Homeless encampments in Thurston County may be permitted with greater flexibility under a proposed permanent law change.
The county adopted an interim emergency housing ordinance in June 2019. Since then, the Board of County Commissioners has repeatedly renewed the ordinance, even though it has never been used to permit an encampment.
Most recently the board renewed the ordinance on May 24. In its current form, the ordinance will expire by Dec. 9. But before that happens, the board will consider whether to make those interim rules permanent.
A public hearing on the proposal will be held virtually and in person at the Thurston County Courthouse on Lakeridge Drive on Tuesday, Nov. 8, according to a county news release.
The ordinance would apply to rural areas and the urban growth areas of Lacey, Tumwater and Olympia — effectively all areas under county jurisdiction. Emergency homeless encampments have been allowed as a temporary use in those areas since 2010.
Interim regulations have been in place since 2019 to make permitting such encampments easier. The ordinance does not outright establish homeless encampments.
Instead, the ordinance gives the Community Planning and Economic Development director, a position currently held by Joshua Cummings, the discretion to waive certain code requirements for encampments as needed during a declared public health emergency.
Under the interim emergency housing ordinance, the director can waive many land use code standards including requirements for size, maximum number of residents, parking standards, distance from a bus stop, right-of-way limitations and visual separation from other uses.
The director also can waive standards for keeping a log of residents, requiring verifiable identification, having a security tent, allowing visitors, maintaining a numbering system and requiring liability insurance.
There are some exceptions to the codes the director may waive. He cannot waive requirements for sanitary portable toilets, standards requiring structures to conform to building codes, fire safety requirements, requirements for a code of conduct and agreement, and requirements for the sponsor to self-police and self-manage.
Lastly, the director cannot waive the prohibition of alcohol, illegal drugs, fighting, abuse, littering or disruption of neighbors.
In the current proposal, the interim regulations would be made permanent with "some minor adjustments" that change the length of time for which waivers are valid, according to the news release.
Additionally, the proposal does not allow the CPED director to waive criteria prohibiting encampments in critical areas. It also clarifies the application and permitting process.
The county started researching and conducting outreach on this proposal in summer 2021, according to the county. Since then, it has been reviewed by the Planning Commission and for potential environmental impacts.
The public hearing has been scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 8 — which is election day — in room 280, Building 1 of the Thurston County Courthouse at 2000 Lakeridge Drive SW in Olympia.
Public comments may be submitted in-person or virtually during the hearing. Additionally, people can submit written comments by noon Nov. 8 by emailing Associate Planner Leah Davis at Leah.Davis@co.thurston.wa.us.
Those who prefer mailing their comments can address their correspondence to Thurston County Community Planning and Economic Development, Attention: Leah Davis, Associate Planner Thurston County Courthouse, Building 1, 2000 Lakeridge Drive SW Olympia, WA 98502.
