18.160.060 Duration of Vesting.
A. Use Permits. The development of an approved use permit shall be governed by the terms of approval of the permit unless the legislative body finds that a change in conditions creates a serious threat to the public health, safety or welfare. See PCC 18.150.060 for permit and approval expiration.
B. Preliminary Plat. Development of an approved preliminary plat shall be based on the controls contained in the Hearing Examiner's decision. A final plat meeting all of the requirements of the preliminary plat approval shall be submitted within the time period specified in RCW 58.17.140. Any extension of time beyond the time period specified in RCW 58.17.140 may contain additional or altered conditions and requirements based on current development regulations and other land use controls.
C. Use Permits Associated with a Preliminary Plat. Use Permit applications, such as Planned Development District applications, that are approved as a companion to a preliminary plat application, shall remain valid for the duration of the preliminary and final plat as provided in subsections B. and D.
D. Final Plat. The lots in a final plat may be developed by the terms of approval of the final plat, and the development regulations in effect at the time the preliminary plat application was deemed complete for a period as specified in RCW 58.17.170 unless the legislative body finds that a change in conditions creates a serious threat to the public health, safety or welfare.
E. Short Plat, Large Lot Division. The lots in a short plat or large lot division may be developed by the terms and conditions of approval, and the development regulations in effect at the time the application was deemed complete for a period of five years from the recording date unless the legislative body finds that a change in conditions creates a serious threat to the public health, safety or welfare.
F. Binding Site Plan. The lots in a Binding Site Plan may be developed by the terms of approval of the Binding Site Plan, and the development regulations in effect at the time the application was deemed complete unless the legislative body finds that a change in conditions creates a serious threat to the public health, safety or welfare.
G. Shoreline Substantial Development Permit, Shoreline Administrative Conditional Use Permit, Shoreline Conditional Use Permit, Shoreline Variance, and Shoreline Permit Revision.
1. Development shall be commenced within two years of the effective date of a permit or approval. Authorization to develop shall continue for a period of five years from the effective date of the permit or approval. If construction has not been completed within five years, the permit or approval shall expire.
a. Development authority time periods do not include the time during which a use or activity was not actually pursued due to the pendency of administrative appeals or legal actions, or due to the need to obtain any other government permits and approvals for the development that authorize the development to proceed, including all reasonably related administrative or legal actions on any such permits or approvals.
b. Upon a finding of good cause, based on the requirements and circumstances of the proposal, the Director or Hearing Examiner may specify different permit time limits in the decision.
c. Pierce County or the Hearing Examiner may authorize a single extension for a period not to exceed one year based on reasonable factors, if a request for extension has been filed before the expiration date and notice of the proposed extension is given to parties of record and Ecology.
2. The effective date of a permit or approval shall be as follows:
a. Shoreline Permit Revision (not involving a Shoreline Conditional Use Permit or Shoreline Variance): Date of decision by Pierce County.
b. Shoreline Substantial Development Permit: Date of actual receipt by Ecology of the final Pierce County decision.
c. Shoreline Administrative Conditional Use Permit, Shoreline Conditional Use Permit, Shoreline Variance and Shoreline Permit Revision (involving a Shoreline Conditional Use Permit or Shoreline Variance): Date of transmittal of Ecology's final decision to Pierce County and the applicant.
3. The County shall notify Ecology in writing of any change to the effective date of a permit with an explanation of the basis for approval of the change. Any change to the time limits of a permit other than those authorized pursuant to this subsection shall require a new permit application.
4. Shoreline Permit or Approval revision may be authorized after the original authorization has expired; provided, that this procedure shall not be used to extend the original time requirements or to authorize substantial development after the time limits of the original permit.
5. The applicant is responsible for tracking the amount of time they have available to start and complete their proposal.
H. All approvals described in this Section shall be vested for the specific use, density, and physical development that is identified in the permit approval.
I. Sign Permit. A sign permit shall expire if the permit is not exercised within one year of its issuance. No extensions of the expiration date shall be permitted.