Lewis County adopts ordinance defining rules for development agreements
June 09, 2026 | Lewis County, Washington
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Lewis County’s Board of Commissioners unanimously adopted Ordinance 1377 on June 9, 2026, establishing local rules for development agreements (DAs) that will govern negotiated terms between the county and private developers.
Mindy Brooks, director of community development, told the board the ordinance clarifies where and how DAs may be used under Lewis County Code and state law. “Development agreements or DAs are agreements between a jurisdiction like a county or city and a developer to provide flexibility for development while meeting the intent of the Lewis County Code,” Brooks said during the staff presentation.
Brooks said the new code language limits DAs to projects inside an urban growth area, including the county’s major industrial district and certain designated project types. She said DAs may not be used to change or negotiate land uses that are already allowed under Chapter 1742, Table 2 of the county code. “Topics that may be negotiated include design standards like setbacks, density, and height,” Brooks said, and added that items such as transportation or environmental mitigation may be negotiated only as required by state law.
Brooks also explained that DAs will be recorded and legally binding, and that terms can include phasing plans, impact fees and annexation provisions where applicable. The ordinance and the accompanying staff report were presented during a public hearing; after a question-and-answer period the hearing was closed with no public testimony.
The board moved to adopt Ordinance 1377 and approved it by a recorded vote of 3-0. With adoption, county staff said they will proceed under the new code standards when negotiating any future development agreements within designated urban growth areas.
The hearing record shows no public testimony on the ordinance and no amendments were introduced at the meeting. The ordinance takes effect as adopted by the board; staff will follow the county’s implementation procedures for recording and enforcing DAs.
Mindy Brooks, director of community development, told the board the ordinance clarifies where and how DAs may be used under Lewis County Code and state law. “Development agreements or DAs are agreements between a jurisdiction like a county or city and a developer to provide flexibility for development while meeting the intent of the Lewis County Code,” Brooks said during the staff presentation.
Brooks said the new code language limits DAs to projects inside an urban growth area, including the county’s major industrial district and certain designated project types. She said DAs may not be used to change or negotiate land uses that are already allowed under Chapter 1742, Table 2 of the county code. “Topics that may be negotiated include design standards like setbacks, density, and height,” Brooks said, and added that items such as transportation or environmental mitigation may be negotiated only as required by state law.
Brooks also explained that DAs will be recorded and legally binding, and that terms can include phasing plans, impact fees and annexation provisions where applicable. The ordinance and the accompanying staff report were presented during a public hearing; after a question-and-answer period the hearing was closed with no public testimony.
The board moved to adopt Ordinance 1377 and approved it by a recorded vote of 3-0. With adoption, county staff said they will proceed under the new code standards when negotiating any future development agreements within designated urban growth areas.
The hearing record shows no public testimony on the ordinance and no amendments were introduced at the meeting. The ordinance takes effect as adopted by the board; staff will follow the county’s implementation procedures for recording and enforcing DAs.
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