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Council weighs raising public‑hearing notice radius to 700 feet, staff warns of cost and time
Summary
Council considered E6 — increasing public hearing notice radius to 700 feet for hearings. Staff warned doing so for all hearings would raise mailing costs and staff time substantially; members favored applying 700 feet on a case‑by‑case basis rather than changing the code universally.
The council discussed E6, a proposal to increase public hearing notice distances to 700 feet. City staff said two recent projects showed mailing costs and staff time increased substantially when notice distances were expanded, because more parcels and address checks were involved.
Staff explained that changing the code to require 700‑foot notices for every public hearing would mean updating seven places in the zoning and subdivision code and would obligate staff to run the wider mailing for all hearings, potentially requiring budget adjustments. Members suggested a policy that allows staff to apply the 700‑foot radius on a project‑by‑project basis instead of amending every section of the code.
Council members recommended evaluating cost differences before a universal change and using expanded notices selectively — for example, cases where assessment or significant neighborhood impact is likely. No ordinance amendment vote was taken at the meeting; staff will provide cost details and continue to advise council on specific projects where larger notice circles may be appropriate.
