30.61.060 Time limits.
The following time limits (expressed in calendar days) shall apply to the SEPA process for all project permit applications.
(1) Categorical exemptions. A determination that a project is categorically exempt shall be made within 28 days of the date of application submittal.
(2) Threshold determinations.
(a) Threshold determinations made for proposed actions subject to the time periods established for project permit review in SCC 30.70.110, shall be made as early as possible in the permit review process as is necessary to meet permit review time limitations specified in SCC 30.70.110, and for Type 2 project permit applications, on or before day 49 of the 120-day permit review period. If a proposal is substantially revised and/or altered so as to require the county to conduct a complete re-evaluation of proposal impacts in conjunction with a substantial project redesign, the revised proposal shall be processed as a new application for the purposes of meeting the review time period requirements of this chapter and SCC 30.70.040.
(b) No threshold determination for a Type 1 or Type 2 project permit application, shall be issued until the expiration of the public comment period established for the notice of application pursuant to SCC 30.70.060 except for a determination of significance.
(3) EIS preparation. The time period necessary for EIS preparation will vary on a case-by-case basis and is dependent upon the nature of the proposed action, and the number and complexity of the environmental elements to be included in the document. The time period for preparing an EIS shall be consistent with the time period specified by the department pursuant to SCC 30.70.110, or consistent with time periods mutually agreed to by the lead department and project applicant. (Added by Amended Ord. 02-064, Dec. 9, 2002, Eff date Feb. 1, 2003).