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KITTITAS COUNTY <br /> DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS <br /> PUBLIC WORKS—BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS <br /> 2024 STUDY SESSION STAFF REPORT <br /> STUDY SESSION DATE: April 8,2024 <br /> TOPIC: State Auditor Office GMA Permit Timeliness Performance Audit <br /> ACTION REQUESTED: None <br /> LEAD STAFF: <br /> Mark R. Cook <br /> RECOMMENDATION: <br /> Support proposed actions as proposed in response to state audit results. <br /> BRIEFING SUMMARY: <br /> • The year long audit of the county's permit timeliness performance is concluded. <br /> • Audit results recommend improvements to the county's permit issuance and <br /> tracking system. <br /> Staff have responded to the State Auditor's Office with proposed mitigations. <br /> BACKGROUND: <br /> The State Auditor's Office began an audit of Kittitas County's Growth Management Act <br /> permit timeliness performance,the first quarter of 2023. Kittitas County and Snohomish <br /> County were the two counties selected in the audit. The cities of Bellingham,Richland, <br /> Shoreline, and Vancouver were also selected to be audited. The audit evaluates <br /> jurisdictions performance against state mandated permit issuance timeliness (120 days). <br /> Three permit types were selected for comparison: land use, civil, and building. Kittitas <br /> County met the 120-day standard for the three permit types: 79%, 97%, and 96% <br /> respectively. Civil permit performance was the best of all jurisdictions in the audit. <br /> Building was the second highest,with land use falling in the top half. A copy of the final <br /> audit results is attached as EXHIBIT 1. <br /> DISCUSSION: <br /> Overall,the county did well in meeting the 120-day permit issuance requirement. <br /> Statewide mandatory permit issuance performance is set to change in 2025. The <br /> following timelines are set to implement in 2025: <br /> • 65 days for permits that do not require public hearing, <br /> • 100 days for permits that require public notice but NOT a public hearing, <br /> • 170 days for permits that require public hearing. <br /> The process reinforces for management the need to convey the value to permitting staff to <br /> utilize SMARTGOV more effectively when stopping the time clock for poor applicant ? <br /> Page 1 of 4 <br /> Public Works"Work Session Staff Report",2024 <br />