Typical Project Schedule

The following is a representative project schedule from the perspective of public awareness and notification in the permit review process:

  1. You may hear a rumor that a particular piece of property will be developed, but no public notice signs have been posted. If you can determine the property’s address (better yet, its property tax number), call PDS at 425-388-3311 and ask if an application has been filed.
  2. Only if a development application has been filed and the information has been entered into the department’s tracking system will PDS know about a project and be able to inform you about it. If filed, you can request in writing to become a party of record and you will be notified of all public hearings at which you (or anyone) are entitled to testify or submit information. The project file is available at the PDS office for review during regular business hours.
  3. After a development application has been submitted, county PDS staff will review it for regulatory "completeness" and make a SEPA (State Environmental Policy Act) determination (i.e., does the project require mitigation or an environmental impact statement?). A Notice of Application is posted on the proposed development site and published in the "Legal Notices" section of local newspapers within two weeks after PDS determines an application to be complete. PDS usually completes the SEPA review within two months of an application's filing, but may take longer in the case of a large development.
  4. The county’s big five-by-three-foot public notice signs on the project site provide a brief description of the proposed development. Make note of the development’s project file number and the name of the county PDS contact person and call that person at 425-388-3311 for more information.
  5. Notice of the result of the SEPA review is published in a local newspaper as a "legal" advertisement, it is posted on the property, sent to all property owners within 500 to 1,500 feet (depending on the area) of the development, and sent to all parties of record.
  6. You may also send in written comments on a project to be included in the project file. Remember to include the project file number. To be considered, all comments must be received before the hearing closes (where there is a hearing) or before the deadline stated in the Notice of Application (where there is no hearing).