Board of Health hears appeal over septic permit; written decision due Sept. 24

Thurston County Board of Health members on Sept. 9 heard three hours of oral argument in an appeal by Matthew and Madeline McCullough challenging a November 2024 Environmental Health approval of a septic system repair permit and a subsequent hearing officer decision that denied the McCulloughs’ initial appeal.

The McCulloughs’ attorney, Michael Ray of the firm Brooklyn & Newman, told the board that Thurston County Environmental Health has been issuing replacement septic permits without required review under the county Critical Areas Ordinance and the Shoreline Master Program. "Thurston Health has been issuing permits to install replacement septic systems without the required review under the critical areas ordinance," Ray said, arguing the hearing officer incorrectly concluded she lacked authority to deny a permit based on noncompliance with those land‑use protections.

Ray framed the dispute in two parts: whether the hearing officer had authority to deny an on‑site sewage system (OSS) application…