Concrete Patios & Stairs in Fox Island, WA

Patios & stairs in Fox Island: what to know

The county’s fill or grade page sets the permit trigger at more than 50 cubic yards outside critical areas and more than one cubic yard inside them. A patio built on level ground may move little soil, but a patio cut into a slope moves more, so we measure the cut before the base is designed. The page we read lists no exemptions, so we do not assume a patio is exempt.

The county’s permit list also names creating an impervious surface. We have not found a county patio rule that sets a size or height for patios in the pages we read, so the permit question for a given address goes to Development Engineering before the base is compacted. Steps follow the same test, because a stair footing moves soil and the stair adds hard surface.

Permits and rules in Fox Island

Before layout, we check the cut and fill against the 50-cubic-yard line, we check whether the slab sits inside a critical area, and we confirm with Development Engineering whether the new hard surface needs a permit. The base is not compacted until the written answer is on file.

Rules change and vary by parcel, so we confirm the current requirements with the city before we start.

How we approach it

Measure the cut and fill against the 50-cubic-yard line
Check the parcel for critical area limits before layout
Confirm the impervious surface question with the county in writing
Pitch the slab away from the house and keep runoff on the lot

For the full process, see our Concrete Patios & Stairs page.

Building in the cold months? See our guide to winter concrete pours.

Our patios & stairs work, serving Fox Island

Examples of our work. We build patios & stairs in Fox Island and the cities around it. See all of our work

Questions from Fox Island homeowners

Does a Fox Island patio need a county permit?

We have not found a Pierce County patio rule in the pages we read, so we confirm the answer for your address with Development Engineering. The grading lines and the impervious surface question still apply whatever the answer, so we check those first.

How much soil can I move for a patio on Fox Island before a grading permit is needed?

The county’s fill or grade page sets the line at more than 50 cubic yards outside critical areas and more than one cubic yard inside them. Anything above those amounts needs a fill or grade permit, so we measure the cut and fill before digging.

Can steps to a Fox Island patio go in without county approval?

Steps are checked the same way as the slab: the grading lines, the impervious surface question, and any critical area limit. We confirm the answer in writing before the stair footing is dug.