County Releases Information About Potential Changes to Development Regulations – You Have 11 Days to Comment

Thurston County Preliminary Docket of Development Code Amendments is available for review. The docket is divided into four priority levels. Lower priority subjects may not be addressed this year.

The purpose of the docket is to provide information about potential changes to development regulations that the County is considering. The Board of County Commissioners chooses the topics from a “Preliminary Docket,” maintained year-round, and places them on an Official Docket, which is forwarded to the Thurston County Planning Commission for proposal development and review. This docketing process is used to provide the public with information about and opportunities to participate in the amendment process.

Priority A Topics: Time extensions for project approvals, forest lands conversion, rural building sizes and special uses, conservation lots, incompatible use buffers, presubmission conferences, junk vehicles, wineries, accessory buildings, off road vehicles, and energy efficiency standards.

Priority B Topics: Boundary line adjustments, recreational lots, appeal period work prohibitions, property owner notification, expiration deadlines, manufactured housing, childcare centers, helipad requirements, and planned residential developments.

Priority C Topics: Agricultural structures, HVAC equipment in setbacks, front setbacks, school mitigation, density requirements, right to farm, and Grand Mound residential lot width.

Priority D Topics: Urban Growth Area code updates, wireless facility fencing, critical area fence requirements, composting roof requirements, clarify Olympia UGA commercial district, kennel waste management plans, building setbacks by active rail lines and trails, and miscellaneous clerical corrections.

Copies of the preliminary docket are available through the Permit Assistance Center at the address below, and the Thurston County web site:
www.co.thurston.wa.us/permitting/Development_Code/Development_Code_Docket.htm.

The purpose of the public review period is to receive written comments. After the public review period, an Official Docket will be adopted by the Thurston County Board of Commissioners.

Please submit written comments to Jeremy Davis, Associate Planner, Thurston County Strategic Planning, 2000 Lakeridge Dr. SW, Olympia WA 98502 or at davisj@co.thurston.wa.us . Phone: (360) 754-3355 ext. 7010. Written comments must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. July 31, 2009. Citizens with hearing impairments may call the TDD line at (360) 754-2933.

If you know someone who would like to subscribe to the GMA email listserv, please have them send an email to gma_mail@co.thurston.wa.us.

Emails about long range planning projects sent to gma_mail@co.thurston.wa.us will be forwarded to the appropriate staff member in as timely a manner as possible.

For more information, please visit:
http://www.co.thurston.wa.us/permitting/

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