Development Review Process

The Planning Department reviews public and private development proposals to evaluate compliance with the West Linn Community Development Code. Development review is a formal process. Project applicants must demonstrate that all applicable Code requirements are met or will be met with conditions of approval before receiving project approval. The following outlines the typical sequence of steps in the application processing timeline:

1. Pre-Application Conference:
  • For many development proposals, applicants must participate in a pre-application conference with the City before formally submitting their development application.
  • Pre-application conferences must be scheduled at least 15 days before the meeting to provide staff time to research the proposal.
2. Submittal of a Land Use Application:
  • Following the pre-application conference, applicants should submit their land use approval application within 18 months through the Submit a Land Use Application portal.
3. Application Review:
  • Staff has 30 days to determine whether the applicant has provided all the required information.
    • Complete Applications: If all necessary information is submitted, the City has 120 days to decide the proposal.
    • Incomplete Applications: If the application is incomplete, the applicant has180 days to provide the missing information to continue the review process.
  • The application is published on the City's website, and, depending on the review level, a notice may be placed in a local newspaper. Additionally, a notice of the proposed land use will be sent to nearby property owners, the neighborhood association, and relevant agencies, inviting public input.
  • The comment period remains open for either 14 or 20 days, depending on the type of land use proposal. Once the comment period closes, staff compiles input from the public and stakeholders.
  • Staff prepares findings to determine whether the application meets the approval criteria outlined in the applicable sections of the Community Development Code.
4.  Decision:
  • For administrative decisions, the Planning Manager prepares a staff report and decision.
  • For decisions requiring a public hearing, the staff prepares a staff report with findings and recommendation for the decision-making body. The decision body decides after conducting a public hearing.
  • A Notice of Final Decision is sent to all individuals who submitted comments and provided a valid mailing address.
5.  Appeal:
  • Those with standing in the matter may appeal the decision to the City Council within 14 days of the final decision mailing date.
6. Site Development:

 

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