Clark County Council’s Comp Plan Update unlawfully expands urban growth areas and allows destruction of prime farmland
To our supporters who believe in our vision of a flourishing Clark County thriving with local farms, healthy forests, clean water, protected wildlife habitats and neighborhoods that are vibrant and diverse with parks and natural areas accessible to all:
On October 5th, the majority of the Clark County Council voted to adopt a comprehensive plan that unlawfully expands urban growth boundaries and allows for the paving over of prime farmland. The Clark County Comp Plan as adopted will exacerbate urban sprawl and the climate crisis. FOCC is considering its legal options regarding the County’s decisions.
The Council’s Comp Plan adoption expands the urban growth areas of Ridgefield, La Center, Battle Ground, and Camas while including the de-designation of hundreds of acres of prime agricultural land (note: the Council did not opt to de-designate the agricultural land in Camas as studied in the Preferred Alternative. More information on specific land use decisions can be found in our latest Weekly Radar).
The Council’s decisions contradict the findings of the 2025 Agricultural Lands Study, recommendations of the Agricultural Advisory Commission, legal requirements of the Growth Management Act (GMA), and the overwhelming support for protecting our resource lands expressed by the residents and community organizations of Clark County in both written and verbal testimony submitted throughout this process.
The fight is not over.
While we had hoped that the Council would make the right decision to carry out the clear will of their constituents and make the responsible choice regarding food security, climate change resiliency, supporting our farming community, and conserving taxpayer dollars, the fact remains that they will ultimately be accountable to compliance with the Growth Management Act (GMA).
We want to share our deep appreciation and gratitude to everyone who engaged in this long and tiresome fight to protect Clark County from irresponsible sprawl and development. We hope that our extensive community outreach work to educate residents on how land use decisions impact all of us was helpful.
As a part of our outreach, Friends of Clark County:
- Partnered with a coalition of community-based organizations to advocate for equity in the comprehensive planning process
- Partnered with local farmers to ensure their concerns were heard and voices amplified
- Facilitated multiple Comp Plan-focused forums with elected officials and County staff
- Provided testimony for the record on several occasions, across multiple Council meetings, work session, and hearings
- Wrote multiple Op-eds for local newspapers to educate and inform the public
- Kept residents informed every step of the way with our Weekly Radars, calls to action, social media posts, and email newsletters
We intend to see our vision for Clark County to fruition, and we hope you’ll continue to fight alongside us for the future we, our children, and our grandchildren all deserve. More to come.