Download a PDF of Tips and Timesavers.
- It takes time to complete an environmental review and to get all of the permits for a project. If you act early and consult with the permit agencies early in the planning stage you will save time in the long run. Early action can also decrease project costs by eliminating costly changes.
- You should find out time frames, costs, and the information you will need for permit approval. What you learn may change your selection of a site or the scope of your project.
Determine the environmental baseline. If the site includes a creek, stream, river, coastal shoreline or wetland, hire an environmental consultant to help you understand the site and special protections that may apply. Ask agencies to identify acceptable information sources.
The internet is a great place to start. Check out these links:
- Natural Resources Information Portal
- Water Quality Conditions
- Navigable Waters
- Ecology Environmental Information Management Site
- Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Priority Habitats and Species Information
- When you consult with agency staff, be as precise and detailed about current and future plans as possible. We need complete information to help you identify the permits you must have and your development options.
- Complex projects that involve several agencies can take more time. The pre-application meeting gives you an opportunity to explain your project to staff from multiple agencies at the same time. This gives those agencies a common understanding of the project.
- ORA’s Regional Regulatory Assistance Leads can coordinate pre-application meetings with each of the regulating agencies and provide assistance for expedited permitting through the cost-reimbursement process.
Today’s laws spell out that if a project will harm the environment, the project must compensate for the impact and invest in mitigation. Start thinking about mitigation right away and incorporate mitigation into your project planning and design (as opposed to considering mitigation as an after the fact add-on or consequence of permitting). See mitigation in the site glossary.
Identify the community’s needs and interests and then look for ways to incorporate your project into the larger community’s needs (e.g. public access, green belts, conservation areas, watershed priorities, trails, etc.). Seek community support and win-win-win outcomes (i.e., win for the project, win for the community, and win for the resource).
- Ask for courtesy reviews of draft products, joint pre-application conferences, joint site-visits, and early identification of issues and areas of concern. It is in your best interest to know the rules and periodically check the status of your application.
- Promptly respond to requests for information. This will keep the application moving. Communicate, communicate, communicate…early and often.
- Work to build partnerships and a team (i.e., proponent, consultants, and the resource agencies). Follow-up meetings can always be arranged to clarify issues that come up. You should carefully read all notes, staff reports, and correspondence, and ask questions when in doubt.
- Contact the local city or county government. Not all cities/counties accept the JARPA form for their local shoreline permits. Before you do this see Appendix E for a summary of questions to ask local government. This may save you from making multiple phone calls.
- Prepare and submit clear and complete materials. Incomplete application packets cost time. Ask agencies for examples of materials that meet their requirements.
- Consider hiring an environmental consultant to help you. The cost of having a good consultant prepare reports and permit applications can save you time and money in the long run.
- Provide comprehensive project descriptions that include pre-construction, construction, operation, and closure stages.
- Ensure document agreement between project descriptions, acreages, stages, etc.
Some projects require additional information such as:
- engineering studies
- legal descriptions
- archaeological or botanical surveys
- site photos
- wetland delineations/reports/assessment/mitigation plans
- fish and wildlife assessments
- geological report
- flood analysis/risk reports
- erosion and sediment control plans
- land use consistency analyses
- cultural/historic resource reports/surveys
- ordinary high water mark determination
- habitat characterization, and drainage features
- Digital photos of the project site are great additions to any application.
- Include complete and accurate addresses and contact information for all applicants, the authorized agent, project site, and any property owners involved in the project.
- Be sure to sign your application.
Agencies may ask you to consider making changes to the project to reduce environmental harm. If you are willing and able to consider alternatives that will still accomplish your project goals you may be able to reduce costly mitigation or time delays.
- Often we don’t speak the same language or have the same goals. It helps when we all work to understand each other’s priorities and needs. Be patient, open and build trust.
- Recognize that you and the permit agencies will have an ongoing relationship after the permit is granted. When you treat one another with courtesay and respect and act professionally, it can really help move the project along smoothly.