A. The administrative hearing officer shall base the decision upon the record and argument presented at the hearing. The administrative hearing officer may affirm, reverse, modify, or remand the decision or order of the planning commission in whole or in part.

B. The administrative hearing officer’s decision shall be provided to the city clerk in writing within 45 business days after the conclusion of the hearing and shall state that it is a final decision, include the administrative hearing officer’s findings of fact and conclusions of law, and notify the parties of their right to appeal under WMC 16.36.100.

C. The administrative hearing officer’s decision shall be mailed or personally served by the city clerk within 10 business days to the appellant, the applicant if not the appellant, city planner and each interested party who has requested a copy of the appeal record in writing. The city clerk shall also post the decision on the city’s website.

D. Each appeal record shall be kept in accordance with the city’s records management policy and shall be open to the public. The city planner shall include the hearing officer’s decision in the related land use file of the city. Documents or other information considered by the hearing officer, that were not part of the appeal record, shall become a part of the record before the administrative hearing officer.

E. Within 45 business days after the administrative hearing officer issues a decision, the city clerk shall submit an information memorandum to the city council with a copy of the decision and an accounting of costs for the services of the administrative hearing officer in the case. (Ord. 15-22 § 5, 2015; Ord. 06-29(AM) § 7, 2006; Ord. 04-72 § 7, 2004; Ord. 02-46(SUB)(AM) § 8, 2002)