Housing & Transportation – Friends of Clark County in SW Washington

April 23, 2024

Read About our Priorities on Housing in the Comp Plan Update

in Accountability, Climate Change, Comprehensive Plan & Growth Management Act, Farmland & Forests, Housing & Transportation, Local Food Systems, Parks, Trails, & Open Spaces, Position Statements & Policy Recommendations

We provided public comment at the Population, Housing, and Employment Hearing today emphasizing two important points: 1) Nothing in the current studies, reviews, or discussions justifies any urban growth area (UGA) expansions. This position has been echoed by Clark County’s cities and by Community Development. Although both the Department of Commerce and Community […]

February 26, 2024

Legislative Update – February 2024

in Climate Change, Housing & Transportation, Position Statements & Policy Recommendations, Railroad, Responsible Development

The mid-session cutoff in the Washington State Legislature happened on February 13th. This means that the bills that did not get voted out of their chamber of origin are considered dead. There exists a chance for bills to be resurrected in the budget process, but this is rare. Following is an update on bills that […]

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

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. […]

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 […]

March 18, 2023

Comprehensive Plan Update – March 2023

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

Comprehensive Planning is a requirement of the Growth Management Act, and Clark County and its cities are required to complete their next plans by mid-2025. These plans will define where growth occurs for the next twenty years. Cities also have planning efforts, so check out your city webpage as well. For example, Vancouver lets you sign […]