Applications and Forms - Land Use and Environmental Review
Examples: boundary line adjustments, critical areas review, reasonable-use exception, division of land, SEPA, Joint Aquatic Resources Permit
The information on this page is a general guide. Before filling out any applications, contact the Building Development Center with your project details to verify exactly which applications you'll need to supply.
How to Find Submittal Requirements
Submittal requirements are listed on each of the application forms featured below.
Refund and Withdraw Request Forms
Master Application -- required for all projects | ||
Application (PDF) - includes submittal info. | Description | Info. Related to the Application |
Master Application - MA 001 | General application required for all projects - asks for contact information and a checklist of the supplemental applications (ie, project-specific applications) the applicant will be providing. |
Guide to Using Form Additional Property Owners Attachment Page |
Dividing/Consolidating Land 2023 Fees (PDF) | ||
Application (PDF) - includes submittal info. | Description | Info. Related to the Application |
Boundary Line Adjustment Lot Consolidation - SA 023 |
To redraw property lines between two separate legal parcels or consolidate them. |
Boundary
Line Adjustment/Consolidation Guide Boundary Line Adjustment Map (legal-sized paper) Declaration of Boundary Line Adjustment and Covenant Form (legal-sized paper) New Legal Descriptions of Parcels Form Boundary Line Adjustment Recording Cover Sheet Tax Certification Form |
Division of Land - SA 026 Division of Land Final Map Application - SA 026a (to apply for a final map establishing the new legal lot lines to be recorded with the Thurston County Auditor's Office. |
Application to divide a parcel of land into 2 or more lots.
Requires a
presubmission conference. Short Plat = division into 4 or fewer lots, any one of which is less than 5 acres. Large Lot = division into 2 or more lots, all of which are 5 acres or larger and any one which is smaller than 40 acres. |
Division of Land Guide Declaration of Covenant Form - Short Plat (legal sized paper) Declaration of Covenant Form - Large Lot (legal sized paper) |
Binding Site Plan - SA 022 |
Application to divide land for office, commercial or industrial-zoned properties or for a manufactured home park. Requires a presubmission conference. | |
Other Administrative Actions | Application for other administrative actions and miscellaneous planning activities. | |
Presubmission Conference - SA 033 |
A presubmission conference is required for plats, short plats and large-lot subdivisions, special use permits, new nonresidential (commercial) uses or change of use. | Presubmission Conference Guide |
Zoning-Related Applications 2023 Fees (PDF) | ||
Application (PDF) - includes submittal info. | Description | Info. Related to the Application |
Site Plan Review - SA 038 | A site plan review is required for nonresidential (commercial), industrial and certain residential development projects within rural Thurston County and the Urban Growth Areas of Olympia, Lacey and Tumwater. Goal is to ensure compliance with all appropriate land development regulations. | Site Plan Review Guide |
Design Review - SA 025 | In the Urban Growth Areas of Olympia, Lacey and Tumwater, developers are sometimes required to meet certain aesthetic standards. This form is for county-review of an application for compliance with those standards. |
Design Review Guide Lacey UGA Questionnaire Olympia UGA Questionnaire Tumwater UGA Questionnaire |
Special Use Permit - SA 039 | To get approval for uses that are not outright allowed within your zoning district because they might be difficult to site or incompatible with other uses. Requires a presubmission conference |
Special Use Permit Guide Event Center Guide |
Variance - Administrative - SA 021 | Any property owner may apply for a variance from any yard requirements provided the reduction is no more than fifty percent of the required setback. Variance requests in both the urban and rural County are subject to the provisions outlined in TCC 20.07.050. Additional variances for an agricultural use per TCC 17.15 are limited to the half of the buffer farthest from critical areas. | Administrative Variance Guide |
Variance - Hearing Examiner - SA 040 | Any property owner may apply for a variance from size, dimension, setback or design requirements of a zoning district. Variance requests in both the urban and rural County are subject to the provisions outlined in TCC 20.52. | Hearing Examiner Variance Guide |
Comp Plan Amendment, Open Space -SA 036a | Use this form to request a map or policy change to Thurston County's comprehensive plan. This involves proposing a change through the docketing process (external link - note deadline for citizen proposals). |
Comprehensive Plan Amendment Guide Fee Guideline for Comp Plan Changes |
Critical Areas (wetlands, streams, steep slopes etc.) & Forests 2023 Fees (PDF) | ||
Application (PDF) - includes submittal info. | Description | Info. Related to the Application |
Critical Area Determinations | To determine whether a proposed activity or property has critical areas or buffers that would be subject to the regulations of the Critical Area Ordinance (CAO). The results from a CAD may provide some level of feasibility for future projects. | Critical Area Determination |
Critical Area Review Permits | For projects requiring buffer mitigation and/or impacting critical areas and buffers. Also danger tree and hazard tree cutting. | |
Reasonable Use Exception - SA 034 | Residents who believe the buffers in the Critical Areas Ordinance leave them with no reasonable use of this property may apply for a "Reasonable Use Exception" to build in the critical area or buffer. | Reasonable Use Exception Guide |
Forest Practice Activities | Application size is 8 1/2" x 14". Please print application on legal size paper. | Please click here for a description of this type of activity. |
Release of Moratorium - SA 035 Waiver of Moratorium - SA 035a |
When a development moratorium is placed upon property as a result of a Department of Natural Resources Class II or III forest practice permit being issued, the property owner may request a waiver or release of the moratorium pursuant to TCC 17.25.700”. |
SEPA & Water-Related 2023 Fees (PDF) | ||
Application (PDF) - includes submittal info. | Description | Info. Related to the Application |
SEPA Checklist Application Cover Sheet SEPA Checklist- New Updated SEPA Form |
Thurston County code requires review of certain proposals to assess the impact of those proposals on the environment before making decisions. See guide to the right for examples of when SEPA review is needed. (Any work over or in water requires SEPA review.) |
Environmental Checklist (SEPA) Guide Click here for fresh water dock information (lakes) |
Joint Aquatic Resources Permit Application
(JARPA) cover sheet - SA 030 JARPA Application Form, Washington State (external link) |
For projects proposed to be build near marine shorelines, lakes and rivers, generally within 250 feet of the ordinary high water mark. (These types of projects are regulated under the Shoreline Management Act.) This is a joint federal-state-local application. |
JARPA
Guide Also see our docks FAQ |
Shoreline Administrative Variance - SA 037 | Form to get approval to encroach into shoreline buffer that is regulated under the Shoreline Management Act (marine shorelines, rivers and wetlands). | Shoreline Administrative Variance Guide |
Land Ownership 2023 Fees (PDF) | ||
Application (PDF) - includes submittal info. | Description | Info. Related to the Application |
Legal Lot Determination - SA 031 | To apply for a formal legal lot determination that will provide a written, binding letter of proof about a parcel's legal status. | Legal Lot Determination Guide |
Innocent Purchaser - SA 029 | Form for residents who purchased property for market value without receiving actual notice that the lot was not legally created. Application is to have the lot legally created. | Innocent Purchaser Guide |
Appeal/Reconsideration - Hearing Examiner 2023 Fees (PDF) | ||
Please see the Hearing Examiner page for appeal/reconsideration forms. |
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