Published April 2002

New EDC committee
to tackle permit reform

Our goal for Snohomish County is to create the building blocks needed to sustain a highly competitive and diversified economy that can remain strong and viable even in times of economic downturn.

The county has come a long way from being almost totally dependent on wood products and heavy manufacturing as its economic foundation. Even so, we co-exist in regional, national and global economies that are increasingly driven by the exchange of information and ideas. That means our economic viability and our ability to create quality, thriving communities is dependent on the county being competitive in this new age of information.

It means working diligently to create a business-friendly environment in the county. It means taking steps to attract businesses in the high-tech, biotech and electronics sectors and encouraging our current employers to expand their operations here, thus reducing our reliance on manufacturing that today still accounts for 25 percent of the county’s employment (compared to the national average of 6 percent).

A critical area is streamlining the regulatory permitting process. Encouraging an effective and efficient process for developers to obtain necessary government approval and permits throughout the building cycle will help make the county attractive to expansion-minded enterprises.

That’s why the Snohomish County Economic Development Council has created a Permit Streamlining/Regulatory Reform Committee. This is a collaborative public-private endeavor to create a model permitting process.

Improving the permitting process is crucial to our economic future. In a recent survey of 30 regional businesses, permit streamlining was a top concern.

Boeing Commercial Airplane CEO Alan Mulally told state legislators in January that permitting reform was a problem area that must be resolved if the state is going to retain the businesses it has now. And Gov. Gary Locke’s Business Competitiveness Council has named permitting reform as critical.

We agree. With Boeing considering where to build the new Sonic Cruiser, we must quickly achieve permitting processes that minimize project delays and costs, improve predictability and reliability, and ensure customer service.

The goal of the EDC committee is to develop a permitting “model” that does just that. Jurisdictions throughout the county could adopt the model or use components of it to complement streamlining they may already have.

Paul Roberts, Director of Planning and Community Development for the city of Everett, and Doug Burns, Director of Facilities and Environmental Health and Safety at ICOS Corp., lead the committee.

Permit-process streamlining should not be construed as an effort to soften or eliminate legitimate and effective regulations and controls. Effective permitting ensures that building and construction projects are completed at the highest levels of safety and respect for the surrounding environment.

We must act now to streamline the process. Our success will send a strong message — that we encourage the movement and expansion of environmentally friendly, high-wage businesses here, creating a balanced and viable economic future for Snohomish County and all of us.

Deborah Knutson is President of the Snohomish County Economic Development Council. She can be reached at 425-743-4567 or by e-mail to dknutson@snoedc.org.

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