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Removing Barriers

The County's Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) is still being reviewed by the federal agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. If approved, the County will get federal approval to issue building and development permits in unincorporated areas of the County protected by federal Endangered Species Act law. 

One-Stop Permitting
That means most County permit applicants with Mazama pocket gopher, Oregon spotted frog, and other HCP-species habitats can avoid working directly with the federal regulators.  When the County gets HCP approval, projects permitted by the County will be covered for both local AND federal requirements. This keeps permitting decisions local, while reducing costs and wait times for applicants who would need their own federal permit if the County doesn't have one. 

More Robust Conservation
The County’s habitat conservation plan will also provide mitigation options for applicants who need them, while contributing to a large-scale reserve system that helps save HCP species from extinction.