Counties would finish permit reviews after cities or towns annex property

Counties would finish deciding pending applications before authority transfers to the city or town. The rule covers building permit and land use applications for property added to a city or town through the annexation process covered by this section. The application must have been filed with the county and still be pending when the property enters city or town limits. The proposal specifies a July 1, 2026, effective date and would cover annexations and applications filed on or after that date.

Counties would be barred from denying applications without a sound reason or on a whim solely to transfer authority. The restriction covers pending building permit and land use applications originally filed with the county for property entering city or town limits under this section. The ban applies to arbitrary or capricious denials made solely to hand authority to the city or town. The proposal would apply this restriction to annexations and applications filed on or after July 1, 2026.