What is a Comprehensive Plan Amendment?

A Comprehensive Plan Amendment allows property owners to submit a request to change the contents of the Yakima Urban Area Comprehensive Plan.   Such amendments can be the future land use designations, policies, policy maps, or text within the Comprehensive Plan.

When to apply and how much is the fee?

The Comprehensive Plan is allowed to be amended once per year.  Applications are accepted February thru April of the same calendar year.  Both the  applications for map amendments and text amendments will require a State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) checklist.  The application fee for a map amendment request is 100% of cost to process the application plus a SEPA review fee (See Land Use Development Fee Schedule for SEPA cost). 

What is the Review Process?

The review process begins in May.  For most applications particularly for small-scale amendments, the review process should be completed by December 31st of the same calendar year.  In some cases, such as large-scale amendments, additional review and hearings may be required, meaning the review process could be extended to the next amendment cycle.  During the review period, adjacent property owners within 500 feet of the proposed amendment site, agencies and interested persons will be notified and invited to attend the Regional Planning Commission (RPC) public hearing(s).  The applicant and or their representative(s) will be required to attend the public hearings to answer questions by the Regional Planning Commission.

Once these hearing are completed, the RPC will provide their recommendations to the Yakima City Council and Yakima County Commissioners and a joint public hearing will be conducted to consider the RPC's recommendations.  An ordinance will be enacted for all approved amendments and will be elective 30-days after the publication of the ordinance.