FAQ

We are an ecological consulting firm specializing in wetland delineation, stream and shoreline classification, and environmental permitting across all Western Washington counties. We identify regulated critical areas on your property, assess how they affect your project, and prepare all the documentation needed to move through the permitting process — from feasibility through permit approval.

If your property has — or may have — wetlands, streams, shorelines, or other critical areas nearby, most local jurisdictions in Washington State will require a critical areas study or wetland delineation before they issue a building permit. Hiring a consultant early saves time and often money, since it prevents costly redesigns after an architect or engineer has already developed plans.

We serve all Western Washington counties, with the majority of our work in King County, Snohomish County, Pierce County, Whatcom County, and Skagit County. If you’re unsure whether we cover your area, contact us — we’re happy to let you know.

A wetland delineation is a field investigation that precisely maps the boundaries of any wetlands, streams, or shorelines on your property. The results determine where you can build and what protective buffer distances apply. It’s required by local, state, and federal agencies before most permits involving development near water features can be approved.

A Critical Areas Report is a formal document required by most jurisdictions when wetlands, streams, steep slopes, or other regulated features are on or near your project site. It documents the findings of the delineation and explains how your proposed development will — or will not — impact those areas. We prepare CARs as part of our standard permit support services.

A feasibility study gives you a general picture of buildable area and constraints — ideal for early-stage planning or pre-purchase decisions. A full delineation produces the precise, flagged boundaries required by permitting agencies. We offer three tiers: a basic site walk with map, a feasibility reconnaissance, and a feasibility delineation that includes all the fieldwork needed for permit submittals in a single visit.

Yes — field visits are typically required to conduct an accurate delineation. Our ecologists walk the property, assess soils, vegetation, and hydrology, and place flags marking wetland and stream boundaries. Most residential site visits take between 2 and 6 hours depending on property size and complexity.

Costs vary based on property size, terrain, number of critical features present, and report complexity. We provide transparent, upfront estimates before any work begins. Contact us to get an estimate specific to your property.

For most residential projects, we can complete fieldwork within 1–2 weeks of engagement and deliver the report within 1–3 weeks of the site visit. Time-sensitive requests — especially pre-purchase feasibility studies — are prioritized and can often be scheduled within days.

Not always. We use high-accuracy GPS equipment that can locate delineation flags to within 12 inches, which is sufficient for many project types. However, some projects such as plats and short plats do require a licensed surveyor — we’ll let you know upfront if that applies to your situation.

Depending on your project, you may interact with your local city or county planning department, the Washington Department of Ecology, the Army Corps of Engineers, and potentially the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. We maintain strong working relationships with staff at these agencies across Western Washington.

A Joint Aquatic Resource Permit Application (JARPA) is a combined permit application submitted to Washington State and federal agencies when your project involves work in or near waters. Not every project requires one — we’ll let you know during our assessment whether a JARPA applies to your situation.

We can help. We assess whether a violation actually occurred, and if so, develop a remediation plan to bring the property back into compliance. We’ve worked on numerous code enforcement cases across Western Washington and understand how to navigate the process efficiently.

Strongly recommended. Critical areas like wetlands and streams can significantly restrict what you’re allowed to build — and those restrictions aren’t always visible on a plat map. We specialize in pre-purchase feasibility studies and prioritize them in our scheduling so buyers can get answers before closing.

Yes — as long as the current property owner provides written permission to access the property, we can conduct a feasibility study on behalf of a prospective buyer. Contact us as early as possible in your due diligence process.

Yes, and it’s often worth doing. Buffer widths depend on wetland category and rating — a more thorough or updated rating can sometimes result in a significantly smaller buffer, opening up more buildable area. We’ll give you an honest assessment of whether a re-evaluation is likely to help in your case.