King County's executive wants to know how to get building permits out the door faster, and he's asking the people who apply for them.
Executive Girmay Zahilay announced a new Permitting Advisory Panel on Oct. 16, according to a release from his office. The panel is part of his "Building More and Better Government" agenda and is charged with recommending ways to streamline regulations, reduce red tape and remove barriers to building housing and opening businesses.
"Permitting should not be an obstacle to building a home or opening a new business," Zahilay said. He said county permitting teams have made real progress, "but we need to go further," while "still maintaining our commitment to safe, healthy buildings."
The panel will deliver a report to the executive by May 31, 2027.
Who's at the table
The 19 members come from affordable housing, building and development, local government, design and engineering, labor and small business. Home builders are well represented. The list includes Dalton Smith of Conner Homes, Todd Levitt of Murray Franklyn Homes, Barbara Yarington of Tri Pointe Homes, Brian Ross of Oakpointe and Jeremy VonBargen of VB Homes. Veronica Shakotko of the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties is on the panel, along with Randy Bannecker, representing the Seattle King County Realtors.
The panel also includes people who know the technical side of permits: Sam Steele, interim director of the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections; David Kinley of Pierce County Planning and Public Works; Maher Joudi of DR STRONG Consulting Engineers; architect Mika Sundberg of Side x Side Architects; land use attorney Nicole DeLeon; and septic and sewer experts from Streepy Septic Design, the Valley View Sewer District and the Washington Association of Sewer and Water Districts.
Marianna Hyke of the North Coast States Carpenters Union represents labor. Asad Hussein of Plymouth Housing, Jose Ortuzar of the White Center Community Development Association and Mike Benzien of Federal Way Public Schools round out the group.
The county says the panel will also hear from rural and urban community groups, environmental and conservation groups, and the farming sector, and will consult with Tribes.
Where things stand now
The panel will build on changes the county has already made. The county says the average permit review time in 2025 was 48 days, a 25% drop from 2024. It has added an online dashboard showing current residential permit processing times, doubled walk-up permitting hours at its Renton offices to four days a week, and started a technology surcharge to pay for a single permitting platform to replace older, disconnected systems.
Builders on the panel say there's more to do. "King County has an opportunity to make meaningful improvements to a permitting process that too often creates unnecessary delays and adds costs to new housing development," said Ross of Oakpointe.
Hyke said she wants to "get projects moving, put people to work in good-paying jobs, and create more pathways into the construction industry through registered pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs."
Why it matters for Contractors
Permits are where a lot of projects stall, and this panel is stacked with people who deal with that every day. Having production builders, the Master Builders Association, engineers, a septic designer and a union rep in the same room gives contractors a real voice in what comes next.
Pay attention to the septic and sewer seats. For builders working outside sewer service areas, septic review is one more step between application and permit. Dr. Sandra J. Valenciano, the county's public health director, said her department is looking forward to finding "new opportunities to accelerate housing while maintaining high standards for our environment and health."
The report isn't due until the end of May 2027, so don't expect changes overnight. But contractors who have a permitting horror story or a good idea should share it now. Reach out to the Master Builders Association, which has a seat at the table, or to the county's Department of Local Services. "Improving predictability, coordination, and review timelines is a top priority for our members," Shakotko said.
In the meantime, the county's new online dashboard is worth bookmarking. Knowing current processing times can help with scheduling crews and setting realistic start dates with clients.