applies to both zoning amendments and zoning revisions. It is the commonly accepted term that refers to any change in the zoning ordinance. Rezoning can apply to a small area or a large portion of the county. 

is Thurston County's master blueprint for land use. It guides the physical, social, economic, and environmental development of Thurston County, including studies of land use, circulation, etc.. A Comprehensive Plan is usually a composite of mapped or written development policies for the county which is adopted by the Board of Coun [..]

is the amount used by the county tax assessor to value real property for tax purposes. Assessed value is usually the market value of the property. Assessed value multiplied by the tax rate is the property tax.

is a zone that defines permitted uses, setback requirements, and other requirements for development for properties located within the zone. Some neighborhoods, though, have unique characteristics or challenges. In these areas, overlay zones are sometimes established and put down on top of (overlapped) the base zone. Click here

See International Building Code below.

is a restricted area adjacent to a specified critical area

is a certificate that is issued by the zoning officer to indicate that, after construction of a building has been completed or a use in an existing building has been changed, the purpose for which the building was constructed is being carried out in accordance with the terms of the zoning ordinance.

is given to certain classes of land use the are not permitted by right in some or all zones of the county, but are nevertheless recognized as being desirable to the full function of the county under appropriate circumstances. The purpose is to provide a means whereby proposals for such land uses may be examined on a case by case to determ [..]

is a set of regulations that govern how land is developed in environmentally sensitive areas and in areas where development would pose a threat to humans or wildlife. Critical areas include important fish and wildlife habitat areas (prairies, rivers, streams); wetlands; aquifer recharge areas; frequently flooded areas; and geologically ha [..]

see SEPA below.