14.02.070 Determination of categorical exemption.
A. Any City department which receives an application for a proposal, or initiates a proposal which is potentially subject to the requirements of SEPA, shall make the following determinations:
1. Whether the proposal is an “action” as defined by WAC 197-11-704; and
2. If the proposal is an “action,” whether it is categorically exempt from the requirements of SEPA; and
3. If the proposal is a nonexempt action, whether appropriate environmental review of the project has been conducted or commenced.
B. The responsible official or the responsible official’s designee shall assist any department in making the determinations required by this section, upon request by the department.
C. The City of Lakewood recognizes that the list of categorical exemptions included in the SEPA rules cannot be relied upon as the final determination of whether a proposed project, regardless of is environmental impact, must comply with SEPA and this chapter. Where the responsible official determines that a proposal has a reasonable likelihood of causing more than a moderate adverse impact on environmental quality, whether that impact is direct, indirect or cumulative, environmental review under SEPA shall be conducted.
D. It is recognized that a particular development or land use, though otherwise consistent with City regulations and policies, may create adverse impacts upon facilities, services, natural systems or the surrounding area when aggregated with the impacts of prior or reasonably anticipated future developments. The City shall evaluate such cumulative environmental impacts and make its environmental determinations and substantive decisions accordingly.
E. Pursuant to the provisions of WAC 197-11-800, proposed actions shall be categorically exempt from threshold determinations and EIS requirements if they do not exceed the levels of activity identified as follows:
1. The construction or location of residential structures of up to nine dwelling units.
2. The construction of an office, school, commercial recreational, service or storage building with up to 12,000 square feet of gross floor area.
3. The construction of an associated or separate parking lot designed for up to 40 automobiles.
4. Any landfill or excavation of up to 500 cubic yards throughout the total lifetime of the fill or excavation. [Ord. 500 § 1, 2009; Ord. 42 §1, 1996.]