Agriculture Policies & Programs Review Project

A community-driven review of Thurston County government's policies and programs related to agriculture is in process now. The Board of County Commissioners approved this project, numbered as CPA-16, for the 2020-2021 Official Docket of Comprehensive Plan Amendments. The project includes, but may not be limited to, a review of the following:

  • Land use policies and zoning
  • Incentive programs
  • Regulatory programs

Staff is working closely with the county's Agriculture Advisory Committee and other stakeholders throughout the county to help define priority issues the project should address.

Subscribe to our interested parties list to receive updates on this project.

Submit a public comment to the project manager, Maya Teeple.



​Project Updates: 

Upcoming BoCC brief, Dec. 1 from 3:00 - 4:00 PM

The BOCC will hold a briefing to discuss the scope of review for the long-term agricultural designation. This briefing is scheduled for Dec. 1 from 3-4 PM. BoCC Work Sessions are designated times for staff to provide information to the BoCC. They are open for the public to attend and watch, but there is no opportunity for public comment at work sessions. If you are a citizen and would like to submit comment on an item to the BoCC, you may do so by email, by attending a regular Board Meeting held on Tuesday afternoon at 2:00 PM, or by attending a future public hearing on the topic. BoCC work sessions and times are managed by the Commissioner's Office. Please visit the Board's agendas page for more information, including times, dates, and how to access through the Thurston County YouTube channel. 


Results from the Community Survey on Agriculture

More than 400 people provided critical feedback on County agricultural policies and programs. Thank you for your participation! County staff have analyzed the results and provided them in the Agriculture Survey Report (PDF). Learn more about the policies and programs covered by this survey via the links at the bottom of this page.


Transfer of Development Rights Summit

Local leaders, community members, and planners gathered to hold a virtual summit to discuss Thurston County's Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) program. The group discussed how the program might be improved to serve its goals of protecting farmland and managing growth. See a YouTube of the Summit here: https://youtu.be/YzY8lyYoMWw

For more information about the TDR program, visit https://www.thurstoncountywa.gov/planning/Pages/incentives-tdr-pdr.aspx.


​Project Timeline (subject to change)

 agproject.jpg

Follow the meetings:

  • (Past) Watch the September 16, 2021 project update provided to the Agriculture Advisory Committee, including discussion of near-term action proposals focused on the Open Space Tax Program. https://youtu.be/5e5RTAmAvPU

    For more information about the Open Space Tax Program, visit https://www.thurstoncountywa.gov/planning/Pages/incentives-open-space-tax.aspx.

  • (Past) Watch the May 20, 2021 project update provided to the Agriculture Advisory Committee, including discussion of several near-term action proposals focused on incentive programs. https://youtu.be/EX6lzf7xkfI

  • (Past) Watch the May 13, 2021 project update provided to the Board of County Commissioners, including a presentation on the final Community Agriculture Survey Report and preliminary actions planned for the project. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wv2cEasALjU 

  • (Past) Watch the April 15, 2021 project update provided to the Thurston County Agriculture Advisory Committee, including a presentation on a second draft of the Community Agriculture survey report, as well as a discussion of long-term agricultural lands designation: https://youtu.be/Jh6gWi3WUcY

  • (Past) Watch the March 18, 2021 project update provided to the Thurston County Agriculture Advisory Committee, including a presentation on the draft results from the Community Agriculture survey (final report is currently in development): https://youtu.be/B_cOdsIHcSQ

  • (Past) Watch the February 18, 2021 project update provided to the Thurston County Agriculture Advisory Committee, including a presentation on how Thurston County agricultural lands incentive programs work (Open Space Tax Program, Conservation Futures, and Transfer of Development Rights): https://youtu.be/EwzuXw8PFZ0

  • (Past) Watch the January 21, 2021 project update provided to the Thurston County Agriculture Advisory Committee, including a presentation on how agricultural lands are designated and zoned in Thurston County, and presentation and discussion of maps comparing designated lands to other data sources about local farmland: https://youtu.be/n8vbRqKU1Js

  • (Past) Watch a November 25, 2020 presentation and discussion with the Board of County Commissioners on regional agricultural economic development here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8OcL6K3MIA 

  • (Past) Watch a discussion about current Thurston County Agriculture Programs and Policies with the Thurston County Agriculture Advisory Committee at their November 19, 2020 meeting here: https://youtu.be/55DH51RmDKY

  • (Past) Watch the October 15, 2020 project update provided to the Thurston County Agriculture Advisory Committee, including discussion of a future mapping project and development of a community survey here: https://youtu.be/9jfo6yB80-o

  • (Past) Watch the September 17, 2020 project kick-off meeting with the Thurston County Agriculture Advisory Committee, including presentations from county staff, American Farmland Trust, and the Community Farmland Trust here: https://youtu.be/2LlTwLt-wRs 

 

Links to county agriculture policies and programs