CITY OF SEATTLE
ORDINANCE __________________
COUNCIL BILL __________________
title
AN ORDINANCE relating to environmental review; amending Section 25.05.800 of the Seattle Municipal Code to update categorical exemptions for "infill" development consistent with changes to the State Environmental Policy Act.
body
WHEREAS, in 2003, regulations governing the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) categorical exemptions for infill development was enacted by the state of Washington to encourage growth consistent with the Growth Management Act (chapter 36.70A RCW); and
WHEREAS, RCW 43.21C.229 authorizes cities planning under RCW 36.70A.040 to establish categorical exemptions from the State Environmental Policy Act (RCW 43.21C) that differ from the exemptions in RCW 43.21.C.110(1)(a); and
WHEREAS, under RCW 43.21C.229, the infill development categorical exemptions are allowed to be applied by local governments within an urban growth area, when the environmental impacts of such exemptions have been considered, when the City's comprehensive plan has received environmental review in the form of an environmental impact statement, and where current density and intensity for growth areas are lower than called for in the City's comprehensive plan; and
WHEREAS, in 2016, pursuant to the provisions of RCW 43.21C.229, The City of Seattle adopted infill development exemptions for urban centers that were higher than the categorical exemptions that the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) had promulgated pursuant to RCW 43.21C.110; and
WHEREAS, in 2022, Ecology adopted new and higher infill development exemptions by rule pursuant to RCW 43.21C.110 for urban areas, and The City of Seattle wishes to recognize those limits in its SEPA regulations; and
WHEREAS, development in Downtown Seattle has exceeded the growth estimates adopted for the Urban Center, and the current exemptions in Seattle's regulations are unreasonably low; and
WHEREAS, the City has the opportunity to up...
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