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Thurston County approves 2026–2027 docket for comprehensive plan and development-code amendments
Summary
County planning staff presented the biennial Growth Management Act docket—five comprehensive-plan and 10 development-code amendments including urban tree provisions, code compliance improvements and potential TDR/PDR updates—which the board approved to move forward for analysis and public hearings.
Thurston County planning staff briefed the Board of County Commissioners on the 2026–2027 official docket of comprehensive-plan and development-code amendments and the board approved the dockets to proceed to analysis and public hearings.
Planning staff said the docket reflects priorities carried forward from Thurston 2045 and a public comment period that produced more than 360 comments. The 2026–2027 dockets include five proposed comprehensive-plan amendments and 10 development-code amendments. Staff identified priority topics such as exploring urban tree provisions within urban growth areas, strengthening code compliance, and examining emerging uses including battery energy storage systems and data centers.
On questions from commissioners about trees and working-lands tools, staff said the transfer-development-rights and purchase-development-rights (TDR/PDR) work will require code updates and further analysis. "The item that got docketed is a deeper look into our transfer development rights and purchase of development rights programs, which we are hoping will be integral tools in our conservation toolbox," staff said.
During public comment on the item, Betsy Norton of the South Sound Bird Alliance urged that TDRs in rural areas should produce “clear and verifiable net ecological benefit” and asked the board to retain institutional review if the BOCC is removed from individual permit appeals.
The board voted to approve the dockets with no further debate; each docketed proposal will proceed through its own analysis, public hearings and opportunities for community input.
