1. (1) A county may encourage an applicant of a project permit or commercial building permit to include pollinator friendly plants in any landscaped area to the extent practicable by:

   1. (a) Providing the list of native forage plants as developed by the department of agriculture in compliance with RCW 39.04.410 to applicants for project permits;
   2. (b) Providing information regarding the benefits of pollinators and pollinator habitat; and
   3. (c) Offering incentives, including expedited processing or reduced application fees, for permit applicants that include pollinator habitat as part of the permit application.
2. (2) A county may set restrictions related to beehives, but may not adopt an ordinance banning beehives.

3. (3) For the purposes of this section:

   1. (a) "Commercial building permit" has the same meaning as defined in RCW 19.27.015.
   2. (b) "Pollinator habitat" means an area of land that is or may be developed as habitat beneficial for the feeding, nesting, and reproduction of all pollinators. "Pollinator habitat" does not include beehives, except for mason bee houses.
   3. (c) "Project permit" has the same meaning as defined in RCW 36.70B.020.

[ 2024 c 337 s 3.]