The Washington State Growth Management Act gives Seattleites the opportunity to amend the city's Comprehensive Plan once a year and anyone can suggest an amendment, including neighbors, business owners, council members and city staff.

Proposed amendments may include changes to policies, the future land use map, appendices, or other components of the Comprehensive Plan. To be eligible for consideration, applications for proposed amendments must be submitted by 5 p.m. on May 15 each year. A review calendar then plays out through March 31 of the following year.

The city’s Comprehensive Plan (Comp Plan), titled “Toward a Sustainable Seattle,” is a document created in 1994 that sets out the goals, values and policies guiding us as we accommodate growth over time. It's a blueprint for growing responsibly.

Following the submission deadline, the process involves two separate reviews by the Seattle City Council.

1. Screening: In the first review, the Council holds a public hearing around the first week of July, reviews feedback, and then (by the end of July) identifies the amendments that will be analyzed and considered in the cycle. The City Council uses adopted criteria in selecting Comp Plan amendments to consider.

2. Analysis: Executive staff and the Planning Commission then analyze the list of possible amendments Council identified in the July triage.

3. Final Action: By Nov. 20 of each year, the Executive submits an ordinance containing the Mayor's recommended amendments for the Council to consider. From November to the end of March Council reviews the staff work, hears from the public, and then considers adoption of the proposals. A final, amended ordinance, adopted by the Council before March 31, adds the selected amendments into the Comprehensive Plan.

For the 2009-2010 Comp Plan amendment cycle, proposals from the public are due by May 15. The application for amendment proposals are available from Council member Sally Clark’s Web site at http://www.seattle.gov/council/clark. Council will take final action on proposals by March 31, 2010.

Questions?

If you have questions or would like additional information about the Comprehensive Plan, please call Ketil Freeman of Council Central Staff at (206) 684-8178. To receive a copy of recommendations and notification of public hearing dates, call the number above or e-mail the Ketil at ketil.freeman@seattle.gov to be placed on the Comp Plan mailing list.