for developing one: • Write down everything in your head. Focus on “what” you want the hearing body to understand (you will address the “why” later). • Set that aside. • With a new sheet of paper, write down your main point again. • Examine what you have written and identffy the most important point. Eliminate repetftfon. • Repeat untfl you have reduced your statement to one or two sentences. TESTIFYING AT A PUBLIC HEARING Your presence at a public hearing can be a powerful statement. Use the following techniques to organize your thoughts so that your words will make a powerful statement too. Preparing for Your Testimony: 1. Make sure you understand the issue that is before the hearing body (is it an actual development proposal or an annexatfon, or a rezoning?). 2. Bring in a written statement of your comments to organize your thoughts (see the “Letters to a Public Hearing Body” handout). 3. Review the Staff Report 4. Understand the decision-making criteria. 5. Create a short (one or two sentence) statement that summarized what you are asking the hearing body to do. 6. Use facts and make sure your facts are right. Avoid assumptfons. 7. Make a bulleted list of your main points. It will be easier to read. 8. Practfce your testfmony before you arrive. 9. Time yourself. You’ll only have a few minutes to make your point. 10. If attending with others, limit repetftfve testfmony by assigning different topics to each like-minded individual planning to testffy. rentonwa.gov/permitcenter | planningcustomerservice@rentonwa.gov | 425-430-7294 11/22/2022 Page 6 of 7 COMMENTING AND APPEALING DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL Attending a Virtual Public Hearing: Due to the ongoing state of emergency enacted by Governor’s Proclamatfon 20-05, the City Clerk’s Office is working remotely. Therefore, virtual/telephonic Public Hearings will be held by means of the Zoom video conferencing web applicatfon, which includes a toll-free phone-in optfon. Please see the Virtual Telephonic Public Hearing TipSheet for instructfons on how to login. When Testifying The purpose of your testfmony is to focus the hearing body’s attentfon on the connectfon between your testfmony and their decision-making criteria. 1. State your name and where you live first, followed by your positfon (for or against) and whom you represent (yourself or a group). 2. Address the issue that is before the hearing body, such as a proposed ordinance. Refer to it by name and identffying number. 3. Keep it short and to the point. Observe tfme limits. 4. Provide examples if you can of the points you make. 5. Provide informatfon or new material of which the hearing body might not be aware. 6. Provide realistfc alternatfves for the hearing body to consider. 7. Be aware of what your body language is saying. Other Advice 1. Avoid threatening language, no matter how emotfonally charged the topic. 2. Be respectiul and professional. Don’t get personal or overly emotfonal. 3. Stfck to the topic and try not to ramble. Be respectiul of the length of the meetfng and all the other people who may wish to speak. 4. Use facts; not rumors, fears or speculatfon. 5. Avoid repetftfon. There is nothing wrong with simply saying “I agree with the testfmony of Mrs…” 6. As a member of the audience, do not clap or shout out from the room. This takes from other people’s tfme and is disrespectiul. Specific Advice From Those Who Have Spoken Before From citizens: “Be prepared with paper and pencil to inject new thoughts into your speech based on what you may have heard from the oppositfon.” “Have your thoughts written down. Simple read your written testfmony if necessary. Many tfmes this is much more effectfve. You don’t lose your train of thought or forget important details.” “Body language is important. When you are called to testffy, hand the clerk a copy of your written testfmony. Bring your testfmony in a manila folder. Once you are comfortable seated or at the podium, open it slowly. When you are finished, place your testfmony back into the folder to make it clear that you have finished.” “Avoid bringing up background or peripheral matters. If the Council wants more detail, they will ask questfons before you turn to leave.” rentonwa.gov/permitcenter | planningcustomerservice@rentonwa.gov | 425-430-7294 11/22/2022 Page 7 of 7 COMMENTING AND APPEALING DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL “End your testfmony by saying, “We urge Council to support (or reject) this measure.” Say “Thank you for this opportunity to speak” before you stand up or turn to leave.” “Do your homework! What codes are in place that supports your positfon?” “Don’t be afraid or intfmated. Many of our appointed and elected officials are volunteers who want to hear what you have to say. If you are upset about the issue, it is alright to convey that, but without personal attacks and accusatory language. Remember that the people you are addressing are your neighbors, and they may already be on your side.” From Planning Commission: “Stop and take a deep breath. Then begin your testfmony.” Q: What are you looking for as you take testfmony from the public? A: What’s this person’s interest in the issue and why? What’s the source of their informatfon? Is it accurate? Is their concern something that’s unique to them, or is it something that would be of concern to many?