What’s on our Radar – Week of February 9th, 2026
Happy Monday! Welcome to Friends of Clark County’s Weekly Radar, where we break down what we are following in Clark County government for the week and highlight opportunities for you to engage. You can take action this week regarding the FRDU railroad controversy, get engaged with parks planning, affordable housing, what’s going on in the state legislature, and more. Plus, if you missed our amazing parks and trails forum, you’ll find the link to the recording in the highlights.
URGENT CALLS TO ACTION
📣 Help protect Clark County resource lands from irresponsible railroad expansion
Photo of Chelatchie Bluff from the Columbian
SB 5517 carved out a special exception that allowed industrial development on resource lands and critical areas near a short-line railroad in Clark County — something no other county is allowed to do. There is no valid reason for Clark County to be exempt from protecting farmland, forests, and mineral lands simply because they are “adjacent” to a railroad. SB 5820 repeals that exception and requires Clark County to follow the Growth Management Act, just like every other county in Washington. Please email, write, or call your legislators in support of SB 5820.
More information and resources are available in our full Call to Action on our website: URGENT: Help Protect Clark County Resource Lands from Irresponsible Railroad Expansion
THIS WEEK’S RADAR
Our weekly radar is intended to highlight Clark County meetings and events relevant to Friends of Clark County priorities. This list is not exhaustive. For a full list of Clark County meetings, please visit Clark County Council and Clark County Community Planning on the Clark County website.
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9th
Railroad Advisory Board (RRAB) meeting at 4pm: Meeting Information
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10th
Ending Community Homelessness Organization (ECHO) meeting at 9:30am: Meeting information
Parks Advisory Board meeting at 4pm: Meeting information
- Regional Parks Funding Task Team updates (this relates to our recent forum on parks and trails!)
- Hazel Dell Community Park Access Improvements updates
- Heritage Farm Public Access Improvements updates
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11th
Clark County Council work session at 9am: Meeting information
Clark County Charter Review Commission meeting at 5pm: Meeting information
Council Time at 1pm: Meeting information
- Draft Resolution Clarifying Jurisdictional Authority and Council Statement on Immigration Enforcement Activity in Clark County
- Resolution supporting 2026 as International Year of the Woman Farmer (no existing draft on the agenda)
- Development and Engineering Advisory Board (DEAB): Annual Update/2026 Work Plan
- Ending Community Homeless Organization (ECHO) Law Enforcement Panel
- Legislative Updates
- Letter of Support – City of Ridgefield’s Department of Transportation BUILD Grant
- Submit a public comment (agenda items only)
LAST WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS
🙌 A win for forests and streams
HB 2620 that sought to overturn the Forest Practices Board’s vital stream protection rule and provide more giveaways to the timber industry died in the legislature!
Read about the vital stream protection rule from Washington Conservation Action
Ecosystem services bill update
Unfortunately, HB 2170 / SB 5999 did not make it through this legislative session, which would have given the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) the legal authority to expand revenue generation from natural climate solutions and ecosystem services—such as carbon storage and sequestration—rather than clearcut logging. This would protect legacy forests while generating revenue for communities. The fight for responsible trust land management continues!
DEAB comments
FOCC submitted a statement concerning comments from a representative of the Development and Engineering Advisory Board (DEAB) at a recent Planning Commission hearing.
Read FOCC’s Statement Concerning Comments from Representative of Development and Engineering Advisory Board (DEAB)
Clark County Council work sessions
Railroad Advisory Board (RRAB) Chelatchie Prairie Railroad presentation and Council discussion
C-Tran High Capacity Transit Subdistrict presentation and Council discussion
Clean Water Fee Reduction Program for Clark County schools presentation and Council discussion
Council Time
League of Women Voters’ Observer Corps notes on Clark County Council Time and Clark County Council work sessions
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
Friends of Clark County’s Forum on Parks and Trails
We recently held an amazing forum on parks and trails! Thank you to FOCC’s own Mo McKenna, who facilitated the discussion, and to our wonderful panelists Ross Hoover (Clark County Parks and Nature), Glen Yung (Clark County Councilor), and David Perlick (City of Vancouver Parks). Watch our January 2026 Forum, Bridging the Gap: Funding Our Parks and Trails
Miss the invite? Follow us on Instagram and Facebook and subscribe to our newsletter so you don’t miss the next one!
Friends of Clark County
Clark County Calendar of Land Use Activities
This great public resource compiled by FOCC’s own Jackie Lane tracks Clark County’s land use activities in a publicly available document. Make sure to bookmark it!
Friends of Clark County
Support Friends of Clark County
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FOCC Community Outreach