Thurston County, WA Invasive Plant Rules: Prohibited Species (2026)
Key Facts
- Noxious weed defined by
- TCC 17.30.030, citing RCW 17.10.090 list
- Target species process
- Board designation after public hearing
- Governing section
- TCC 17.30.040, Target species
- Hearing notice
- 20 days, or 10 days if waived for cause
- Containment areas
- Set per target species under § 17.30.050
- Violation class
- Class I civil infraction, Ch. 7.80 RCW
Summary
Thurston County does not print a fixed list of banned invasive plants in its own code; instead it defines a 'noxious weed' as any plant on the county noxious weed list adopted under RCW 17.10.090, and lets the Noxious Weed Control Board designate specific ones as 'target species' requiring containment.
17.30.030 - Definitions. "Noxious weed" means a plant listed on the Thurston County noxious weed list adopted pursuant to RCW 17.10.090. "Target species" means a noxious weed listed on the Thurston County noxious weed list that the noxious weed control board has determined may be better controlled by requiring containment measures and/or management standards for areas where the noxious weed has been found to be present. ... 17.30.040 - Target species. Any species of noxious weed may be designated by the noxious weed control board as a target species in its rules and regulations. Prior to designating a target species, the noxious weed control board shall hold a public hearing and shall comply with the requirements for amending the rules and regulations.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 77).
Full Breakdown
30. 090, the state noxious weed law, so the prohibited-species roster itself lives in that state-referenced list rather than as an enumerated table inside the county ordinance. A 'target species' is narrower: a noxious weed the board has determined can be better controlled by requiring containment measures or management standards specifically for areas where it has been found present. 040 lays out how a plant moves from the general noxious weed list to enforceable target-species status: any species of noxious weed may be designated a target species in the board's rules and regulations, but only after the board holds a public hearing and complies with the procedural requirements for amending those rules and regulations.
050, draw a containment area boundary for it, again only after holding a public hearing and following the same rules-amendment procedure. Notice of either hearing must go out through a local media news release and be published in the county's official newspaper of record at least twenty days ahead, unless the board grants a waiver for good cause, in which case notice can be as short as ten days. That two-step structure, general noxious weed list plus a formal, hearing-gated target-species designation, is how Thurston County actually decides which invasive plants carry binding containment obligations.
Violations & Fines
Chapter 17.30's enforcement section, 17.30.090, applies equally to target-species violations: failing to comply with a management standard, permit condition, or cease-and-desist order tied to a designated target species is a Class I civil infraction under Chapter 7.80 RCW and is separately declared an unlawful public nuisance. Each day of noncompliance is a distinct violation, the noxious weed control board can issue a cease-and-desist or stop-work order directly, and the violator is liable for all costs, fees, and expenses the county incurs enforcing the designation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Thurston County keep its own list of banned invasive plants?
How does a plant become a regulated 'target species' in Thurston County?
What extra obligations apply once a weed is designated a target species with a containment area?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Thurston County
Compare Thurston County to another location·View the Washington invasive plant rules overview
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