17.148.040 Transportation concurrency – Exempt development

17.148.040 Transportation concurrency – Exempt development.

(1) All new developments, redevelopments, changes in use, and additions in building square footage that generate 15 or more additional peak trips according to the ITE manual or a trip generation study prepared by a professional engineer are subject to the concurrency standards herein; and the applicant shall have a transportation study prepared for the development to determine any concurrency impacts to the city’s transportation system.

(2) The following types of development are exempt from the requirements of this chapter, except if they generate 15 or more peak hour trips:

(a) Any development generating less than 15 peak hour trips;

(b) Construction of an individual single-family residence or duplex;

(d) Any addition or accessory structure to a residence with no change in use or increase in the number of dwelling units;

(e) Interior renovations with no change in use or, if a residential use, no increase in number of dwelling units;

(f) Interior completion of a structure for use(s) with the same or less intensity as the existing use or a previously approved use;

(g) Replacement structure with no change in use or increase in number of dwelling units;

(h) Single accessory dwelling unit;

(i) Temporary construction trailers;

(j) Driveway resurfacing or parking lot paving;

(k) Reroofing of structures;

(l) Demolitions;

(m) Clearing, filling and grading;

(n) Water, sewer, and storm drainage hook-ups;

(o) Any portion of any project in connection with the following:

(i) Public transportation facilities, not including school facilities;

(ii) Public parks and recreation facilities;

(iii) Public libraries;

(iv) Municipal administration or police, fire or public works facilities; and

(v) Water, sewer, or storm drainage facilities;

(p) Other types of minor development as approved in writing by the public works director.

(3) Exempt Permits. The following development permits are exempt from the requirements of this chapter:

(a) Administrative interpretation;

(b) Building permits for an individual single-family residence, residential or commercial tenant improvement that don’t increase peak hour trips by 15 or more, or a single accessory dwelling unit;

(d) Clearing, filling and grading permit;

(e) Demolition permit;

(f) Electrical permit;

(g) Final plat;

(h) Mechanical permit;

(i) Plumbing permit;

(j) Right-of-way permit;

(k) Shoreline variance;

(l) Short plat creating four or fewer lots for development of single-family homes;

(m) Sign permit;

(n) Street vacation;

(o) Temporary use permit;

(p) Variance;

(q) Zoning code amendments; and

(r) Proposed development regulations.

(4) Complete development permit applications that have been submitted before the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter are exempt from the requirements of this chapter.

(5) Notwithstanding any of the above-listed exemptions, any development that will generate 15 or more peak hour trips is not exempted from the requirements of this chapter. At his or her discretion, the director may require a trip generation study to confirm the number of peak hour trips generated by a proposed development. Projects that are shown to generate 15 or more peak trips shall be subject to the concurrency application and evaluation process specified in SMC 17.148.070.

(a) For the purposes of this chapter, change in use shall not be considered an exempt development.

(b) However, if a change in use will have an equal or lesser impact on affected transportation facilities than the previous use as determined by the public works director based on review of information submitted by the developer, a certificate of capacity shall not be required.

(7) Notwithstanding the exemptions listed above, the traffic resulting from any exempt use or permit shall nonetheless be included in computing background traffic for any nonexempt project.

(8) Exemption from the provisions of this chapter does not exempt the payment of transportation impact fees under Chapter 17.151 SMC. In the case where payment is required, but the threshold for the transportation study has not been triggered, nor a study produced, impact fee payment shall be based on the city’s adopted fee schedule in place at the time of complete application. (Ord. 1216 § 3, 2007; Ord. 1164 § 4, 2004; Ord. 1110 § 3, 2002; Ord. 1092 § 1, 2000).