Public Comment General Information

COMMENTING ON PROJECTS

If you would like to comment on a proposed project, submit written comments to Planning and Development Services (PDS).

Department Decisions/Recommendations

All comments received prior to issuance of a department decision or recommendation will be reviewed. To ensure that comments are addressed in the decision or recommendation, they should be received by PDS before the end of the published comment period.

Projects Scheduled for Hearing

Comments on a project scheduled for a hearing before the hearing examiner may be made by submitting them to PDS prior to the open record hearing.

PUBLISHING OF DECISIONS

PDS only publishes the decisions as required by Snohomish County Code. Persons will receive notice of all decisions that they have submitted written comment on, regardless of whether or not they are published.

BECOME A PARTY OF RECORD

You may become a party of record for a project by:

Submitting original written comments and a request to become a party of record to the county prior to the hearing
Testifying at the hearing
Entering your name on a sign up register at the hearing

Note: Only parties of record may subsequently appeal the hearing examiner’s decision or provide written or oral arguments to the county council if such an appeal is filed.

APPEALING DECISIONS

Department Decisions

To appeal a Type 1 decision of the department, including State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) threshold determinations, submit a written appeal and the $1,500 filing fee to PDS prior to the close of the appeal period. Refer to SCC 30.71.050(5) for details on what must be included in a written appeal. A SEPA appeal also requires that an affidavit or declaration be filed with the hearing examiner within seven days of filing the appeal, pursuant to SCC 30.61.305(1). Appeals are accepted Monday through Friday between 8 am and 5 pm (closed Thursdays from 8-10 am) at the PDS Public Service counter. PDS also accepts appeals electronically and will take payment by credit card over the phone. Please follow these instructions:

Scan the original manually signed (handwritten) copy document;
Send your appeal as an email attachment to epermittech@snoco.org. Please include your phone number where you can be reliably reached.
Staff will call you to collect your credit card information and process your payment.
Mail the original to Snohomish County PDS, 3000 Rockefeller M/S 604, Everett, WA 98201.

Failure to file a timely and complete appeal shall constitute waiver of all rights to an administrative appeal under county code.

NOTE: Appeals of a code enforcement action must be mailed or hand-delivered as described in the Notice of Violation.

Hearing Examiner Decisions

Hearing Examiner decisions issued after a public hearing are appealable as described in the examiner’s decision. Notice of those decisions is not published. You must have submitted written comments to PDS or written or oral comments at the public hearing in order to appeal a hearing examiner’s decision. For more information, refer to the Hearing Examiner website. From here, you can access Hearing Examiner Decisions and Agendas.

Building & Grading

Most building and grading applications are not subject to the county’s appeal process. If the permit is subject to a department decision, the decision will contain information on appeals. To file a judicial appeal in Superior Court, refer to Chapter 36.70C RCW.

ADA ACCOMMODATIONS AT PUBLIC HEARINGS

Snohomish County facilities are accessible. Accommodations for persons with disabilities will be provided upon advance request. Please make arrangements one week prior to hearing by calling the Hearing Examiner’s Office at 425-388-3538.