Comprehensive Plan & Growth Management Act – Page 4 – Friends of Clark County in SW Washington

March 15, 2024

Preserving Farming and Local Food in Clark County: March 2024 Forum

in Climate Change, Comprehensive Plan & Growth Management Act, Events & Fundraising, Farmland & Forests, Local Food Systems, Position Statements & Policy Recommendations, Responsible Development, Wildlife Habitats

Thanks to all who attended our March 2024 Forum on Preserving Farming and Local Food in Clark County! And thank you again to our knowledgeable panelists! In case you missed it, or in case you want to go back and review all the great information that was shared, you can view the recording here: And […]

February 28, 2024

Join us for our upcoming forum: Preserving Farmland and Local Food Access in Clark County

in Climate Change, Comprehensive Plan & Growth Management Act, Events & Fundraising, Farmland & Forests, Local Food Systems

Forum Date and Time: March 14th, 2024 from 5 – 6:30 pm Pacific Time Location: Remote Only via Zoom; Register on Eventbrite Join Friends of Clark County for a panel discussion on the importance of preserving farmland and access to local food in Clark County. Farmland is being lost throughout the United States, but Clark […]

February 26, 2024

Responsible Planning for Growth: The 2025 Comprehensive Plan – February 2024 update

in Climate Change, Comprehensive Plan & Growth Management Act, Housing & Transportation, Parks, Trails, & Open Spaces, Position Statements & Policy Recommendations, Railroad, Responsible Development

What is the Comp Plan? The Growth Management Act (GMA) was adopted in 1990 to address growth in Washington State. Cities in counties over a certain size must do periodic Comp Plan updates in accordance with the GMA, while smaller counties may choose to do so. Cities within a county that plans under the GMA […]

December 28, 2023

Growth Management and Comprehensive Plan Update – December 2023

in Climate Change, Comprehensive Plan & Growth Management Act, Farmland & Forests, Housing & Transportation, Parks, Trails, & Open Spaces, Responsible Development, Wildlife Habitats

Turning Long-Range Planning into Current Reality Over the next 18 months, Clark County will be updating its Comprehensive Plan as required by the Growth Management Act (GMA). Thirty years ago, Clark County engaged residents in its first long-range planning effort.

May 23, 2023

Can Local Land Use Policy Save the Bees?

in Comprehensive Plan & Growth Management Act, Farmland & Forests, Parks, Trails, & Open Spaces, Rivers, Lakes & Aquifers, Wildlife Habitats

We’ve all heard the slogan “Save the Bees,” but what does it actually mean? And what can we actually do to save them? And what on earth does it have to do with something as wonky as local land use policy? Well, today, let’s tackle answering all those questions and help move your knowledge beyond […]

May 23, 2023

Spring 2023 Legislative Recap

in Climate Change, Comprehensive Plan & Growth Management Act, Housing & Transportation, Position Statements & Policy Recommendations

Two bills that our friends at Futurewise were championing this year passed, hurray! HB 1181 was signed into law, adding climate change considerations into the Growth Management Act (GMA). This requires Comprehensive Plans to include considerations both for Climate resilience (think wildfires, flooding, heat, sea level rise…) and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and Vehicle Miles Traveled. […]

May 23, 2023

Comprehensive Plan Update – Spring 2023

in Comprehensive Plan & Growth Management Act, Railroad

The County hosted information sessions on the Comp Plan update in late March. These can be viewed on CVTV’s website. Population Forecast The County selected the population growth numbers to be used in planning for growth. Against the advice, if not pleading, of the cities, the County Council chose not to go with the most-likely ‘medium’ number […]

May 23, 2023

The Value of Engagement

in Comprehensive Plan & Growth Management Act, Responsible Development

For those of us who have been watching the County lately, we know that the County is working on its every 10-year Comprehensive Plan Update. This is a blueprint of sorts that will define our growth for the next 20 years. Many prospective buyers will refer to the “Growth Management Plan” prior to buying a […]

May 23, 2023

An Observer’s View of Growth Management in Clark County

in Comprehensive Plan & Growth Management Act, Position Statements & Policy Recommendations, Responsible Development

Clark County has been involved with growth management since the mid-1990’s. In the first Community Framework Plan(1993), surveys were conducted that allowed citizens to express their preferred approaches to growth. They were identified in a “Hometown” concept, expressing the following: Preservation of open space; A compact development pattern with employment, shopping, and a choice of […]

March 18, 2023

FOCC Recommends a Complete Moratorium on Development in the 179th St. Access and Management Plan Area

in Comprehensive Plan & Growth Management Act, Farmland & Forests, Housing & Transportation, Parks, Trails, & Open Spaces, Position Statements & Policy Recommendations, Responsible Development, Wildlife Habitats

In 2020, 2200 acres of land near the Clark County Fairgrounds was added to the Vancouver Urban Growth Boundary. This historically rural community is home to farms, forests, wetlands, and creeks where salmon spawn. The area is now rapidly developing and area residents, many of whom have been fighting against urban development for nearly 20 […]