Environmental Review


Community Plan Updates Environmental Review
Pierce County has issued a non-project Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Community Plan Updates proposal and has notified appropriate parties. There is no comment period on the FEIS. The FEIS may be appealed under the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) as described below.

The FEIS is a disclosure document and does not authorize a specific action or alternative, nor does it recommend for or against a particular course of action; rather, the DEIS and FEIS will be used by the Pierce County Council when considering the Community Plan Updates proposal.

Pierce County issued a non-project Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Community Plan Updates on April 5, 2019 and notified appropriate parties, pursuant to the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA). Comments received and copies of the DEIS and FEIS may be found through Pierce County Online Permits under the Documents tab.

This FEIS and DEIS provide non-project-level environmental review of probable impacts and mitigation measures for the Community Plan Updates proposal and three other alternatives. Elements of the environment addressed in the DEIS and FEIS include land use, plans and policies, traffic and transportation, air quality, surface water, groundwater, flood areas, wetlands and shorelines, public services and utilities, human health and community well-being, housing, and climate change.
Note: Printed copies of the FEIS will be available after Phase 3 of the Safe Start Washington plan begins, and customer-facing government services resume.
Housing Market Study
After the DEIS was issued, Pierce County commissioned an independent Housing Market Study to determine whether forecasts of future residential development resulting from the Community Plan Updates proposal (Alternative 1 - Proposed Action) were accurate. The study’s findings are generally consistent with the residential growth forecasts presented in the DEIS.
Appeal of the Environmental Impact Statement
The FEIS may be appealed under the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA). RCW 43.21C.075 

In some cases, the SEPA appeal must be combined with any appeal of the underlying governmental action pursuant to RCW 43.21C.075(2)(a).

SEPA appeals associated with legislative actions taken by the Pierce County Council pursuant to the requirements of the Growth Management Act must be appealed to the Growth Management Hearings Board. PCC 1.22.080.B.1.k and RCW 36.70A.280(1)(a) 

The appeal must be filed with the Growth Management Hearings Board within 60 days following publication in the County paper of record for the underlying governmental action pursuant to RCW 36.70A.290(2) and WAC 242-03-200. Review Practicing Before the Growth Management Hearings Board Handbook for additional information on the appeal process.
Contact Us
Erik Jaszewski
(253) 798-3752