I own a third-acre lot in Olympia, WA near Black Lake. It is also near wetland and a wildlife refuge. 

According to the county, whoever wants to build on it would need to schedule a “Reasonable Use Exception” (RUE) hearing with the county. 

Alternatively, one might also be able to have a septic design and biology survey conducted to bypass this hearing. 

Here’s the kicker - two homes have already been built on lots even closer to the areas of concern than my lot. They have the same soil type as my lot (“Alderwood gravelly sandy loam, 3 to 15% slopes). They are also within “100 foot buffer of shoreline management areas.”

So my first question would instinctively be - wouldn’t lots closer to wetland or a wildlife refuge be scrutinized MORE than those further way? The verbiage on the official county website make it sound like a proximity issue. 

Second, would it make economical sense to pay for a septic design survey and biology review before selling the lot? Because this is near a body of water, prospective buyers made need extra reassurance that the county would be more likely to approve whatever design they present. 

Any feedback from others who’ve faced similar scenarios would be much appreciated.