Opinion ID: 2652454
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Appeals of Threshold SEPA Determinations

Text: A county or other entity 1 charged with making SEP A determinations may choose whether or not to provide an internal appeals process for challenging its determinations. See WAC 197-11-680(2) (Agencies may establish procedures for such an appeal, or may eliminate such appeals altogether, by rule, ordinance or resolution.). If the entity permits an appeal of the threshold SEPA determination, however, that appeal must be tied to the underlying government action-for example, the government decision to grant or deny a CUP. RCW 43.21C.075; WAC 197 -11-680(3 )(v) (If an agency does not provide for a hearing or appeal on the underlying governmental action (either a hearing on the agency's recommendation or an agency appeal hearing after the decision is made), the agency may not hold a SEPA administrative appeal, except [under circumstances not implicated here].). 1 Counties, local governments, and agencies are treated interchangeably under chapter 43.21C RCW. See RCW 43.21C.030. -8- Ellensburg Cement Products, Inc. v. Kittitas County, et al., No. 88165-1 In other words, an agency or local government cannot provide an appeal of only the SEP A threshold determination. State law permits the locality or agency to provide a SEP A appeal procedure only if the locality or agency also provides {or a hearing on the action to which the SEP A determination relates. Moreover, the government entity permitting the SEPA appeal [s]hall consolidate an appeal of [SEP A] determinations ... with a hearing or appeal on the underlying governmental action by providing for a single simultaneous hearing. RCW 43.21C.075(3)(b). Thus state law requires that if a local government opts to provide a SEP A appeal, that appeal must occur simultaneously with a hearing on the underlying action. Moreover, and importantly for this case, a SEP A appeal must provide for the preparation of a record for use in any subsequent appeal proceedings, and an adequate record consists of findings and conclusions, testimony under oath, and taped or written transcript. RCW 43.21C.075(3)(c). RCW 36.70B.060 lays out the requirements for SEPA appeals if local governments choose to provide them. Under RCW 36.70B.060(6), if a local government elects to provide an appeal of its threshold determinations or project permit decisions, the local government shall provide for no more than one consolidated open record hearing on such appeal. (Emphasis added.) The local government need not provide for any further appeal, but if it does provide a further -9- Ellensburg Cement Products, Inc. v. Kittitas County, et al., No. 88165-1 appeal, it shall be a closed record appeal before a single decision-making body or officer. Id. An open record hearing is defined as a hearing, conducted by a single hearing body or officer authorized by the local government to conduct s~ch hearings, that creates the local government's record through testimony and submission of evidence and information, under procedures prescribed by the local government by ordinance or resolution. RCW 36. 70B.020(3). A closed record appeal is defined as an administrative appeal on the record to a local government body or officer, including the legislative body,following an open record hearing on a project permit application when the appeal is on the record with no or limited new evidence or information allowed to be submitted and only appeal argument allowed. RCW 36.70B.020(1) (emphasis added). The SEP A provisions of chapter 43 .21 C RCW thus establish that an appeal of a SEP A threshold determination must be consolidated and simultaneous with a hearing on the underlying project permit decision, and must provide for the preparation of a record, including testimony under oath, for use in subsequent proceedings. The appeals process set out in chapter 36.70B RCW then prescribes what forms such consolidated appeals must take-i.e., open record or closed record, and how many of each. -10- Ellensburg Cement Products, Inc. v. Kittitas County, eta!., No. 88165-1