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County shifts approval of private roads for small short plats to building and planning director
Summary
Cowlitz County commissioners adopted amendments to the short subdivision (short plat) ordinance to allow the building and planning director to approve private fire-access roads for short plats of up to four lots, with exceptions for public-road connections.
The Cowlitz County Board of Commissioners on April 2025 adopted amendments to the county short subdivision (short plat) ordinance to shift approval authority for certain private roads and driveways within short subdivisions from the county engineer (Public Works) to the Building and Planning director.
Tracy Jackson, Building and Planning, told the board the change targets small developments — typically family divisions of one to four lots — and allows those developers to apply for a Type D fire-apparatus road standard through Building and Planning rather than face a more costly Type C private road upgrade reviewed by Public Works. "The proposal here is to shift approval of private roads and driveways within short subdivisions from the public works engineering department, AKA the county engineer, to the building and planning department director," Jackson said.
Nut graf: County staff said the change aims to reduce cost and processing complexity for very small short plats where a full public-works road upgrade can make a lot uneconomical. Staff characterized this as a partial fix; Building and Planning and advisory committees will continue work on broader private-road reforms.
The ordinance includes exceptions: public roads created by a subdivision and private roads that intersect or cross a public road will continue to require county engineer review. Adam Trimble, planning manager, said the Planning Commission held a hearing and unanimously recommended adoption.
After a public hearing that included several resident comments and supportive remarks from BPAC member Nick Massey, the commissioners moved to approve the short plat ordinance amendment. The motion passed on a unanimous voice vote.
Ending: Staff and commissioners said this amendment is expected to address a majority of the costs faced by small-property developers but is one step in an ongoing rewrite of private-road policies; further code work will be required for additional changes.
