Chapter 17.94 — WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS FACILITIES
Tuolumne County Municipal Code § 17.98.050 Applications and Fees
Tuolumne County Municipal Code · 2026-09 edition · updated 2026-10-02 · Tuolumne County
Cite as: Tuolumne County Municipal Code § 17.98.050 · Text as of 2026-10-02
COMMON PROCEDURES
Sections:
- 17.98.010
- Purpose.
- 17.98.020
- Requirements for Development and New Land Uses.
- 17.98.030
- Inspections.
- 17.98.040
- Additional Approvals May Be Required.
- 17.98.050
- Applications and Fees.
- 17.98.060
- Environmental Review.
- 17.98.070
- Initiation of Application.
- 17.98.080
- Withdrawal of Application.
- 17.98.090
- Determination of Completeness.
- 17.98.100
- Application Review and Report.
- 17.98.110
- Public Hearing and Public Notice
- 17.98.120
- Permit Time Limits, Expiration, and Extensions
- 17.98.130
- Amendments to Previously Approved Permits.
- 17.98.140
- Revocation or Modification.
- 17.98.150
- Reapplications.
- 17.98.160
- Indemnification and Hold Harmless for Discretionary Land Use Approvals.
17.98.010 Purpose. The purpose of this Chapter¶
is to establish procedures necessary for the efficient processing of land use and development applications, permits, and other approvals. These common procedures apply to all permits described in this article, unless stated otherwise.
17.98.020 Requirements for Development and¶
New Land Uses. A. Except as otherwise provided in this Zoning Ordinance, structures shall only be erected, reconstructed, structurally altered, enlarged, relocated, or maintained after applying for and securing all permits and licenses required by all laws and ordinances of the County of Tuolumne (County). Structures shall only be designed and used in a manner permitted in the applicable zone.
17.98.030 Inspections. County officials are¶
authorized to perform inspections related to
permit issuance, as follows:
A. Preapproval Inspections. Every applicant
seeking a permit or any other action in
compliance with this Title shall allow the County
officials handling the application access to any
premises or property that is the subject of the
application.
B. Post-approval Inspections. If the permit
or other action in compliance with this Title is
approved, the owner or applicant shall allow
authorized County officials access to the
premises to determine compliance with the
approved permit and/or any conditions of
approval imposed on the permit.
17.98.040 Additional Approvals May Be¶
Required.
A. The establishment, operation,
construction, or development of uses,
properties, and structures shall be subject to all
permitting and licensing requirements imposed
by Tuolumne County Ordinance Code Chapter
1.01 or applicable local, state, or federal laws. All
applicable permits, licenses, or other approvals,
including, without limitation, use, building,
grading, or other construction permits and
business licenses, if required shall be obtained
prior to the start of work or operations. This
specifically includes building, grading, or other
construction permits and business licenses, and
permits/approvals of the responsible public
agencies and service districts.
B. Water Supply in Urban Areas. New
development in areas served by a public water
agency needing discretionary entitlements may
need to conduct studies to ensure there is
available water supply.
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C. Airport Influence Areas. The Community Development Department shall review General Plan Amendments, Zone Changes, and development applications within the Tuolumne County airport influence areas for consistency with the Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan to continue safe operation of the airport. D. Hazardous Materials. Tuolumne County Environmental Health Division and Tuolumne County Fire Department shall review applications for discretionary entitlements for projects that would use hazardous materials or generate hazardous wastes for compliance with the latest adopted regulations for safety and environmental protection. E. Wildland Fire. Land development applications that would permit structures in areas subject to wildland fire shall be referred to the Tuolumne County Fire Department/CAL FIRE for review and identification of measures necessary to mitigate the fire hazard.
17.98.050 Applications and Fees.¶
A. All applications for a permit, as identified
in Chapter 17.100 of this Zoning Ordinance,
must be submitted in writing to the Director on a
completed County application designated for the
specific request.
B. Minimum submittal requirements shall
be established by the Director and as listed on
the application checklist. Additional information
specific to the permit and necessary for the
complete analysis of an application may be
required by the Director. All required material,
information, and fees shall be provided by the
applicant before the application is accepted for
processing. Applications initiated by the County
shall not require an application fee.
C. Except for phased developments for
which the Board of Supervisors or Board
designee has approved phased payment of fees,
no application shall be considered complete for
acceptance and processing until the required
fees and deposits are paid in full.
17.98.060 Environmental Review.¶
A. All projects shall be reviewed for
compliance with or exemption from the
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
Environmental review will be conducted
pursuant to Title 14 of the California Code of
Regulations (CEQA Guidelines). If Title 14 of the
California Code of Regulations is amended, such
amendments will govern County procedures.
B. All development that is subject to a
discretionary entitlement from the County and
to environmental review under CEQA shall
evaluate potential impacts to biological
resources and mitigate significant impacts for
the following or as otherwise required by state
or federal law:
1.
Species listed or proposed for
listing as threatened, rare, or
endangered under the federal
Endangered Species Act (ESA) or
California Endangered Species
Act (CESA);
2.
Species considered as
candidates for listing under the
ESA or CESA;
3.
Wildlife species designated by
the California Department of Fish
and Wildlife (CDFW) as Species
of Special Concern;
4.
Animals fully protected under the
California Fish and Game Code;
5.
Plants considered by CDFW to be
"rare, threatened, or endangered
in California" (California Rare
Plant Ranks [CRPR] of 1A,
presumed extinct in California
and not known to occur
elsewhere; 1B, considered rare or
endangered in California and
elsewhere; 2A, presumed extinct
in California, but more common
elsewhere; and 2B, considered
rare or endangered in California
but more common elsewhere).
6.
Sensitive natural communities,
including wetlands under federal
or state jurisdiction, other
aquatic resources, riparian
habitats, and valley oak (Quercus
lobata) woodland.
7.
Important wildlife movement
corridors and breeding sites.
8.
Oak woodlands.
C. Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting
Plan (MMRP).
1.
Plan required. A mitigation
monitoring and/or reporting plan
shall be prepared for every
project that is subject to either a
mitigated negative declaration or
an environmental impact report
(EIR) and that includes mitigation
measures necessary to reduce
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significant environmental
impacts to below a level of
significance.
2.
The following finding shall be
made as part of the project
approval whenever a mitigated
negative declaration proposes a
condition necessary to mitigate a
significant environmental impact:
Per CEQA Guidelines, a reporting
and/or monitoring plan has been
adopted, as incorporated in
conditions of project approval, in
order to mitigate or avoid
significant effects on the
environment.
3.
Monitoring and/or reporting
plans (MMRPs) for projects for
which an EIR is prepared shall be
included in the final EIR. The
final MMRP shall be adopted as a
condition of project approval.
Implementation of the plan shall
be the responsibility of the
county agency requiring the
condition and/or the project
proponent, unless otherwise
provided.
17.98.070 Initiation of Application.¶
A. Applications may be initiated by any
interested party, the Director, Planning
Commission, or Board of Supervisors, except
that for any application proposing the specific
use or development of land, such application
shall only be initiated by either of the following:
1.
Property owners or all contract
purchasers of a subject property,
or any person authorized in
writing to act as an agent of the
owner or contract purchasers.
2.
Public agencies or utilities that
have statutory rights of eminent
domain for projects they have
the authority to construct.
B. Permits may be applied for and
processed concurrently. Where more than one
type of permit or official approval by the county
is required to satisfy the provisions of this title,
applications for all required permits and
approval may be submitted and processed
concurrently. Where more than one application
pertaining to the same parcel or parcels is
submitted concurrently to the Community
Development Department, the required fees
shall be in accordance with Title 3 of the
Tuolumne County Ordinance Code.
17.98.080 Withdrawal of Application.¶
A. Request. The Director may withdraw any
application upon written request by the
applicant, prior to the final determination on the
permit.
B. Inactive Application. A complete
application that has been inactive for longer
than one year shall be considered withdrawn
unless action is initiated. The one-year period
may be extended at the discretion of the
Director, provided a request for extension is filed
by the applicant prior to the conclusion of the
one-year period and the Director finds
reasonable cause to grant the extension.
C. Incomplete Application. If additional
information or submittals are required and the
application is not made complete within 60 days
of the completeness determination letter, the
application may be deemed by the County to
have been withdrawn, and no action will be
taken. The 60-day period may be extended for an
additional period not to exceed one year at the
discretion of the Director if it is found that
circumstances exist where unusual hardship to
the applicant would result from deeming the
application withdrawn. If the required material
has not been submitted by the specified date,
the application shall be deemed withdrawn. An
extension shall only be considered by the
Director provided a written request for extension
and the associated fee are filed by the applicant
prior to the conclusion of the initial 60-day
period. The written request for extension shall
contain the following information:
1.
A written explanation of the
delay.
2.
The date by which the further
application material, studies, or
information and, when required,
further fees will be submitted.
D. Notice of Withdrawal. Upon
determination that an application is withdrawn,
the Director shall mail a Notice of Withdrawal to
the applicant within three business days to
notify the applicant that the application has been
withdrawn and that all processing of the
application has been terminated. A copy of the
notice shall be placed in the project file. If the
applicant subsequently wishes to pursue the
project, a new application, including fees, plans,
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exhibits, and other materials must then be filed in compliance with this Chapter.
17.98.090 Determination of Completeness.¶
A. Application Completeness. The formal
processing of an application shall begin on the
date the application is deemed complete. The
statutory time period of 30 days, established by
state law for determining completeness
(California Government Code Section 65943
[Permit Streamlining Act]), shall begin the day
the application is submitted and date stamped
by the Community Development Department.
An owner signature or letter authorizing a
specific agent (if applicable) and all required
fees and/or deposits shall be submitted with the
application. Within 30 days of application
submittal, the Director shall determine whether
the application is complete. The Director shall
notify the applicant of the determination that
either:
1.
All the submittal requirements
have been satisfied and the
application has been accepted as
complete; or
2.
Specific information is still
necessary to complete the
application. The letter may also
identify preliminary information
regarding the areas in which the
submitted plans are not in
compliance with County
development standards and
application requirements.
Studies or reports for CEQA are
not included in the determination
of completeness.
B. Application Completeness Without
Notification. If the written determination is not
made within 30 days after receipt, and the
application includes a statement that it is an
application for a land use or development
permit or entitlement, the application shall be
deemed complete for purposes of this Chapter.
C. Resubmittal. Upon resubmittal of any
application previously determined to be
incomplete, a new 30-day period shall begin
during which the Director shall determine the
completeness of the application. Application
completeness shall be determined, as specified
in Section 17.98.090.A, Application
Completeness.
D. Expiration of Incomplete Applications. If
additional information or submittals are
required and the application is not made
complete within six months of the initial
completeness determination letter, the
application may be deemed by the County to
have been withdrawn in accordance with Section
17.98.080, Withdrawal of Application.
E. Right to Appeal. The applicant may
appeal the determination in accordance with
Chapter 17.102, Appeals, and California
Government Code Section 65943 (Permit
Streamlining Act).
17.98.100 Application Review and Report.¶
A. After acceptance of a complete
application, the project shall be reviewed in
accordance with all applicable provisions of
Tuolumne County Ordinance Code Chapter 1.01
and the environmental review procedures of the
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The
Director may refer an application for review and
comment to any other government agency
and/or County department that they determine
appropriate to ensure compliance with all
provisions of the Tuolumne County Ordinance
Code and other adopted policies and plans. For
permit requests decided at the administrative
level, the Director will prepare a report,
including a decision to approve, conditionally
approve, or deny the application. For permit
requests to be heard by the Planning
Commission and/or Board of Supervisors, the
Director will prepare a report to the
recommending authority and designated
approving authority describing the project and
may include a recommendation to approve,
conditionally approve, or deny the application.
The report shall be provided to the applicant
prior to consideration of the permit request,. The
report may be amended as necessary or
supplemented with additional information at any
time prior to the hearing to address issues or
information not known at the time the report is
prepared.
B. Referrals. The Director may refer an
application for an entitlement within the
Director’s authority to issue to the Commission
for action. All matters so referred shall be
scheduled for public hearing by the Commission
within 45 days of the referral. The Community
Development Department shall give notice of
the hearing in accordance with Section
17.98.110. Within 90 days of receipt of the
referral from the Director, the Commission shall
approve, conditionally approve, or deny the
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application. If the applicant or any aggrieved
party is dissatisfied with the decision of the
Commission, they may appeal under the
provisions of Chapter 17.102.
C. Referral to Board when Commission
unable to take action. Notwithstanding any
other procedure established in this Title, if, after
concluding a hearing on a matter before it, the
Commission is unable to take action, the matter
shall be automatically referred to the Board and
set for hearing without recommendation.
D. Expiration of Application Review.
Applications for which no permit or entitlement
is approved within one year following the date of
application shall expire by limitation, and plans
and other data submitted for review may
thereafter be returned to the applicant,
destroyed by the Community Development
Department, or retained in the department's
files. The Director may extend the time for
application review if the applicant is making a
good-faith effort to complete the application
process as determined through information
submitted by the applicant in a written
statement describing the efforts being made.
Application fees are not refundable if the
application review expires as provided herein.
Upon expiration of an application review, a new
application and fees are required to reestablish
review of the land development project.
E. Delinquent Taxes. Prior to approval of an
application for any entitlement, as provided
herein, the Community Development
Department will verify through the records of the
tax collector's office that there are no delinquent
or unpaid tax liens against the property, or any
part thereof, for unpaid state, county, or local
taxes or special assessments not yet payable.
The Director, Planning Commission, or Board
shall not approve the entitlement until all
delinquent and unpaid land assessments have
been paid. The Director shall establish a
procedure to verify delinquent taxes.
F. Return to department if substantial
change. When an applicant or a hearing body
proposes a change to a project that affects the
environmental impact of a project enough to
increase the significance level of at least one
impact, that project shall be returned to staff for
further analysis and report prior to being re-
noticed for hearing and action.
17.98.110 Public Hearing and Public Notice.¶
A. Public Hearing Required. Where required
pursuant to this Title, the following procedures
shall govern the public notice and public hearing
for a permit or other approval.
B. Notice of Hearing - Content. The notice of
public hearing shall include the following
information:
1.
Date, time, and place of hearing.
2.
Identification of the reviewing or
approving authority.
3.
Location of project, including the
Assessor's Parcel Number (APN)
and street location.
4.
Project description.
5.
Identification of project
proponents/applicants.
6.
CEQA determination statement.
7.
Statement related to appeals and
challenges, if applicable.
8.
Information on the availability
and location of staff reports and
public review materials.
C. Notice of Hearing - Delivery. Pursuant to
California Government Code Sections 65090 to
65094, not less than 10 days before the
scheduled date of a hearing, public notice shall
be given of such hearing in the manner listed
below. The date for determining minimum 10-
day advance notice for U.S. mail notices shall be
the date of delivery to a property address, not
the date of postmark.
1.
Notice of public hearing shall be
published in at least one
newspaper of general circulation
in the County.
2.
Except as otherwise provided
herein, notice of the public
hearing shall be mailed, postage
prepaid, to the owners of
property as follows:
Total Areas of Parcels Subject to
Entitlement Distance for
Notification
o
Less than 2 gross acres –
within a radius of 300 feet
of the exterior
boundaries of the
property involved in the
application
o
2 gross acres to less than
10 gross acres - within a
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radius of 500 feet of the
property involved in the
application
o
10 gross acres or larger -
within a radius of 1,000
feet of the property
involved in the
application
using for this purpose the last
known name and address of
such owners as shown on the
current tax assessor's records.
The radius may be increased as
determined necessary by the
Director based on the nature of
the proposed project. If the
number of owners exceeds
1,000, the County may, in lieu of
a mailed notice, provide notice
by placing a notice of at least 1/8
page in one newspaper of
general circulation within the
County.
3.
Notice of the public hearing shall
be mailed, postage prepaid, to
the owner of the subject real
property or the owner's
authorized agent, the applicant,
and to each local agency
expected to provide water,
sewerage, streets, roads,
schools, or other essential
facilities or services to the
proposed project.
4.
When an appeal is being noticed,
the appellant shall also receive
notice.
5.
Notice of the public hearing shall
be posted at Community
Development Department
offices.
6.
Notice of the public hearing shall
be mailed to any person who has
filed a written request for notice.
If the request is for more than a
single hearing, the request must
be accompanied by the fee set
forth in Chapter 3.40. Renewals
shall be requested annually.
7.
Notice of the public hearing shall
be posted at other locations
designated by the Board of
Supervisors.
8.
In addition to the notice required
by this section, the County may
give notice of the hearing in any
other manner it deems
necessary.
9.
The Board Clerk shall be
responsible for ensuring
compliance with all notice
requirements.
D. Requests for Notification. Any person
who requests to be on a mailing list for notice of
hearing shall submit such request in writing to
the Board Clerk. The County may impose a fee
that is commensurate with recovering the cost
of such notification.
E. Receipt of Notice. Failure of any person
or entity to receive any properly issued notice
required by law for any hearing required by this
Title shall not constitute grounds for any court to
invalidate the actions of a designated approving
authority for which the notice was given. Where
notice of any hearing or proceeding is
published, posted, or mailed in accordance with
the provisions of this Title, the failure of any
person to receive or observe such notice shall
not invalidate any such hearing or proceeding.
F. Hearing Procedure. Hearings as provided
for in this Chapter shall be held at the date, time,
and place for which notice has been given, as
required in this Chapter. The recommending
authority and approving authority shall conduct
the public hearing and hear testimony from
interested persons. The summary minutes,
together with the names of all persons
testifying, shall be prepared and made part of
the permanent file of the case. Any hearing may
be continued to a date certain with no additional
notice required. If the hearing is not continued
to a specific date/time, the hearing shall be re-
noticed.
G. Time Limit for Decision. A decision on
the matter shall be rendered at the conclusion of
the public hearing by the approving authority.
The failure to render such a decision shall be
deemed to constitute a denial.
H. Conditions Attached to Permit. In
granting an entitlement, the Director,
Commission, or Board shall attach whatever
conditions are reasonable and necessary to
fulfill the intent and purposes of this title. Such
conditions and the proposal of the applicant as
considered and approved shall be a part of such
entitlement, and all changes shall be in
accordance with the specified conditions and the
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proposal as approved. Issuance of any
entitlement may be made subject to guarantees
and evidence that attached conditions are being
or will be complied with.
I. Notice of Decision. Written notice of
decision of the approval authority shall be
provided to the applicant and all parties
requesting such notification. Notices of
decisions are not required for actions of a
recommending body. The notice of decision
shall be provided within three business days of
the determination as follows:
1.
Planning Commission
Determination. The written notice
of decision shall include:
a.
The application request
as acted upon by the
Planning Commission.
b.
Any conditions of
approval or other
requirements applied to
the decision.
c.
The action taken by the
Planning Commission.
d.
The deadlines, criteria,
and fees for filing an
appeal.
2.
Board of Supervisors
Determination. The written notice
of decision shall include:
a.
The application request
as acted upon by the
Board of Supervisors.
b.
Any conditions of
approval or other
requirements applied to
the decision.
c.
The action taken by the
Board of Supervisors
(Ord. 3471 § 18, 2024).
17.98.120 Permit Time Limits, Expiration, and¶
Extensions
A. Time Limits. Any permit not exercised
within the specified time limit from the date of
approval shall expire and become void, except
where an extension of time is approved
pursuant to this section.
B. Exercising Permits. The exercise of a
permit occurs when the property owner has
expended at least 25 percent of total project
cost. A permit may be otherwise exercised
pursuant to a condition of the permit or
corresponding legal agreement that specifies
other substantial efforts or expenditures that
constitute exercise of the permit. The following
are the criteria for determining if a permit has
been exercised and therefore would not expire,
except as otherwise provided in this Title:
1.
A building permit, grading
permit, encroachment permit,
well permit, or on-site sewage
treatment and disposal permit is
issued; construction commenced
on the primary building on site;
at least one building inspection
has been requested and passed;
and the building permit remains
active for any approved phase of
the project.
2.
A Certificate of Occupancy is
issued for the use or structure.
3.
The site is occupied in
accordance with the approved
permit.
4.
The site is occupied in
accordance with an approved
phase of a phased development.
5.
An extension of time is approved
in accordance with Section
17.98.120.C, Permit Extensions, if
applicable.
C. Permit Extensions. The approval of an
extension extends the expiration date for up to
two years from the original permit or entitlement
expiration date.
1.
Process. Extension of time
requests for projects shall be
considered if submitted in
writing to the Community
Development Department at
least 30 days prior to the
expiration date of the permit or
approval, along with appropriate
fees and application submittal
materials. The same approving
authority that granted the
original permit may extend the
period within which the exercise
of a permit must occur. Notice
and/or public hearing shall be
provided in the same manner as
for the original permit, as
applicable.
2.
Conditions. The permit, as
extended, may be conditioned to
comply with any development
standards that may have been
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enacted since the permit was
initially approved. Extensions
may be granted only if it is found
that there have been no
significant changes in the
General Plan, Tuolumne County
Ordinance Code, or character of
the area within which the project
is located that would cause the
approved project to become
nonconforming and that the
granting of an extension will not
be detrimental to the public
health, safety or welfare, or
materially injurious to properties
or improvements in the vicinity.
3.
Permit Extension Findings. The
extension may be granted only
when the designated approving
authority finds that the original
permit findings can still be made
and there are no changed
circumstances, or there has been
diligent pursuit to exercise the
permit or entitlement that
warrants such extension.
4.
Exceptions. This subsection shall
apply to all entitlements
contained in this Title, except
those pertaining to amendments
under Section 17.100.110,
Amendments to the General Plan
and Zoning Ordinance.
D. Expiration of entitlement. Entitlements
(or permits) contained in this Title, except those
pertaining to amendments under Section
17.100.110, Amendments to the General Plan
and Zoning Ordinance, shall expire upon the
following:
1.
If the time limits are reached with
no extension requested, or a
requested extension is denied or
expires, the entitlement shall
expire.
2.
If an entitlement is granted and is
not exercised within three years
of the effective date of the
entitlement, such entitlement
shall be deemed to be expired
and of no further effect.
Extensions may be granted by
the Director upon written request
of the applicant if made prior to
the original expiration date for a
period or periods not to exceed a
total of six years.
3.
Any entitlement that has been
granted for real property for
which a tentative subdivision
map or parcel map has been
approved and the tentative map
has not expired, shall expire
upon expiration or withdrawal of
the tentative map or as provided
in paragraph 2, whichever occurs
later.
4.
The expiration of any entitlement
subject to a development
agreement shall be extended for
the period provided in the
development agreement.
5.
Entitlement Expiration for a
Closed Business. All entitlements
shall expire when a business or
use is closed or discontinued for
more than one calendar year.
Approval of new entitlements
based on current requirements
shall be required prior to any
business activity or use on the
site (Ord. 3471 § 18, 2024).
17.98.130 Amendments to Previously Approved¶
Permits.
A. Applicability. Any person holding a
permit granted under this Title may request an
amendment to that permit. For the purpose of
this section, the amendment of a previously
approved permit may include modification of
the terms of the permit itself, project design, or
the waiver or alteration of conditions imposed in
the granting of the permit.
B. Request for Amendment. An applicant
may request an amendment to a permit after the
effective date of the permit.
C. Review Process. A permit amendment
may be granted only when the designated
approving authority makes all findings required
for the original approval. The designated
approving authority for amendment to a
previously approved permit shall be determined
as follows:
1.
Substantial Conformance. The
Director may approve minor
changes to a previously
approved permit at the
administrative level, as specified
in Section 17.100.070.
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Minor Amendment. Minor
amendments to a previously
approved permit shall be
processed as follows:
a.
Applicability. A minor
amendment is a non-
substantive change of a
previously approved
permit. Minor
amendments include:
i.
Changes to
residential projects
that result in a
change in total
number of units
equal to or less than
10 percent of the
existing number of
units or equal to or
less than 10 units,
whichever is less.
ii.
Floor plan changes
that result in a
change in total
square footage
equal to or less than
10 percent of the
existing square
footage or equal to
or less than 2,500
square feet,
whichever is less.
iii.
Modifications to
parking and
circulation
configurations that
do not change the
basic parking areas
or circulation
concept and do not
reduce the number
of required parking
spaces by 10
percent or less of
the otherwise
required parking
spaces.
iv.
Building placements
that do not change
the general location
of the building or
layout of the site.
v.
Changes to allow
fulfillment of a
condition of
approval in a
manner that may
vary from that
specified in the
original conditions,
provided that the
intent and purpose
of such original
condition is fully
met.
vi.
Other requests
similar to the above-
listed minor
amendments, as
determined by the
Director.
b.
Review Process. The
Director is the designated
approval authority for
minor amendments. No
public hearing shall be
required. A written notice
of decision shall be
issued in the same
manner as the original
permit.
3.
Major Amendment. Major
amendments to a previously
approved permit shall be
processed as follows:
a.
Applicability. A major
amendment is a
substantive change of a
previously approved
permit. Major
amendments include:
i.
Changes to
residential projects
that result in a
change in total
number of units of
more than 10
percent of the
existing number of
units or more than
10 units.
ii.
Floor plan changes
that result in a
change in total
square footage of
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more than 10
percent of the
existing square
footage or more
than 2,500 square
feet.
iii.
Modifications to
parking and
circulation
configurations that
change the basic
parking areas or
circulation concept
or result in a
reduction of the
number of required
parking spaces
exceeding 10
percent of the
otherwise required
parking spaces.
iv.
Building placements
that change the
general location of
the building or
layout of the site.
v.
Changes to a
condition of
approval in a
manner that
changes the effect
of the condition
from its original
form and intent.
vi.
All amendments to
an approved
Development
Agreement.
vii.
Other requests
similar to the above-
listed major
amendments, as
determined by the
Director.
b.
Review Process. The
original approving
authority shall be the
designated approving
authority for major
amendments. A major
amendment shall be
processed in the same
manner and subject to
the same standards as
the original application.
17.98.140 Revocation or Modification.¶
A. Notwithstanding any other provisions of
this Title, if any change for which a permit has
been secured is not carried out in accordance
with the approved proposal and conditions that
are a part of such permit, and if the grantee of
such permit is given notice by the Community
Development Department to bring such use into
compliance within 30 days and fails to do so, the
County may initiate proceeding, as detailed in
Section 17.98.140.C. Notwithstanding the
above, the Director may immediately revoke
such a permit if they determine that such action
is necessary to prevent irremediable harm
arising from a failure to comply with the terms
of the permit. Procedures for the revocation of
modification of previously approved permits or
entitlements are as follows:
1.
Revocations. The County’s action
to revoke a permit or entitlement
shall have the effect of
terminating the permit or
entitlement and denying the
privileges granted by the original
approval.
2.
Modifications. The County may
choose to allow the modification
of the operational characteristics
instead of revoking a permit or
entitlement. These modifications
may include, but are not limited
to, operational aspects related to
buffers, duration of the permit or
entitlement, hours of operation,
landscaping, lighting, parking,
performance guarantees,
property maintenance, signs,
surfacing, traffic circulation.
B. Applicability. Revocation proceedings for
any permit or entitlement granted in accordance
with this Title may be initiated by the County if
any of the following apply:
1.
A violation of conditions of
approval or applicable
development standards exists.
2.
The permit or entitlement was
obtained by misrepresentation or
fraud.
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The use has become detrimental
to the public health or safety or
constitutes a nuisance.
4.
Circumstances under which the
permit or entitlement was
granted have changed to a
degree that affects the validity of
the findings contained in the
original permit or entitlement.
C. Notice of Intent to Initiate Revocation or
Modification Proceedings. Such revocation may
be initiated by adopting a Resolution of
Intention, which is a resolution indicating the
County’s intent to revoke the approval or permit.
Such resolution may be adopted by either the
Planning Commission or the Board of
Supervisors. The Resolution shall allow
opportunity for the permittee to correct the
noncompliance to the satisfaction of the County.
Such opportunity for correction may be
provided by scheduling a hearing on the
revocation, for a date that will allow equitable
time for correction.
D. Approving Authority.
1.
The Planning Commission shall
be the designated approving
authority for consideration of a
revocation or modification of a
permit or entitlement where the
Director or Planning Commission
was the original approving
authority.
2.
The Board of Supervisors shall
be the designated approving
authority for consideration of a
revocation or modification of a
permit or entitlement where the
Board of Supervisors was the
original approving authority.
E. Noticed Public Hearing. The decision to
revoke or modify a permit granted pursuant to
the provisions of this Title shall be considered at
a noticed public hearing, as applicable. Public
notice shall be provided and a public hearing
conducted pursuant to Section 17.98.110, Public
Hearing and Public Notice, except that a special
notice shall also be delivered in writing to the
applicant and/or owner of the property for which
the permit was granted.
F. Findings. A land use permit may be
revoked or modified by the designated
approving authority that originally approved the
permit if any of the following findings can be
made:
1.
Circumstances under which the
permit was granted have been
changed to a degree that one or
more of the findings contained in
the original permit can no longer
be met.
2.
The permit was issued, in whole
or in part, based on a
misrepresentation or omission of
a material statement in the
application, or in the evidence
presented during the public
hearing, for the permit.
3.
One or more of the conditions of
the permit have not been fulfilled
or have been violated.
4.
The use or structure for which
the permit was granted has
ceased to exist or has lost its
legal nonconforming use status.
5.
The improvement is in violation
of any applicable code, law,
ordinance, regulation, or statute.
6.
The improvement or use allowed
by the permit has become
detrimental to the public health,
safety and general welfare, or the
manner of operation constitutes
or is creating a public nuisance.
G. Permits issued in error are null and void.
All departments, officials, and employees of the
County who are vested with the duty or authority
to issue permits or licenses shall conform to the
provisions of this Title and shall issue no permit
or license for uses, buildings, or purposes where
the same would be in conflict with these
provisions. Any permit or license issued in
conflict with this title shall be null and void.
H.The property owner may initiate the
termination of a permit, entitlement, or approval
that is no longer in use or desired by submitting
a written required to the Director. The Director, or
designee, shall prepare and mail to the property
owner a formal written notice of the action
approving or denying the request within ten (10)
days of receipt of the request in writing. Should
the termination request be approved, the County
shall record a Notice of Action to formalize the
decision (Ord. 3471 § 18, 2024).
17.98.150 Reapplications.¶
A. Applicability. An application shall not be accepted or acted upon if, within the past one year, the County has denied an application for a
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project that has the majority of the same
characteristics on the same real property, unless
the Director finds one or more of the following
circumstances to exist:
1.
New Evidence. There is new
evidence that would support
approving the project that was
not presented at the previous
hearing and could not have been
previously discovered in the
exercise of sufficient diligence by
the applicant.
2.
Substantial and Permanent
Change of Circumstances. There
has been a substantial change of
circumstances making the
project financially infeasible
since the previous hearing that
affects the applicant's real
property.
3.
Mistake at Previous Hearing. A
mistake was made at the
previous hearing that was a
material factor in the denial of
the previous application.
17.98.160 Indemnification and Hold Harmless¶
for Discretionary Land Use Approvals.
A. Applicability. At the time of submitting
an application for a discretionary land use
approval, and as a condition of approval, all
applicants requesting such an approval agree,
as a part of the required application, to defend,
indemnify, and hold harmless the County from
any claim, action, or proceeding brought to
attack, set aside, void, or annul any subsequent
approval by the County that is brought within
the applicable statute of limitations. The
indemnification shall include damages awarded
against the County, costs of suit, attorneys' fees,
and other costs and expenses incurred in
connection with any such claim, action, or
proceeding. County Counsel shall draft, and the
approving authority shall approve, such
language as may be included as a condition of
approval of any entitlement or discretionary land
use approval granted by the County. The
provisions of this section shall apply in all cases
whether or not such language is reflected in the
approval of any entitlement or discretionary land
use approval granted by the County.
B. Notification. In the event that a claim,
action, or proceeding referenced in Section
17.98.160.A is brought, the County shall
promptly notify the applicant thereof. Nothing
set forth in this section shall prohibit the County
from participating in the defense of any claim,
action, or proceeding.
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