Land Use Ordinances

 

Land Use Ordinance List

Land use codes are complicated, but you don't need to do it alone!  The Building Development Center is here to help.  Stop by our office from 8 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday to talk to a staff member and review maps.

Zoning Ordinances - General Unincorporated Thurston County

• Description of zoning and how to find out zoning for your property.
• Read the code (Go to Title 20. For Urban Growth Areas, Title 21, Title 22, Title 23 - see below)
• Click here to get applications/forms related to zoning.

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Zoning Ordinances - Urban Growth Areas

Urban growth areas are areas designated by a county, with input from towns and cities, where urban development is to occur. Urban growth areas have their own zoning requirements, which typically mirror the requirements of the neighboring city.

• Read the code (See title numbers below to get to the correct section of the code.)
  • Lacey Urban Growth Area - see Title 21
  • Tumwater Urban Growth Area - see Title 22
  • Olympia Urban Growth Area - see Title 23
• Click here to get applications/forms related to zoning.

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Critical Areas Ordinance

• Description of the Critical Areas Ordinance and how to find out whether your property contains a critical area.
• Read the code (Go to Chapter 17.15. Please note: Thurston County is revising this ordinance.  Visit our Planning Department website for information about the revision process.)
• Click here to get applications/forms related to the Critical Areas Ordinance.

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Shoreline Master Program

• Description of the Shoreline Master Program and how to find out whether your property contains a shoreline regulated under the Shoreline Master Program.
• Read the Code (Go to Title 19. Please note: Thurston County is revising this ordinance.  Visit our Planning Department website for information about the revision process. )
• Click here to get applications/forms related to the Shoreline Master Program.

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Forest Lands Conversion (Timber Harvesting for Land Conversion)

• Description of Forest Lands Conversion
• Read the Code (Go to Chapter 17.25)
• Click here to get applications/forms related to the Forest Lands Conversion.

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Division of Land

A division of land means a subdivision, short subdivision or large lot subdivision. 

• Read the code (See chapter numbers below to get to the correct section of the code.)
  • General provisions regulating the division of land (Chapter 18.04)
  • Short Plat (Chapter 18.32) - Division of land into 4 or fewer lots, any one of which is less than 5 acres
  • Large Lot (Chapter 18.28) - Division of land into 2 or more lots, all of which are 5 acres or larger and one one of which is smaller than 40 acres.
  • Olympia Urban Growth Area - see Title 23
  • Plat (Chapter 18.12) - Division of land into 5 or more lots, any of which is smaller than 5 acres.

• Click here to get applications/forms related to platting and subdivisions.

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Boundary Line Adjustment

A Boundary Line Adjustment (BLA) is a reconfiguration of property lines between two or more separate legal parcels.  BLAs are not subdivisions and cannot create new parcels or building sites. Another form of BLA is a "Lot Consolidation."  A Lot Consolidation is used to combined two existing parcels.  Lot Consolidations erase parcel lines so that only one parcel remains.

• Read the code (Go to Platting and Subdivision Ordinance, Chapter 18.04.040 section H)
• Click here to get applications/forms related to boundary line adjustments.

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Contact Us

Thurston County Building Development Center, 3000 Pacific Ave SE, Olympia, WA 98501.
Phone: (360) 786-5490. TTY/TDD call 711 or 1-800-833-6388 E-mail: permit@co.thurston.wa.us.