Thurston County plans two-phased public notice approach for wireless communication permits

Thurston County is currently updating its Wireless Code, and the latest discussion yesterday, October 4, revealed the planned two-phased public noticing procedure for administrative wireless communication permits.

According to the briefing document, the wireless code establishes the permitting process for numerous types of wireless facilities, the criteria for approval, and the design guidelines for each type of facility.

An update to the code is required for compliance with the Federal Telecommunications Act and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which has adopted multiple orders over the years that impose new and restrictive conditions on local control.

Community Planning Division (CPED) representatives briefed the Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) about the Wireless Code Update’s setbacks and public notice standards.

“What staff has done is provide a draft of our administrative noticing policy, and that noticing policy pretty much goes into two phases,” Associate Planner Andrew Boughan said.

Associate Planner Andrew Boughan (right) discussed the Wireless Code updates.

Two-phased public notice of wireless permits

BoCC directed Community Planning staff to create the public notice procedures for administrative wireless communication permits because of transparency concerns the public brought to their attention.

Phase 1 would create a Community Planning webpage with information on each type of wireless facility and permit. A Notice of Application in the form of a postcard will also be mailed to each adjacent property owner for new permit applications.

Phase 2 will take place after implementing a future permitting system, Accela, and will continue to utilize the webpage and add a new wireless permit map that will be updated in real-time as permits are created or altered in the system.

“Whenever that magical day does arrive when we get that up and running and we're starting to use it, once we know all of that is working, we would then begin that transition to that website. And that website would be updated to truly encompass everything that this postcard is as well as information explaining the interactive map,” said Boughan.

The BoCC and Planning staff will meet again around the end of the month to continue the discussion of the Wireless Code update.