Page 60 - Des Moines - Zoning, Planning and Design Ch 134, 135

134-6. reVieW AND APPrOVAl PrOceDUreS DRAFT

Common Procedural Provisions

deficiencies. Notice of an incomplete application 1. Educate applicants and neighbors about one
may be provided by electronic mail or regular another’s interests;
mail. 2. Resolve issues in a manner that respects those
3. No further processing of incomplete applications interests; and
will occur and incomplete applications will be 3. Identify unresolved issues before initiation of
pulled from the processing cycle. When the public hearings.
community development director determines
that the deficiencies have been corrected, the B. Applicability. Neighbor communications activities
application will be placed in the first available are required whenever the provisions of this zoning
processing cycle. ordinance expressly state that they are required.
4. Applications deemed complete will be They are encouraged in all cases.
considered to be in the processing cycle and c. Neighbor communications Summary.
will be reviewed by staff and other review and When neighbor communications are required,
decision-making bodies in accordance with applicants must submit a summary of their
applicable review and approval procedures of neighbor communication activities before the first
this zoning ordinance. required public hearing. Neighbor communications
5. The community development director is summaries must include at least the following
information:
authorized to require that applications or plans
be revised before being placed on an agenda for 1. Efforts to notify neighbors about the proposal
possible action if the community development (how and when notification occurred, and who
director determines that: was notified);
a. The application or plan contains one or 2. How information about the proposal was shared
more significant inaccuracies or omissions with neighbors (mailings, workshops, meetings,
that hinder timely or competent evaluation open houses, fliers, door-to-door handouts, etc.);
of the plan’s/application’s compliance with 3. Who was involved in the discussions;
zoning ordinance requirements or other 4. Suggestions and concerns raised by neighbors;
regulations; and
b. The application contains multiple minor 5. What specific changes (if any) were considered
inaccuracies or omissions that hinder and/or made as a result of the neighbor
timely or competent evaluation of the communications.
plan’s/application’s compliance with
zoning ordinance requirements or other 6.1.7 reQUireD PUBlic HeAriNG NOticeS
regulations; or A. Newspaper Notice
c. The decision-making body does not have
legal authority to approve the application as 1. Whenever the procedures of this article require
it was submitted. that newspaper notice be provided, the notice
must be published in a newspaper of general
6.1.5 APPlicAtiON PrOceSSiNG cYcleS circulation within the City of Des Moines that is
The community development director is authorized published at least weekly.
to promulgate reasonable cycles and timelines for 2. The newspaper notice must be published at
processing applications, including deadlines for receipt least once, at least 7 days no more than 20 days
of complete applications. before the date of the pubic hearing. Following
publication of the notice, the public hearing
6.1.6 NeiGHBOr cOMMUNicAtiONS 3 may not be held earlier than the next regularly
A. Purpose. Neighbor communication requirements scheduled meeting date of the review or
are intended to ensure that applicants make a good decision-making body holding the hearing. 4
faith effort to:

3 New section, with relaxed requirements; can easily be re- 4 This provision is intended to track the Iowa Code. The
placed with reference to existing “guidelines for neighbor- city’s practice seems to be to provide more than 7 days’
hood meetings,” although existing process received some notice. Notice timing requirements are not currently stat-
negative feedback during early listening sessions. ed in the ordinance.

134-6-4 DRAFT AuguST 3, 2017