Notice of Hearing: 2026-0285, 2026-0286, 2026-0287, 2026-0288,2026-0289, and 2026-0318

METROPOLITAN KING COUNTY COUNCIL

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Proposed Ordinances 2026-0285, 2026-0286, 2026-0287, 2026-0288,

2026-0289, and 2026-0318

 

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that the Metropolitan King County Council will hold a public hearing on November 24, 2026, at 10:00 am to consider adoption of proposed ordinances that would amend certain County fees. This notice is given in accordance with the provisions of RCW 36.32.120(7) and provides penalties for the violation of the provisions thereof.

 

LOCATION:  King County Courthouse, 516 3rd Avenue, Room 1001, Seattle; remote public testimony on Zoom will also be accepted.

 

HOW TO COMMENT: Written comment will be accepted from 9 am on November 13, 2026, through 5:00 p.m. on November 23, 2026, by sending written comments to clerk.council@kingcounty.gov.  Please include the legislation number in the subject line.

 

SUMMARY: It is expected that the Council will take action on the Proposed Ordinances at the November 24, 2026, Council meeting.

 

Proposed Ordinance 2026-0285 would amend King County Code 16.32.080 to increase plumbing permit fees. The current base permit fee was established on an estimate of 30 minutes of staff review per permit. In actual practice, staff spend 45 minutes per permit so the increased fee would reflect that amount of time. The fixture fee, administrative fee, permit renewal fee, plan review fee, and hourly operating rate would also be increased based on the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers as follows:

 

 

Proposed Ordinance 2026-0286 would amend King County Code to add a new section to Chapter 4A.634. The proposed ordinance would authorize the King County District Court to assess a postage fee for mailing court records, at a rate of $3 per transaction.

 

Proposed Ordinance 2026-0287 would amend King County Code 11.04.035 to increase pet licensing fees. The proposed ordinance would authorize Regional Animal Services of King County to increase the pet license fee from $60 annually to $75 for unaltered pets and from $30 annually to $40 for altered pets. Revenue derived from pet licensing helps offset the cost of animal care and control services.

 

Proposed Ordinance 2026-0288 would amend King County Code 4A.650.150 and authorize the Medical Examiner’s Office to increase the Disposition Authorization fee from $100 to $110. King County Code Section 2.35A.100 establishes that a person shall not bury, cremate, or otherwise dispose of the body of a decedent who died in the County without first reporting the death to the Medical Examiner's Office and receiving an authorization from the Medical Examiner releasing the body for disposition. The Medical Examiner’s Office charges a Disposition Authorization fee to review every death to determine whether the circumstances surrounding each death in King County would warrant further investigation or invocation of the Medical Examiner’s jurisdiction prior to authorizing cremation or burial.

 

Proposed Ordinance 2026-0289 would amend King County Code 4A.700.700 regarding electric vehicle charging station fees. The proposed ordinance would establish the fees for public use of electric vehicle charging stations located on  King County properties . The proposed ordinance would also establish a per minute fee for vehicles that have completed charging but remain at the charging station more than 15 minutes after completion of a charging session. The proposed rates would be as follows:

 

Agency that owns the EV charging station	Facility Location	Utility Fee	Overstay Fee
Metro Transit Department, Department of Natural Resources and Parks, Facilities Management Division, and King County International Airport	Locations serviced by Seattle City Light	$0.21 per kilowatt-hour	$0.25 per minute
	Locations serviced by Puget Sound Energy	$0.28 per kilowatt-hour	$0.25 per minute
	Locations serviced by Snohomish Public Utility District	$0.22 per kilowatt-hour	$0.25 per minute

 

Proposed Ordinance 2026-0318 would amend King County Code Title 27 to recalibrate permitting fees to align the cost of different permits with the level of effort the permits require. The proposed ordinance would increase fees for some permits and decrease fees for others, depending on the estimated level of staff effort and costs for performing that service. The proposed ordinance would also consolidate and reorganize the fees for some permit types. Proposed Ordinance 2026-0318 would set an effective date of January 1, 2027.

 

FINAL CONSIDERATION: The Council will review the proposed ordinances as recommended by the Council’s Budget and Fiscal Management Committee. Councilmembers may offer amendments to legislation for consideration by the Council, including but not limited to amendments related to topics discussed in committee. Anyone interested in the issues raised on the pieces of legislation should testify and make their views known at the public hearing on November 24, 2026, or provide testimony in writing prior to the hearing.

 

MORE INFORMATION on the public hearing and how to participate in public comment can be found at:  www.kingcounty.gov/council/committees/full_council.aspx.

 

Proposed Ordinance 2026-0285 is available at https://mkcclegisearch.kingcounty.gov/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=8239088&GUID=F49AD2EF-2DA1-4DB4-AF00-EB1F045FC71F

 

Proposed Ordinance 2026-0286 is available at https://mkcclegisearch.kingcounty.gov/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=8239275&GUID=B8AF54F7-8007-45B3-B8BA-732248A60CF1

 

Proposed Ordinance  2026-0287 is available at https://mkcclegisearch.kingcounty.gov/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=8239353&GUID=03155BD3-F64B-446D-BE19-639805E1D8B0

 

Proposed Ordinance 2026-0288 is available at https://mkcclegisearch.kingcounty.gov/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=8239402&GUID=E47CBB65-8092-4D50-9224-98DF56EBBBD2

 

Proposed Ordinance 2026-0289 is available at https://mkcclegisearch.kingcounty.gov/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=8239435&GUID=4C73553F-559D-415D-9C76-D4C9AD5B4F6B

 

Proposed Ordinance 2026-0318 is available at https://mkcclegisearch.kingcounty.gov/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=8280020&GUID=DAB29C81-B42B-428F-AE6B-6341A58FD4DE

 

This notice is also available at the Clerk’s page at www.kingcounty.gov/council/clerk/ordinances_advertised.aspx.

 

DATED at Seattle, Washington, this 13th day of November, 2026.

METROPOLITAN KING COUNTY COUNCIL

KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON

Melani Hay

Clerk of the Council