Thurston County facilities are now open to the public with restrictions, including maintaining physical distancing of at least six feet at all times and, per the Washington State Secretary of Health’s face covering order wearing a cloth face covering or mask. If you come to county facilities, please be prepared for potentially long wait times or lines due to distancing guidelines. We continue to encourage residents to access county services online, by phone, by email, or through the use of drop boxes located outside of county buildings.
The availability of remote services vary by office and department.

Click here for office and department contact information
Click here for information on COVID-19

Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP)

​Thurston County is home to species listed under the federal Endangered Species Act. This affects County building permits. A property owner can build where these species live, but first needs a mitigation plan (also called a Habitat Conservation Plan) in order to comply with federal law.  The County is voluntarily developing a 30 year mitigation plan to cover its permit applicants, in response to this federal listing.

The HCP describes how covered species will be protected, and defines a reserve network to help ensure the long term survival of the species. This effort is to reduce and streamline the regulatory burden on County property owners, and to provide them with regulatory certainty.  

An umbrella HCP would provide:

  • Mitigation options for applicants who need them.
  • A consistent, year-round environmental-review process.
  • A streamlined permitting process. 

Watch the HCP Video  |  About the HCP  |  Covered Species   |   Documents & Map   |   Fact Sheet (PDF)   |   FAQs   |   Meetings   |  Prairie Plant Manual (PDF)   |   Submit a Comment on the HCP   |   Why U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service listed the Mazama pocket gopher