Thurston County OKs permit fee increases, schedules public hearing on code updates

The Thurston County Board of County Commissioners approved a resolution on Oct. 21 to increase land use and building permit fees to move the county toward full cost recovery and also adopted a separate 5% technology fee to fund permitting software and digital plan review. The board set a public hearing for Nov. 12 to consider the annual permit-review code updates that align county timelines with state law.

The changes are intended to reduce the county’s general-fund subsidy for permitting and provide greater cost clarity for applicants, County staff said. Ashley Bridal, director of Community Planning and Economic Development, told the board the package would include clerical edits, updates to permit-review timelines to align with the state Project Review Act, amendments to SEPA categorical exemptions reflecting recent housing legislation, and a review of the board’s role as the final decision maker on quasi-judicial land use permits. "To date, the planning commission... voted unanimously to recommend approval of the code amendments," Bridal said.

Bridal said the fee strategy includes full cost recovery through revised land use and building fees, a one-time upfront payment model for land use permits, dedicated funds for required streamflow restoration projects and a 5% technology fee. She told commissioners the changes are expected to reduce general-fund reliance by roughly $1,000,000 within her department and could save the equivalent of up to 10 permit-review positions. "We also have engaged local builders and developers who, although no one wants to see fees go up, have expressed support for any efforts that would improve predictability in our permit reviews," Bridal said.

The fee updates follow a lengthy interval between comprehensive adjustments: Bridal said the last comprehensive permit-fee update was in February 2009. Commissioners and staff described the intent as moving permit-related costs from property-tax subsidization to applicants who request review and other engineering services.

Public commenters raised concerns about outreach and impacts on unincorporated-area residents. John Pettit, a resident, criticized the county for what he described as an earlier decision to rent office space rather than maintain county facilities and warned of large budget impacts; Pettit said, "this building we are in cost about $7,000 a day to rent it." Resident Terry Ballard also urged better handling of permit backlogs and referenced applicable state timelines.

Commissioners asked about outreach to the public and the development community. Bridal said the increases would only affect people applying for permits and that broader outreach is planned if the changes are adopted. Commissioner Carolina Mejia and others thanked staff for the briefing and encouraged members of the public to review the board work session where more detail was provided.

The board voted to set a public hearing on the permit-review process annual code update for Nov. 12, 2025, and to adopt the fee-resolution and the 5% technology fee. The motions passed with no recorded opposition.

What’s next: staff said materials for the Nov. 12 public hearing will be available on the CPED website, and the technology fee revenues will be set aside to support licensing, maintenance, digital plan review and staff training for the county’s permitting platform.

Votes at this meeting on these items were recorded as carried by the board; implementation details and outreach will follow through CPED and related departments.