Kittitas County adopts ordinance to implement permit 'shot clock' and fee option under state law

Kittitas County commissioners approved an ordinance Tuesday amending County Code Title 15A to implement statutory timelines and related procedural changes associated with state legislation referred to in the hearing as Senate Bill 5290.

Jeremy Dossman, long-range planner for Kittitas County Community Development Services, explained the statute establishes a permit-processing "shot clock" that begins when an application is deemed complete and sets different timelines depending on project type: administrative projects have a 65-day processing timeline, administrative projects requiring public notice have a 100-day timeline, and non-administrative projects requiring a public hearing have a 170-day timeline. Dossman said the statute allows jurisdictions to pause the shot clock while an applicant provides additional requested information or by mutual agreement.

Dossman described two compliance options the statute affords for missed timelines: a permit-fee refund mechanism of up to 20% or other alternatives jurisdictions may adopt. Staff recommended an option in which the county collects 80% of permit fees at application submittal and holds 20% until permit issuance as a compliance incentive (staff presented this as county Option 1). The planning commission had unanimously recommended approval of the implementing regulations at its Feb. 11 meeting.

After brief questions from commissioners and no public comment, the board voted to adopt Ordinance No. 2025-003 to amend County Code Title 15A for the purpose of compliance with the state law and to promote more predictable timelines in local project review.