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School Technical Review Committee

This committee reviews capital facilities plans submitted by local school districts to be sure they meet King County’s standards for enrollment projections, school capacity analysis, and impact fee calculations.

After completing its evaluation, the committee holds one or more public meetings for the districts to present their respective capital facilities plans and discuss any relevant issues. At the conclusion of these meetings, the committee submits recommendations on the plans and proposed impact fees, along with a report documenting its analysis, to the King County Executive.

By reviewing plans across multiple districts using consistent criteria and documenting its findings, the committee helps maintain a transparent, predictable process for setting school impact fees for new residential development in unincorporated King County.

Committee

King County Code (KCC 21A.28.154) grants authority for the creation and composition of the committee. Three members are appointed by the directors of each of their respective county agencies:

  • Department of Local Services
  • Office of Performance, Strategy, and Budget – Regional Planning
  • Department of Community and Human Services – Housing, Homelessness, and Community Development

The fourth member is a King County Council staff member and serves as an ex officio member who does not cast a vote in any action taken by the committee.

The Department of Local Services representative provides administrative support and serves as the committee chair.

Members

  • Dan Cardwell, Committee Chair
    King County Department of Local Services
    dcardwell@kingcounty.gov
    206-263-3733
  • Erin Auzins
    King County Council
    Supervising Legislative Analyst
    erin.auzins@kingcounty.gov
    206-477-0687
  • Vacant
    Office of Performance, Strategy, and Budget (Regional Planning)
  • Sam Tedford
    Department of Community and Human Services – Housing, Homelessness, and Community Development
    Housing Policy and Special Projects Manager
    stedford@kingcounty.gov
    206-263-3085

Reports

The School District Capital Facilities Plan and Impact Fee Report, required by King County Code, explains how school district plans are reviewed and approved. The report documents the work of the School Technical Review Committee to evaluate whether each district’s capital facilities plan meets county standards. These evaluations include checking that the plans provide clear reasoning and detailed calculations for any proposed school impact fees. After completing its review, the committee issues a written recommendation on whether the county should adopt the plan and implement the impact fees as proposed. The resulting report is shared with the King County Council and Executive, the Department of Local Services, the Hearing Examiner, and the relevant school districts.

2025 School District Capital Facilities Plan and Impact Fee Report*

*After this report was finalized, the Northshore School District submitted a revised adopted capital facilities plan with an updated proposed impact fee for multiunit residential development. As a result, the fee listed for Northshore School District in Appendix B differs from the fee adopted by the county through Ordinance 20016.

Background

As King County grows, new housing brings more families and more students. To keep pace, schools need to build classrooms and facilities. King County partners with local school districts to plan for future growth by incorporating each district’s capital facilities plan into the county’s comprehensive plan and collecting impact fees on behalf of the school districts.

The 1990 Growth Management Act authorized local governments to collect school impact fees to help fund school construction (RCW 82.020.050). King County began collecting impact fees for districts serving residents in unincorporated areas in 1994. The fees collected may only be spent on school facilities needed to accommodate new student growth. For the county to collect impact fees, a district must have its capital facilities plan adopted as part of the capital facilities element of the King County Comprehensive Plan. A district's capital facilities plan outlines projected enrollment, identifies facility capacity needs, sets standards for classroom service, and proposes funding strategies, including impact fees. Impact fees are one way to help make sure new development contributes to the cost of building and expanding schools.

King County has entered into interlocal agreements with 13 school districts serving unincorporated King County. These agreements address the collection and disbursement of impact fees. The 13 districts are:

  • Auburn School District
  • Enumclaw School District
  • Federal Way School District
  • Fife School District
  • Highline School District
  • Issaquah School District
  • Kent School District
  • Lake Washington School District
  • Northshore School District
  • Renton School District
  • Riverview School District
  • Snoqualmie School District
  • Tahoma School District

Learn more

About the School Technical Review Committee: see King County Code Chapter 21A.28, sections 21A.28.140-180.

About school impact fees: see King County Code Chapter 21.43, sections 21A.43.003-090.