Sammamish staff outline proposed Title 24A updates to streamline docket process and reduce notice risk

Planning Manager Miriam Laettner presented an introduction to proposed updates to Title 24A, the portion of Sammamish Municipal Code that governs the city’s annual amendment (docket) process, clarifying how Title 24A interacts with Title 21 (development regulations) and the Growth Management Act.

Laettner told council the staff recommendations fall into three buckets: timing and submittal deadlines (to avoid forcing applicants to file during holidays), clarifying when and how the city commission, council or staff may initiate docket requests, and simplifying public‑hearing notification requirements to reduce legal risk from codified references to social media or specific email groups. "Title 24A provides the process that the city must follow to update the comprehensive plan and the development regulations," Laettner said.

Staff noted the current rule requires applicants to submit the formal amendment application within 30 days after an item is docketed — a deadline that routinely falls during late November/December and is difficult for applicants to meet. Staff suggested extending the timeframe (for example to 90 days) and aligning the docket process with budget or work‑plan timing so council and departments can better evaluate fiscal implications.

Council members supported clarifying roles (who may initiate a docket request) and giving applicants more time to prepare materials; several suggested staff consider peer comparisons to cities in Sammamish’s "cities and towns" regional category. Planning staff said they are drafting code language now and plan additional internal and legal review before bringing proposed amendments to the Planning Commission and council later this spring or early summer.

Next steps: staff will prepare draft code revisions, consult legal, and return to the Planning Commission and council for public hearings and review.