Thurston County officials encourage builders and developers to submit building and development permits by Monday, Aug. 3, to provide ample time for visits focused on the presence of the Mazama pocket gopher.
Applications submitted after that date may not receive the number of site inspections required before the 2015 gopher review window closes in October. Delays in submission could potentially extend gopher reviews into the 2016 season.
In early June, the county began using a gopher review process recommended by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in response to the Mazama pocket gopher. The gopher was added to the Endangered Species List in April 2015. Because of the listing, the county needs a special permit, known as a “take permit,” from the federal government before issuing county permits for activities that impact gophers.
The new gopher-review portion of the building permit review process includes two or three on-property site visits that can only be conducted between June 1 and October 30. To schedule staff accordingly and complete all required site visits by the end of October, the county is asking for applications to be submitted by Aug. 3.
The gopher review process is an interim procedure the county and USFWS are using while a permanent process is developed. The county is working to get a take permit that will cover all unincorporated areas of Thurston County by writing an area-wide Habitat Conservation Plan.
Until then, the county will use USFWS guidance for permit review to limit federal liability for the county and for those who receive the building permits.
More details on the county’s habitat conservation plan and the 2015 gopher review process can be found online at www.thurstonplanning.org. To speak to a Thurston County planner about the process, contact Andrew Deffobis at deffoba@co.thurston.wa.us or call (360) 786-5467.
