Clallam County is considering a $5 annual charge per property to provide sustainable funding for the local conservation district, county staff told the Crescent Community Advisory Council on Sept. 3. The county held a public hearing on the proposal, which drew mostly negative feedback, and county commissioners asked the conservation district for added accountability measures before moving forward.

County staff explained that the parcel fee model is common in Washington: it is collected on property tax bills and can generate durable funding for the conservation district’s work on soil, water quality and agricultural support. “It’s a $5 per parcel fee,” a county official said; staff estimated it would raise just under $200,000 annually after exemptions for seniors and disabled owners.

Why it matters: the conservation district provides voluntary technical assistance and programs to farmers and landowners; county staff gave an example of a landowner who avoided enforcement action by working with the district. Commissioners emphasized the levy is a sensitive ask because residents face multiple recent demands on property owners’ bills, including school levies and other local funding requests.

Next steps: commissioners asked for language changes to the authorizing resolution, additional accountability measures, and greater reporting from the conservation district. The county did not vote on the parcel fee at the Sept. 3 meeting; officials said they will consider the item again toward the end of the month.