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A. Categorical Exemptions. Upon receipt of an application for a proposal and for city proposals, the city shall determine whether the proposal is an action potentially subject to SEPA and if so, whether the action is categorically exempt.

B. Threshold Determinations. When the city is lead agency for a proposal, the following threshold determination timing requirements apply:

1. If a DS is made concurrent with the notice of application, the DS and scoping notice shall be combined with the notice of application (RCW 36.70B.110). Nothing in this subsection presents the DS/scoping notice from being issued before the notice of application. If sufficient information is not available to make a threshold determination when the notice of application is issued, the DS may be issued later in the review process.

2. If the city is lead agency and project proponent or is funding a project, the city may conduct its review under SEPA and may allow appeals of procedural determinations, if an appeal process is provided under this chapter. Prior to submitting a project permit application, the initiating department should contact the responsible official at initial proposal formulation to integrate environmental concerns into the early stage of the decision-making process.

3. If an open record predecision hearing is required, the threshold determination shall be issued at least 15 days before the open record predecision hearing (RCW 197-11-355(f)).

4. The optional DNS process in WAC 197-11-355 may be used to indicate on the notice of application that the lead agency is likely to issue a DNS. If this optional process is used, a separate comment period on the DNS may not be required (refer to WAC 197-11-355(4)).

C. For nonexempt proposals, the DNS process in WAC 197-11-355 may be used to indicate on the notice of application that the lead agency is likely to issue a DNS. If this optional process is used, a separate comment period on the DNS may not be required (refer to WAC 197-11-355(f)).

D. The optional provision of WAC 197-11-060(3)(c) is adopted. [Ord. 2004-09-064].