18A.75.020 Administrative Use Permit.
A. Purpose. The purpose of this Section is to establish decision criteria and procedures for uses which due to their unique qualities may require additional regulations or other special degrees of control. An administrative review process, which includes public notice and comment, is required to ensure that the activity, if established, will be in full compliance with applicable regulations and that such uses are compatible with the Comprehensive Plan, applicable community plan, adjacent uses, planned uses, and the character of the vicinity.
B. Decision Criteria. The Director shall review applications for Administrative Use Permits in accordance with specific findings as set forth below.
1. Requirements and Decision Criteria Unique to Certain Uses. PCC 18A.33.180, Airport Overlay Standards, if applicable, and the Development Standards of this Title shall be used by the applicant in preparing the Administrative Use Permit application, and by the Director in determining the acceptability of permitting a use in a certain location.
2. Design Standards and Guidelines. The applicant shall address and comply with all applicable design standards, in addition to required standards, to ensure compliance with applicable Comprehensive Plan or Community Plan policy direction.
3. Required Findings. An Administrative Use Permit may be approved only if all of the following findings can be made regarding the proposal and are supported by the record:
a. That the granting of the proposed Administrative Use Permit approval will not:
(1) be detrimental to the public health, safety, and general welfare;
(2) adversely affect the established character and planned character of the surrounding vicinity; nor
(3) be injurious to the uses, planned uses, property, or improvements adjacent to, and in the vicinity of, the site upon which the proposed use is to be located.
b. That the granting of the proposed Administrative Use Permit approval is consistent and compatible with the intent of goals, objectives and policies of the County's Comprehensive Plan, appropriate Community Plan, and any implementing regulation.
c. That all conditions necessary to lessen any impacts of the proposed use are conditions that can be monitored and enforced.
d. That all requirements for a specific use have been addressed by the applicant.
e. That the Administrative Use will be supported by, and not adversely affect, adequate public facilities and services.
f. That the proposed use complies with all applicable design standards and guidelines.
4. Burden of Proof. The applicant has the burden of proving that the proposed use meets all of the criteria set forth in PCC 18A.75.020.B.2, Required Findings.
5. Approval. The Director may approve an application for an Administrative Use Permit, approve with additional requirements obtained from other Sections of the Pierce County Code above those specified in this Title, or require modification of the proposal to comply with specified requirements or local conditions. Separate Administrative Use Permit applications and approvals are required for each single-family home being proposed on a lot of record in any zone classification that requires an approved AUP application for a single-family use type.
6. Denial. The Director may deny an application for an Administrative Use Permit if the use fails to comply with specific standards set forth in this Title, if any of the above required findings are not supported by evidence in the record as determined by the Director, or the proposal does not meet or cannot be conditioned to meet PCC 18A.75.020.B.3, Required Findings.