17.98.055 Design review board recommendation.
An applicant may request review by the design review board (DRB) of an application or portions thereof which do not strictly conform to the specific requirements of Chapter 17.99 GHMC, Design Manual. A request for review by the DRB for an alternative design shall be processed as follows:
A. The board may recommend approval of alternative design solutions to specific requirements only if all of the following criteria are met:
1. The alternative design represents an equivalent or superior design solution to what would otherwise be achieved by rigidly applying specific requirements; and
2. The alternative design meets the intent of the general requirements of Chapter 17.99 GHMC, Design Manual.
B. The DRB shall not consider or recommend approval of any deviation from dimensional or numeric standards stated within the text of any general requirements, or from minimum setback standards, maximum height standards or zone transition building size standards stated in specific requirements of Chapter 17.99 GHMC. Approval to deviate from these standards must be obtained through the variance process defined in Chapter 17.66 GHMC and not through the design review board recommendation process.
C. Design Review Board Meeting. The board shall hold a public meeting on the application or portions thereof at the earliest available DRB meeting after the notice of application and public meeting has been published.
1. The public meeting shall be noticed as follows:
a. Not less than 14 days prior to the meeting date, the planning staff shall send notice of a public meeting to property owners within 300 feet of the subject property and to others who have submitted comments and/or requested notice.
b. Notice of the public meeting shall be posted on the subject property not less than seven days prior to the meeting date. Notice shall be posted in the manner required by GHMC 19.03.001(A).
c. Notice of the public meeting shall be published in the city’s official newspaper not less than seven days prior to the meeting date.
d. The notice of the public meeting shall contain all items listed in GHMC 19.03.003(A).
2. The applicant shall have an opportunity to make a presentation on the proposed alternative designs at the public meeting.
3. The public shall be allowed to comment on the application.
4. The DRB shall deliberate on the application and presentation and shall make findings and a recommendation on the application or portions thereof as per GHMC 17.98.070.
5. After the public meeting, the city staff shall draft the board’s findings and recommendation on the application or portions thereof.
D. Decision. Once the board makes a recommendation on the complete application, the director shall consider the recommendation and make a decision on the design review application. The director shall render the decision as set forth in GHMC 17.98.070 and 19.02.007. (Ord. 1197 § 75, 2010; Ord. 1093 § 6, 2007).