The official web site for the City of Lynnwood, WA
   
CITY HALL
Employment
Departments / Staff Contacts
SERVICES
Utilities
Public Works
BUSINESS
Purchasing
Get Your Business License
COMMUNITY
Parks, Recreation & Cultural Arts
Senior Center
FIND
News, Information and Announcements
Disclaimer & Legal
Departments, Documents and Data
Site Map
City Projects
City of Lynnwood
19100 44th Ave W
Lynnwood WA 98036
425-670-5000
Map and Directions

Land Use Applications, Services and Charges

Current and Long Range Planning Applications

Click Here for Permit Center     Click Here for Current Planning
Click Here for Community Development     Click Here for Long-Range Planning

 

Available Land Use Applications

Each application package contains all of the forms necessary for any given project type (general land use cover sheet, specific project applications, checklists, and in some cases, affidavits of ownership). If you have questions about any of the following permits or processes that are not answered in the Frequently Asked Questions section below, please feel free to contact the Planning Hotline at (425) 670-5410.

For complex projects or projects with multiple applications, we strongly recommend a free Pre-Development Meeting. Staff from the Planning and Building divisions of the Community Development Department, the Public Works Department and the Fire Department will be available to answer questions about your project.

NOTE: Some projects will require Environmental Review. For more information about the SEPA process, please see the Department of Ecology's SEPA Handbook and LMC Title 17 - Environment.

All applications are in Adobe .pdf format, click here to get Adobe Reader.

Accessory Dwelling Unit     Comprehensive Plan Amendment     Project Design Review: City Center Zones    Subdivision (Plat) 
Appeal of Administrative Decision     Suggested Comprehensive Plan Amendment    Project Design Review: Commercial-Public Zones    Short Plat 
Appeal Determinination of Violation    Conditional Use Permit    Project Design Review: Industrial Zones    Tent Encampment 
Appeal of Hearing Examiner Decision   

Environmental Checklist

 

Project Design Review: Multi-Family Zones

 

Variance 

Boundary Line Adjustment/Lot Combination  

  Environmental Checklist Non-Project    Planned Unit Development    Wireless Communication Facility 
Binding Site Plan    Parking Reduction   Rezone  

Zoning Interpretation Request

 

  Shared Parking         

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the application process?

What is the cost to apply?

What are "deposit" applications and how do they work?

What other services do you provide?

How long does a land use decision typically take?

What is consolidated review?

 

What is the application process?

Each application follows the same initial steps for processing, but then may have a different approval process. The table below shows whether an application follows a formal process (details on formal processes, e.g. Process I, Process II, are available in LMC Chapter 1.35 - Application Processing), who the decision-maker is, and the Lynnwood Municipal Code Chapter which contains the standards and/or decision criteria for a particular type of application.

Application

Process Type

Informal Decision

Preliminary

Decision

Final

Decision

LMC Chapter

Accessory Dwelling Unit

Administrative

 

 

Director

21.42.110.G

Appeal of Administrative Decision

Process II

 

 

Hearing Examiner

1.35.200

Appeal of Hearing Examiner Decision

Process VII

 

 

City Council

1.35.700

Appeal of Determination of Violation (Code Enforcement)

Process II

 

 

Hearing Examiner

1.35.200

Boundary Line Adjustment/

Lot Combination

Administrative

 

 

Director

19.55-19.60

Binding Site Plan

Administrative

Director

 

Mayor

19.75

Comprehensive Plan Amendment

Administrative

Planning Commission

 

City Council

18.04

Conditional Use Permit

Process I

 

 

Hearing Examiner

21.24

Environmental Review

Administrative

 

 

Environmental Review Committee

17.02

Parking Review (all)

Administrative

 

 

Director

21.18

Project Design Review

Administrative

 

 

Director

21.25

Planned Unit Development

Process IV

 

 

City Council

21.30

Planned Unit Development w/ Subdivision

Process IV

Hearing Examiner

 

City Council

21.30

Rezone

Process IV

Planning Commission

 

City Council

21.22

Subdivision

Process IV

Hearing Examiner

City Council

City Council

19.15-19.45

Short Subdivision

Administrative

Director

Mayor

Mayor

19.50

Tent Encampment

Administrative

 

 

Director

21.74

Variance

Process I

 

 

Hearing Examiner

21.26

Wireless Communication Facility

Administrative

 

 

Director

21.90

Zoning Interpretation

Administrative

 

 

Director

21.04.300

Top

 

What is the cost to apply?

Please click here for Current Land Use Charges and Fees (.pdf).

NOTE: If your application involves both a deposit-type application and a fee-type application and you are paying by check, please provide separate checks for each application.

Top

 

What are "deposit" applications and how do they work?

Land use applications are charged either as a flat fee or as a "deposit" application.

Flat fees are just that - there is a fixed, one-time, non-refundable fee which is paid in full upon application.

The rest of the land use applications are "deposit" applications because the costs for processing vary greatly based on the complexity of the project. When a deposit-type application is submitted, the City places the entire amount of the deposit into a trust account. The Planner assigned to your project tracks costs that are incurred, including hourly time, legal fees (such as for the Hearing Examiner), mailing costs, and public notification. These costs are documented and deducted from the trust account. When a project is completed, the City refunds the remainder of the money in the trust account the party which paid for the deposit.

Top

 

What other services do you provide?

-          Custom mapping (see fee schedule, above)

 

-          Free .pdf maps

 

-          Zoning Certification Letters are a basic letter which certifies the current zoning of a property, and is generally provided for lenders or other real estate professionals. See the fee schedule, above, for the current cost for this service.

 

-          Zoning/Information Letters are letters which provide more detailed information on a property, including zoning, whether the property has any conditional use permits or variances, current code enforcement issues, and provision of Certificates of Occupancy. See the fee schedule, above, for the current cost for this service.

Top

 

How long does a land use decision typically take?

The City has 28 calendar days from the date of application to determine whether an application is complete, after which a 90- or 120-day "clock" starts. The entire process, from a determination that the application is complete to a final decision, should be finished within 90 or 120 days or less of active processing, depending on the type of project. Active processing means that review of the application is proceeding normally and a request for additional information to the applicant has not put processing "on-hold." Applications for large projects, sites with major or unusual constraints (such as wetlands or steep slopes), or projects with unexpected problems (such as soil contamination) often require additional information or clarification in order to make a decision. If additional time is required, the City will notify the applicant in writing per LMC 1.35.025.

Top

 

What is consolidated review?

Applicants may request consolidated review for projects which require two or more land use applications. This means that the final decision will be made using the permitting process (e.g. Process I, Process II, etc.) with the highest authority. The City Council has the highest authority, followed by the Hearing Examiner or Planning Commission (whichever is applicable), then by the Department Director. For example, in an application involving a Conditional Use Permit and Project Design Review, the process for Conditional Use Permits applies to both permits since the Hearing Examiner is of higher authority than the Department Director. Consolidated review is option, must be requested by the applicant, and the applications must all be submitted at the same time.

Top