Cheryl Hansen of Waitsburg told the Board of County Commissioners on July 21 that three land-use applications she submitted to Walla Walla County on March 21, 2024 — a comprehensive plan amendment, a rezone and a SEPA review — remain unresolved after more than a year. Hansen said she paid application fees totaling $17,672 and compared Walla Walla County’s fees to other Washington counties, saying the county’s fees are “exorbitant.”

Why it matters: Hansen said the processing delay has exceeded typical timelines and raised concerns that other applications may be scheduled ahead of hers without explanation. She asked the commissioners to tell her when the board hearing will be scheduled and to address what she called “substandard” processing for premium fees.

What Hansen said
- Timeline and fees: Hansen said she submitted three applications on March 21, 2024 and provided receipts showing $17,672 paid on March 27, 2024. She compared local fees to other counties, quoting Pierce County at $3,150 and Franklin County $700, while saying Walla Walla County charged $12,000 for apparently one component (transcript phrasing).
- Communication issues: Hansen said she and her land-use consultant, Shane O’Neil, received an email from the deputy community development director on July 9 indicating staff had not scheduled a hearing and would “provide roughly a month’s notice once we get it scheduled.” She told the board she had been told “we are short staffed” when asking about delay.
- Request to commissioners: Hansen asked why the delay had occurred, requested a hearing date and sought the board’s help in resolving the backlog. She said she had been “more than patient.”

Board response: Commissioners acknowledged Hansen’s concerns and told her the points were “well taken.” No formal action or promise of a date was recorded at the July 21 meeting; commissioners and staff did not provide a hearing date during public comment.

Speakers in this segment are the resident who presented the public comment and commissioners on the dais.