Thurston County, Washington

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Scam calls and emails are impersonating county employees and services: Permitting, Courts, Pretrial staff and Sheriff's Office deputies. Court staff don't call jurors, and Sheriff's deputies do not collect fines by phone. Report scams to Thurston County Sheriff's non-emergency line at 360-704-2740 and you can verify your Jury Service by clicking here. Click here for office or department contact info.

The content on the Thurston County website is currently provided in English. We are providing the “Translation” for approximately 10 languages. The goal of the translation is to provide visitors with limited English proficiency to access information on the website in other languages. The translations do not translate all types of documents, and it may not give you an exact translation all the time. The translations are made through an automated process, which may not result in accurate or precise translations, particularly of technical and legal terminology.
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Thurston County Washington

Community Planning and Economic Development

Conservation Incentive Programs

Thurston County government offers the land conservation incentive programs listed below:

Conservation Futures 
A land trust or qualifying organization buys property or development rights from Thurston County landowners with funds provided by Thurston County government.

Open Space Tax Program  
Owners of certain types of high-quality habitat or open space properties may apply to Thurston County government for a reduction of their County property taxes.

Transfer / Purchase of Development Rights 
Owners of certain types of agricultural lands can transfer or sell development rights to Thurston County government without selling the entire property.

Voluntary Stewardship Program
A citizen-lead planning effort for owners of agricultural land who are seeking relief from land-use and development regulations.

 

MORE PROGRAM DETAILS

Regulatory Reasons for the work
The County's land conservation incentive programs are mandated by the Washington State Legislature through its Growth Management Act (RCW 36.70A.020) which requires county governments to reduce urban sprawl, minimize development, maintain open spaces, and protect natural resources.

Project funding
Programs are funded by the Washington State legislature, or by grants from U.S. government agencies, or by County property taxes, after being approved by Thurston's Board of County Commissioners.

 

Thurston County Working Lands Conservation Strategy

The Working Lands Conservation Strategy is the County's approach to protecting the forests and farms that help sustain our region. Learn more about the Working Lands Conservation Strategy here: StoryMap | Visual Guide | Technical Report

Thurston County Working Lands Conservation Strategy Toolkit
The resources here are designed to help local governments build and strengthen working lands conservation programs. They include practical tools, examples, and lessons learned from Thurston County's experience that can be adapted to fit different communities and conservation priorities. 

Click here to access the Working Lands Conservation Program Field Guide for Counties.
Click here to watch the Thurston County Working Lands Conservation Strategy video tour.