Cowlitz County commissioners approve Cooper Hill subdivision, award $3.6M Dike Road contract and raise building fees

COWLITZ COUNTY — The Cowlitz County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday approved several routine land-use and public-works items and voted to increase building-and-planning fees.

In the meeting’s business session, senior planner Sahara (S5) told commissioners that staff had reviewed and verified compliance for the Cooper Hill final plat and recommended the chair sign the document to allow recording. The proposal converts a previously approved four-lot short subdivision into a five-lot rural subdivision. A commissioner (S6) moved approval and the board adopted the final plat by voice vote.

County Engineer Susan Eugenis (S7) presented the long-awaited bid award for the Dike Road Reconstruction Phase 2 project. Eugenis said the county received 11 bids, with a low bid of $3,601,642.66 from North Cascade Excavating compared with an engineer’s estimate of $4,830,000 — a difference she attributed largely to lower mobilization and reduced HMA (hot-mix asphalt) and topsoil line items. Eugenis said the county contacted a consultant familiar with the low bidder and was satisfied with their prior work. The board approved awarding the contract to North Cascade Excavating by voice vote.

Tyson of the Northwest Laborers (S9) asked whether an apprenticeship-utilization requirement was included; Eugenis confirmed that because the engineer’s estimate exceeded $2,000,000, state law requires apprenticeship utilization on the project.

Later the board heard from Tracy Jackson (S1), building and planning, who requested a modest fee update to cover rising internal service and staffing costs. Jackson asked the board to approve a valuation adjustment, a 3% fee increase and a $10 technology fee intended to support the department’s SLO/software position and related software support. She said the department is currently funded as an enterprise fund with a 2026 loaded staffing cost of about $2,289,000 and that fees collected last year were approximately $2,543,000, requiring drawdowns from fund balance in prior years.

Public commenter Flo (S11) said recording and other fees felt "astronomical" when selling a small parcel and expressed concern about the cumulative cost to small landowners. Jackson replied that recording fees are assessed by the auditor and the state and that building-permit charges are valuation-based; she added that counter staff provide in-person customer service and the permit wait is about two to three weeks under current staffing.

Commissioner discussion acknowledged the unpopularity of fee increases but stressed the department’s need to cover costs without resorting to larger hikes; a motion was made to amend and rescind Resolution 23095 and adopt the fee adjustments (including GIS changes and the $10 technology fee). Chair (S3) put the question to a voice vote and the motion passed.

The board also listed correspondence from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to Pacific Power about Merwin and Yale projects, a Southwest Clean Air Agency letter dated June 15, 2026, and an agreement with the County Road Administration Board related to Coal Creek Road funding. Vouchers presented totaled $4,268,263.

What’s next: The Cooper Hill final plat will be signed for recording; the Dike Road reconstruction project is scheduled to move forward under contract with North Cascade Excavating. The updated building-and-planning fee schedule was adopted with immediate effect as proposed.