Lewis County, WA Invasive Plant Rules: Prohibited Species (2026)

Lewis County Code § 3.55.020 puts the Lewis County noxious weed control board, created under RCW 17.10.020, in charge of enforcing Chapter 3.55 across all incorporated and unincorporated areas of the county, including designated urban growth areas. Under § 3.55.030, a 'noxious weed' is any plant on the Lewis County noxious weed list adopted pursuant to RCW 17.10.090, and the board's own rules and regulations, adopted under RCW 17.10.060, spell out containment duties for listed plants. § 3.55.040 lets the board add a stricter 'select species' category, but only after it holds a public hearing and follows the same rulemaking process used to amend its rules and regulations generally; there is no fast-track designation.

The chapter funds this work through a real property tax rather than fines against individual landowners. § 3.55.050 sets the noxious weed containment tax at $8.00 per parcel plus $0.00 per acre, billed every January 1st, with qualifying densely forested timberland parcels (Chapter 84.33 or 84.34 RCW use codes 88 or 95) taxed at $0.80 per parcel instead. Personal-property-only parcels, buildings-only or mineral-rights parcels, and land owned by federal, state, tribal, or quasi-municipal governments are exempt. § 3.55.060 deposits the proceeds into noxious weed control fund No. 1120 for the board's exclusive use. § 3.55.070 requires 20 days' notice of board hearings on the county's weedcontrol webpage, shortened to no less than 10 days if the board or the board of county commissioners grants a waiver for urgent action.