Form revised February 6, 2008

FISCAL NOTE FOR NON-CAPITAL PROJECTS

Department:	Contact Person/Phone:	DOF Analyst/Phone:
SPU	Robert Chandler (Project Mgr)/ 386-4576	John McCoy/615-0768
DPD	Dave Cordaro/684-7933
DPD	Dave LaClergue/733-9668
DPD	Maureen Traxler/233-3892

Legislation Title:

An ordinance relating to land disturbing activity; adding a Chapter 22.170 as a new subtitle IB of Title 22 and repealing Chapter 22.804 of the Seattle Municipal Code to consolidate and revise provisions regulating grading and other land disturbing activity.

· Summary of the Legislation: The purpose of the City of Seattle’s existing Stormwater, Grading, and Drainage Control Code (SMC 22.800-22.808) is to protect life, property, public health and the environment from the adverse impacts of flooding, pollution, landslides, and erosion.  The proposed legislation removes grading provisions from the current Stormwater, Grading and Drainage Control Code and separates those provisions into a new Chapter, SMC 22.170.  Few substantive changes are made in the new Grading Code, aside from revised grading permit thresholds.

· Background: Grading and stormwater regulations are currently combined in SMC 22.800-22.808, the “Stormwater, Grading, and Drainage Control Code.”  In conjunction with comprehensive updates to stormwater regulations, it is proposed that grading provisions be moved into a separate chapter of the municipal code.  Separating grading from the other provisions will facilitate administration and implementation of grading regulations by the Department of Planning and Development, which will remain responsible for grading permit application, review, approval, inspection, and enforcement.  The thresholds for grading permits are updated to reflect changes in the revised stormwater code.

· Please check one of the following:

_X_ This legislation does not have any financial implications.  (Stop here and delete the remainder of this document prior to saving and printing.)

Note:   Grading Code revisions will require routine staff trainings for DPD planners, but this training is expected to fit into the regular monthly training schedule.  New thresholds for grading permits could cause a minor increase in permit applications, but the few additional staff hours for these permits will be offset by increased permit application revenues.  (Due to the low volume of standalone grading permit applications that DPD receives, any increase to staff time is likely to be well under a total of 40 hours per year).

Please refer to Clerk File 310134 for the Directors’ Report and Recommendation Revisions to Stormwater Code (SMC 22.800-22.808) & Proposed New Grading Code (SMC 22.170).