The permit database tracks permitting and other processes by using cases.  For instance, the processing of an on-site sewage permit is tracking using a SEP case.  Some planning applications involve more than one case and are applied for and tracked using a master land use application (MLA) number.  For instance, a person may apply for an onsite sewage permit and a building permit with a MLA.  This application would get entered into the database as a SEP case and a BLD case both of which have the same MLA number.  If you searched for this permit process by MLA you would get a list of the two component cases.

The database is used to track other processes besides permits.  For instance, a COM case is created for enforcement cases and a PRE case is used for pre-application conferences.  The ZON case type is used for tracking long range planning projects such as comprehensive plan amendments as well as standard zoning permit applications.  More information on the various case types can be found below.

• Parcel numbers are composed of nine characters.  If your parcel number is 1234567 you need to add leading zeros to make it 001234567.
• A case may be related to many parcels.  This search finds cases where the search parcel is the primary parcel.

Search by Address

• The address search is a 'fuzzy' search which means you do not have to enter the house number, the road type, or the full road name.  If you leave the number field blank and search for "clay" you will get a list of all cases where the site address contains those four letters.  This includes 200 Clayhouse Rd and 592 Barclay Ave.  If you add the number or more letters you will get fewer cases in your search results.

Search by Master Land Use Application (MLA) Number

• The MLA number is composed of 11 characters.  The first three are the letters "MLA".  The next two indicate the calendar year of the case and are followed by a hyphen.  The last five characters are the sequence number for the year preceded by zeros.  For example, the first MLA number for 2003 will be "MLA03-00001".
• The MLA concept was created in 2001 so you will not find any cases if you search for MLA99-00001.

Search by Case or Permit Number

• Case/permit numbers consist of 11 characters.  The first three indicate the type of case or permit.  The next two numbers indicate the calendar year of application and are followed by a hyphen.  The last five characters are the sequence number for the year preceded by zeros.  For example, the first building permit for 2003 will be "BLD03-00001".

Search Results

For the parcel and MLA search, once you click the Search button the results of your search will be displayed in chronological order with the newest cases at the top.  A brief summary of the case will be displayed on this screen: the case number, a brief project description, the applicant name, and the received date. If you want to review further information on any of the permits listed on that page, click on the permit number (which will be underlined) and additional information will be displayed.  Images of scanned permit documents can also be accessed from the search results page.  If images are available a link will appear under "Received Date".

For the case/permit search, once you click the Search button you will immediately move to the Permit Case Summary page which has more detailed information about the case.

Permit Case Summary

After you click on the specific permit that you want to view, you will get a more detailed page of information on that case. At the top is a table with various information about the case including case status, site address, and issue date.  

At the bottom of the table is a series of up to six links.  The first three appear for all cases and are Other Cases, Parcel Data, and Map It.  Other Cases shows all the cases associated with the primary parcel (the same page you get when searching by parcel).  Parcel Data shows information, primarily from the assessment database, about the parcel.  Map It opens up an interactive mapping application and zooms to the primary parcel.  If you have found a BLD or SEP case type, another link called More Details will appear that shows detailed information from the permitting database about the case.  If the case has more than one parcel associated with it, a link called Parcels will appear next.  If scanned images are available, a final link called Images will appear.

Below the table a list of case actions or "activities" will appear in chronological order with the most recent activities at the top.  Activities document milestones in the case management history.

Below the activity list are conditions that have been added by staff.  Conditions typically record requirements that the applicant must meet to be in compliance with the permit.

Below the activity list are findings that have been added by staff.  Findings typically record facts that the staff are using as the basis of their permit processing decisions.

For internal users, an interactive map of the parcel will appear below the conditions and findings.  External users can see the same map by clicking the 'Map It' link at the bottom of the case summary table.  The map may not display in browsers other than Internet Explorer 5.0+ and Netscape Communicator 4.75.  See the main map page for more information on this tool.

Note: The results will vary for each individual case; some cases and permits will have many activities, conditions, and findings while other cases may have very few or lack them altogether.

The online permit information system displays case types used by the Department of Community Development, the Environmental Health Program, and the Public Works Department.

The terms "permit number" and "case number" are interchangeable throughout the web site. The numbering convention for the case types found in the database is:

• a three-letter abbreviation for the case type (e.g., BLD, COM, SEP)
• a two-digit number representing the year the application was made (e.g., 00, 01)
• a five-digit number that is assigned in consecutive order as the cases are created

Using case BLD99-00444 as an example: the case type is BLD (building permit); application was made in 1999, and it was the 444th BLD case type entered in the database.

Below is a brief description of each case type, listed in alphabetical order.  The database has a long and storied history and you may run into case types not listed here.

BLD--Building Permit:
The master case type for construction-related permits.  These include demolition, stove, mobile home, and stormwater permits.

CAR--Environmentally Sensitive Area Review:
Prior to 2001, environmentally sensitive area (ESA) review was documented with its own case type.  ESA review is now documented using activities in the case that is being considered.

COM--Enforcement Case:
Tracks enforcement actions and investigations.

CUA--Current Use Assessment:
Classifies land to be included in special assessment programs.

ENV--Environmental Review:
This case type has not been used since 2000.  This was used to perform SEPA review for projects that did not have associated permits.

EXM--Subdivision Exemption:
This case type has not been used since 2000.  It was used primarily for boundary line adjustments but also lot consolidation and road divisions.

FPA--Forest Practices Permit:
Tracks forest practice applications.

OTH--Other:
Used to review ability of a site to handle on-site sewage during the wet season.

PRE--Pre-Application:
Records pre-application conference proceedings.

RAP--Road Approach and Utilities:
Used to grant road and utility access through county owned right of ways.

SDP--Shoreline Substantial Development Permit:
Used for development applications in shoreline areas.

SEP--Onsite Sewage Disposal Permit:
Used for permitting of onsite sewage systems and evaluations of existing systems.

SUB--Subdivision:
Used for subdivision of property, boundary line adjustments, and binding site plans.

USR--Utility Service Review:
Used for the inspection of well construction, decommissioning, or reconstruction.

XMP--Shoreline Exemption:
This case type has not been used since early 2001.  It was used to handle shoreline projects that were not subject to all the requirements of substantial development review.  Those projects are now handled with the SDP case type.

ZON--Zoning:
Used for a variety of purposes including site plan approval advance determination (SPAAD), signs, wireless telecommunication facilities, temporary outdoor uses, conditional uses, cottage industries, home businesses, and long range planning processes such as comprehensive plan amendments.

Each case in our database displays a "status" field which captures the status of the case in its review or issuance process. Below is a list of some of the most common status types and a brief explanation of their meaning. Not all status types are used for all cases and not all status types are shown on this list.  Over the years case status has been used for various tracking purposes and it is not possible to list all the status types in the database and what they mean.  If you have a question please contact the project planner for current cases and the front counter for older cases.

Pending:
The application or case is under review by staff.

Approved:
The review process has been completed and the application approved.

Finaled:
The case has been closed.

Canceled:
The process has been terminated by staff.

Withdrawn:
The process has been terminated by the applicant.

Denied:
The application has been denied.

Parcel tags are a method in the permitting database of 'flagging' a parcel to indicate that some attribute, often a limitation, is associated with a parcel. The database contains a library of parcel tags that staff can use when processing a case. While many of these tags record a limitation such as a conservation easement, the tags are also used to record the receipt of special reports and for other purposes as well. While it is not practical to list all the tags that may appear on the website, the current tag library is listed and explained below. Tags that record sensitive information such as the presence of endangered species or archeological sites may be screened from web display. 

Parcel tags have a 'hold level' associated with them.

Custom Hold Flag:
Used when a hold tag is necessary that is not found in the standard library.  This sets a hold on the case.  Further permit processing cannot proceed until the hold is released.

JLT Conservation Easement:
Placed upon notification by Jefferson Land Trust that a new conservation easement has been recorded.

Observed Flooding:
Used to record actual field observations of flooding.

Flood Certificate on File:
Placed upon receipt of a flood certificate.

Confirmed/Active Landslide:
Currently used to record actual slides.  Some older tags may be related to steep slopes or mapped hazards.

6yr Mor. on Non-Forest Permits
Placed upon receipt of a moratorium from the Washington State Department of Natural Resources.

Steep Slopes:
Currently applied when a permit is conditioned or limited based on steep slopes.

Unstable Soils/Fill
Placed when 1) fill is observed being placed on the site by staff or 2) fill is observed in soil test pits by the field specialist.

Erosion/Strm Wtr Pln-Plat Cond:
Placed when there is a plat condition requiring an erosion/stormwater plan.

Site Verified Wetland:
Currently used to record wetlands documented during platting or delineated during site development.  Some older tags may be related to map checks that were not verified in the field.

Parcel Has Been Retired:
Indicates that the parcel has been deleted from the Assessor's database and retired in the permitting database.

Special Report Tags:
Parcel tags are also used to record the receipt of a variety of special reports including Wetland Delineation, Hydrogeologic Assessment, Aquifer Recharge Areas, Habitat Management, and others.