Bothell issues environmental clearance for citywide land use procedure code updates

What the records say

The City of Bothell is proposing amendments to its Municipal Code Titles 11, 12, and 14 — the sections covering land use procedures — to clarify permit review steps, decision-making authority, permit classifications, appeal processes, public notice requirements, rezone procedures, and related rules ¹. The city says the changes are primarily administrative and procedural, meaning they would not authorize specific development, change land use designations, or increase how much can be built beyond what current zoning already allows ¹.

• The proposal amends BMC Titles 11, 12, and 14 to clarify permit review procedures, decision-making authority, permit classifications, appeals, public notice, rezone procedures, and related housekeeping items.
• The amendments are non-project in nature and do not authorize specific development, change land use designations, or increase development capacity.
• The City issued a Determination of Non-Significance on August 5, 2026, finding no probable significant adverse environmental impact and no environmental impact statement required.
• Comments and appeals must be received no later than 5:00 PM on August 26, 2026; appeals must follow BMC Title 14.02 and Title 11 procedures and include the applicable appeal fee.
• The City will not require additional mitigation measures under SEPA, relying on existing codes covering traffic, critical areas, drainage, and building standards.

Why it matters

These code titles shape how residents and developers navigate permits, appeals, public notices, and rezones in Bothell, so the amendments could change how people interact with the city's land use process ¹. The environmental clearance does not approve the amendments — it only assesses environmental impact — and residents have until August 26, 2026 to comment or appeal that determination ¹.

What changed / what's next

• The City of Bothell issued a Determination of Non-Significance (case SEP2026-28896) on August 5, 2026 for proposed procedural amendments to BMC Titles 11, 12, and 14, finding no probable significant adverse environmental impact ¹.
• The comment and appeal deadline is 5:00 PM on August 26, 2026; any appeal hearing would be scheduled separately after analysis of the filed appeal ¹.
• The DNS does not approve the code amendments; the City reserves the right to approve, deny, or condition the proposal under its land use codes, and the record does not show when or whether the amendments will be adopted ¹.