(1) Except as provided in subsections (2) through (4) of this section, proceedings for review under this chapter shall be instituted by paying the fee required under RCW 36.18.020 and filing a petition in the superior court, at the petitioner's option, for (a) Thurston county, (b) the county of the petitioner's residence or principal place of business, or (c) in any county where the property owned by the petitioner and affected by the contested decision is located.
(2) For proceedings involving institutions of higher education, the petition shall be filed either in the county in which the principal office of the institution involved is located or in the county of an institution's campus if the action involves such campus.
(3) For proceedings conducted by the pollution control hearings board pursuant to chapter 43.21B RCW or as otherwise provided in RCW 90.03.210(2) involving decisions of the department of ecology on applications for changes or transfers of water rights that are the subject of a general adjudication of water rights that is being litigated actively under chapter 90.03 or 90.44 RCW, the petition must be filed with the superior court conducting the adjudication, to be consolidated by the court with the general adjudication. A party to the adjudication shall be a party to the appeal under this chapter only if the party files or is served with a petition for review to the extent required by this chapter.
(4) For proceedings involving appeals of examinations or evaluation exercises of the board of pilotage commissioners under chapter 88.16 RCW, the petition must be filed either in Thurston county or in the county in which the board maintains its principal office.