About the King County 

Livestock Management Ordinance

In 1994, the King County Council recognized the potential for livestock to adversely affect the health of natural resources, particularly the quality of water resources and fish and wildlife habitat.  The Council passed the Livestock Management Ordinance to address these issues while remaining committed to supporting the rich agricultural heritage in King County as well as the raising of livestock.

ANIMAL DENSITIES:

1. You must have at least a half acre of land to keep livestock.

2. With a Farm Management Plan, you can keep the following numbers of livestock: With a covered confinement area, you can have six large animals per acre but no more than three animals can be grazing or in an uncovered confinement area at one time; Without a covered confinement area, you can have three large animals per acre of vegetated area.

3. Without a Farm Management Plan, you can have one large animal per two acres of vegetated area if you follow other Livestock Management Ordinance management standards and stream/wetland buffer restrictions.

4. One Large Animal = One adult horse or cow = Two ponies = Five small livestock (sheep, goat, pig, miniature horse, miniature cow, donkey)

BUFFERS

1. Required if there is a King County Class One or Two stream or wetland on the property.

2. Livestock must be excluded at least 25 feet away from stream or wetland if you have a Farm Management Plan or 50 feet away if you don’t have a Plan.

3. An additional 20 feet of buffer must be added if there is a livestock confinement area within 200 feet of the stream or wetland.

4. The area within 200 feet of the stream or wetland cannot be plowed between October 15 and April 15.

5. Roof drainage from buildings within the livestock confinement area  cannot be discharged to the stream or wetland.

6. Grasses within the buffer can be mowed but not grazed.

7. Trees and shrubs within the buffer cannot be cut.

8. Weeds within the buffer can be controlled by methods not damaging to the buffer or waters.

9. No manure can accumulate within ten feet of a Class Three stream

MANURE

1. Manure stored within 200 feet of a Class One or Two stream or wetland must be covered between October 15 and April 15.

2. Manure cannot be stored closer than 50 feet to a Class One or Two stream or wetland in any case.

3. Manure that is uncovered cannot be stored closer than 45 feet to a dwelling.

4. Manure can only be spread during the growing season and cannot be spread on saturated soils.

LIVESTOCK CONFINEMENT BUILDINGS

1. Cannot be situated any closer than 10 feet to a property boundary.

2. Cannot be situated any closer than 35 feet to a residence (100 feet if a swine operation).

3. Must be at least 100 feet from a well.

Farm Planning Fact Sheet

Contact Joshua Monaghan for more information
(425) 277-5581, ext. 130 or email Joshua Monaghan