2023 Annual Docket of Proposed Development Code and Comprehensive Plan Amendments

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Every year the City accepts proposals for potential amendments to the Comprehensive Plan and Unified Land Development Code (Title 19 Mercer Island City Code (MICC)) through a process called the Annual Docket. Members of the public, City boards and commissions, and City staff can propose amendments though the Annual docket. Applications are accepted September 1 through October 1 each year. After the application period, city staff prepares a recommendation for which Annual Docket proposals should be added to the Community Planning and Development (CPD) work plan. Next, the Planning Commission reviews the proposals and makes a recommendation to the City Council. Finally, the City Council considers the staff and Planning Commission recommendations and decides which Annual Docket proposals are added to the Final Docket. Items added to the Final Docket will be placed on the Community Planning and Development (CPD) work plan work plan for legislative review.

Every year the City accepts proposals for potential amendments to the Comprehensive Plan and Unified Land Development Code (Title 19 Mercer Island City Code (MICC)) through a process called the Annual Docket. Members of the public, City boards and commissions, and City staff can propose amendments though the Annual docket. Applications are accepted September 1 through October 1 each year. After the application period, city staff prepares a recommendation for which Annual Docket proposals should be added to the Community Planning and Development (CPD) work plan. Next, the Planning Commission reviews the proposals and makes a recommendation to the City Council. Finally, the City Council considers the staff and Planning Commission recommendations and decides which Annual Docket proposals are added to the Final Docket. Items added to the Final Docket will be placed on the Community Planning and Development (CPD) work plan work plan for legislative review.

  • City Council Establishes the Final Docket with Resolution 1641

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    On December 6, 2022, the City Council established the final docket of 2023 Comprehensive Plan and Development Code amendments by approving Resolution 1641. Approval of Resolution 1641 completes the 2022 annual docket process. The 2023 annual docket application window will be from September 1 to 30, 2023.

    The table below shows the City Council decision for each docket proposal.

    Item No.

    Proposed By

    Potentially Affected Section, Goal or Policy

    Summary of Proposal

    Planning Commission Recommendation

    City Council Decision

    1

    Mercer Island Beach Club

    MICC 19.13.040 Table B Shoreland Uses Waterward of the Ordinary High Water Mark

    This amendment would allow private clubs or residential communities serving more than 10 families to use the Shoreline Conditional Use Permit process for the redevelopment of moorage facilities, floating platforms, mooring piles, diving boards, diving platforms, swim areas and other accessory uses.

    Add to final docket

    Added to final docket

    2

    Daniel Thompson

    Residential Development Standards (MICC 19.02.020(D)(2)(a) Gross Floor Area)

    This amendment would reduce ceiling height from 12 feet to 10 feet before it is counted as clerestory space at 150% of gross floor area (GFA).

    Add to final docket

    Not docketed

    3

    Daniel Thompson

    Residential Development Standards (MICC 19.02.020(D)(2) and 19.02.020(G)(2))

    This amendment would include exterior covered decks in the definition of GFA and include covered porches on the first level in the calculation of GFA.

    Add to final docket

    Not docketed

    4

    Daniel Thompson

    Residential Development Standards (MICC 19.02.040(D)(1) Garages and Carports)

    This amendment would either eliminate the ability to build garages and carports within 10 feet of the property line of the front yard, or, alternatively, eliminate this option for waterfront lots that have flipped their front and back yards per MICC 19.02.020(c)(2)(a)(iii).

    Do not add to final docket

    Not docketed

    5

    Daniel Thompson

    Residential Development Standards (MICC 19.02.020(D)(3)(b) Gross Floor Area Incentives for ADUs)


    This amendment would limit the GFA incentives for ADUs to lots 8,400 square feet or smaller.

    Add to final docket

    Not docketed

    6

    Daniel Thompson

    Residential Development Standards (MICC 19.02.020(G)(2)(a) and (b) Parking Requirements)

    This amendment would reduce the threshold for requiring only 2 parking spaces (1 covered and 1 uncovered) from 3,000 square feet to 2,000 square feet.

    Add to final docket

    Not docketed

    7

    Michael Murphy

    MICC 19.07.180 Watercourses and MICC 19.16.010 Definitions

    This amendment would repeal regulations related to Piped Watercourses.

    Add to final docket

    Not docketed

    8

    Carolyn Boatsman

    MICC 19.15.230 (E) Docketing Criteria

    This amendment would repeal the docketing criterion stating, “the proposal does not raise policy or land use issues that are more appropriately addresses by an ongoing work program item approved by the city council”.

    Add to final docket

    Not docketed

    9

    City Staff

    MICC 19.11.030 Bulk Regulations, possibly other sections of the development code

    The Town Center code currently limits commercial buildings to 2 stories/27 feet in height. This amendment would provide an allowance for commercial buildings to exceed two stories in the Town Center.

    N/A

    (proposal withdrawn)

    Not docketed

    10

    City Staff

    MICC 19.15 Administration

    Surgical amendments to the administrative code to correct errors and improve clarity and consistency, including correcting the appeal process for shoreline exemptions and clarifying the notice of decision requirements for Type II land use approvals.

    N/A

    (proposal withdrawn)

    Not docketed

    11

    City Staff

    MICC 19.01.050 Nonconforming structures, sites, lots and uses; possibly other sections of the development code

    This amendment would expand and clarify the legal lot regulations, including adding provisions for testamentary lot division and innocent purchaser verification.

    N/A

    (proposal withdrawn)

    Not docketed

    12

    City Staff

    Add a new section to MICC 19.06 to regulate temporary uses, amend MICC 19.09.060 Right-of-way use and repeal MICC 10.060.050 Commerce on Public Property

    This amendment will update the code provisions regulating temporary uses on private property and in the right-of-way. Provisions regarding the sale of goods and services on public property will be incorporated into the temporary uses and right-of-way use sections, as appropriate.

    N/A

    (proposal withdrawn)

    Not docketed

  • Planning Commission to Review Docket Submissions October 26

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    The Mercer Island Planning Commission will review the items proposed for the annual Comprehensive Plan and development code amendment docket on on October 26 beginning at 6:00pm. The meeting will be held in a hybrid format, with the option to attend in person at City Hall or virtually via Zoom. More details, including the Zoom link, will be provided in the meeting agenda, which will be posted here by October 20th.

  • Annual Docket Application Window Open September 1 to October 1

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    Submit a Docket Request

    Applications for proposed amendments to the Comprehensive Plan and Unified Land Development Code (Title 19 MICC) will be accepted September 1 through October 1, 2022. These applications are known as Docket Requests and are the first step in the process of amending the City’s Comprehensive Plan or development regulations. The Mercer Island City Code (MICC) describes the process for these amendments in MICC 19.15.230-.260. Figure 1 summarizes the annual docket process.


    Figure 1: The Annual Docket process


    Staff review all docket requests for timeliness and completeness and will use the information provided in the application form to present your request to the Mercer Island Planning Commission and City Council. The Planning Commission will review the docket requests and make a recommendation to the City Council regarding which docket items to add to the final docket.

    The City Council has decision-making authority over all annual docket proposals. The City Council determines whether to add a proposal to the final docket. Items added to the final docket will be incorporated in the Community Planning and Development work plan for the upcoming year. Docket requests are evaluated based on alignment with the current City work plan, current policies, programmatic priorities, staff capacity, and budget to complete of the legislative process for the request in the following year. The City Council will approve the final docket by December 31 each year. Items placed on the final docket will be scheduled for legislative review by the Planning Commission and City Council in the following year.

    Applicants must submit a complete Docket Request Form by October 1 for their proposal to be considered. Prior to submitting a Docket Request Form, the applicant should meet with planning staff to ensure that applicable decision criteria are adequately addressed, and all necessary information is included in the application. Docket Request Forms that are determined to be untimely or incomplete will not be included in the public review process.

    Completed Docket Request Form can be submitted to Alison Van Gorp, Deputy CPD Director (alison.vangorp@mercerisland.gov). Please contact Alison if you have any questions about the Annual Docket review process or to request a meeting to review a draft proposal.

Page last updated: 04 Aug 2023, 06:03 PM