History
Background
San Juan County, Washington was established as a part of Washington Territory in 1873. The County consists of 176 named islands and reefs (up to 743 at low tides). San Juan is the smallest of Washington's 39 Counties with approximately 174 square miles of land area and had a population in 2015 of 16,180(est.).
The largest islands in the County are San Juan, Orcas, Lopez, and Shaw, all of which are served by the Washington State Ferry System. The County is located in the northwest corner of Washington State. The nearest major population centers are Victoria and Vancouver, B.C. and Seattle, WA. The County seat is Friday Harbor, located on San Juan Island.
Vision Statement
We the people of San Juan County recognize that these rural islands are an extraordinary treasure of natural beauty and abundance, and that independence, privacy and personal freedom are values prized by islanders. Being a diverse people bound together by these shared values, we declare our commitment to work towards this vision of the San Juan Islands in 2020 A.D.
Major Roles Served
County Governments in Washington State, including San Juan County, serve three major roles:
San Juan County, Washington was established as a part of Washington Territory in 1873. The County consists of 176 named islands and reefs (up to 743 at low tides). San Juan is the smallest of Washington's 39 Counties with approximately 174 square miles of land area and had a population in 2015 of 16,180(est.).
The largest islands in the County are San Juan, Orcas, Lopez, and Shaw, all of which are served by the Washington State Ferry System. The County is located in the northwest corner of Washington State. The nearest major population centers are Victoria and Vancouver, B.C. and Seattle, WA. The County seat is Friday Harbor, located on San Juan Island.
Vision Statement
We the people of San Juan County recognize that these rural islands are an extraordinary treasure of natural beauty and abundance, and that independence, privacy and personal freedom are values prized by islanders. Being a diverse people bound together by these shared values, we declare our commitment to work towards this vision of the San Juan Islands in 2020 A.D.
Major Roles Served
County Governments in Washington State, including San Juan County, serve three major roles:
State Agent
- Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Programs
- Developmental Disabilities
- Document Recording
- Elections
- Jail
- Juvenile Court
- Juvenile Detention
- Local Government
- Medical Examiner
- Mental Health
- Property Tax Administration
- Prosecuting Attorney
- Public Defender
- Regional Government
- Superior Court
- Treasurer
- Vehicle and Marriage Licenses
- Vital Statistics
Regional Government
- Aging Services
- Animal Control
- County Fair
- Countywide Growth Management Policies
- District Court
- Domestic Violence Services
- E-911 and Central Dispatch
- Economic Development
- Emergency Management
- Energy Assistance and Weatherization
- Housing Programs
- Medic I
- Public Health
- Search and Rescue
- Solid Waste Management
- Specialized Law Enforcement
- Tourism
- Veterans Assistance
- WSU Extension
Local Government
- Building Permits
- Development Regulations
- Garbage and Recycling
- Land Use Planning
- Law Enforcement
- Parks and Recreation
- Roads
- Surface Water Planning and Control
- Weed Control