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June 24, 2004
King County announces permit procedures to help farmers
King County is making it easier and less expensive for farmers to maintain their agricultural ditches. New permitting procedures have been developed through a cooperative partnership between King County and the King Conservation District (KCD). The procedures will reduce permitting costs as well as processing time.
The permitting efficiencies are interim until finalization of the Critical Areas Ordinance (CAO), and would benefit permit applications which have already been submitted to King County. The CAO would remove the requirement for a King County grading permit for agriculture ditch maintenance if the landowner has an approved Farm Plan.
The 2004 efficiencies include:
- No-cost technical assistance from King County’s Department of Natural Resources and Parks (DNRP) to complete both state and county applications;
- Grading permits for ditch maintenance issued by King County’s Department of Development and Environmental Services within five business days of a complete application submittal;
- Site inspections conducted by KCD or DNRP, in order to save farmers the cost of inspections billed hourly.
King County Executive Ron Sims said, “Under the proposed Critical Areas Ordinance, King County clearing and grading permits will not be required for agricultural ditch maintenance activities conducted on properties with an approved Farm Management Plan. We do not expect the ordinance to complete the County Council review phase until the Fall of 2004, however. The agricultural community has an immediate need to maintain agricultural ditches and these measures are designed to address that need during the summer of 2004.”
These interim permitting procedures are effective immediately and will be in place until finalization of the Critical Areas Ordinance.
For additional information, please contact Paula Adams, DDES Communications Director, at 206-296-6682, or Logan Harris, DNRP Public Affairs, at 206-263-6550.
Updated: June 24, 2004
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