What’s on our Radar – Week of March 16th, 2026
This week’s opportunities for engagement include a work session on a Transfer of Development Rights program being proposed for the Comp Plan update, as well as plenty to catch up on from last week regarding parks and trails, new developments in the fight against irresponsible railroad expansion, and more.
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.
TUESDAY, MARCH 17th
Clark County Council meeting at 6pm: Meeting information
- Open public comment opportunity: testify for up to 3 minutes on any topic.
- Unity Resolution.
- Item of note: “Council commits to reviewing the county’s code of conduct for County Council members and members of dark County Boards and Commissions that affirms and prioritizes dignity and respect for community members. The council will also make efforts to ensure that county boards and commissions reflect the community they serve to hear broadly from all parts of Clark County.”
- Request approval of a contract amendment to extend the end date for Seaview Environmental Company LLC to December 31, 2026 to complete an environmental impact statement and capital facilities planning support of the 2025 Comprehensive Growth Management Plan periodic update.
- Item of note: The current updated Comprehensive Growth Management Plan update schedule estimates a completion date of October 6, 2026 with the Final Environmental Impact Statement being issued on July 22, 2026.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18TH
Transfer of Development Rights Work Session at 9am: Meeting information
- This is in relation to the proposed de-designation of agricultural land in the Comp Plan update.
- Remember, work sessions are informational, so no public commentary is permitted.
- Read FOCC’s take on TDR’s (and why they’re not the answer to preserving farmland) from our latest newsletter.
Council Time at 1pm: Meeting information
- Submit a public comment (agenda items only)
- Letter to Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife regarding the closing of the Skamania Hatchery in Washougal
- State of the County
- Councilor Reports
- Boards & Commission Reports
- Policy Updates
- 8.1 Legislative Updates
- Congressionally Directed Spending Requests
THURSDAY, MARCH 19TH
- Charter Review Commission meeting at 5pm: Meeting information
- Planning Commission Public Hearing on Open Space Applications at 6:30pm: Meeting information
- Of note, there is one request for Open Space assessment that staff indicated met the applicable criteria for Stream Protection, titled “Fir View Slope Lot 12” and noting that the area is within the Shoreline Management Zone of Lacamas Creek.
- Watch the Planning Commission work session on Open Space Applications
- View the presentation on Open Space Applications.
LAST WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS
Council Time
- Policy Updates:
- The Millionaire’s Tax passed. It was noted that there would be money for indigent defense as a result of this bill, but there are still a lot of uncertainties.
- 🎉SB 5820, the bill to protect Clark County resource lands from irresponsible railroad expansion, is on the governor’s desk! Read about our advocacy around SB 5820. Highlights from Council discussion of this update:
- (Assuming the governor signs the bill), the county now does not have the ability to implement development regulations along the Chelatchie Prairie railroad for freight-dependent uses.
- Development regulations were adopted for the existing Freight Rail Dependent Uses (FRDU) overlay in Brush Prairie, so now that the bill has been repealed, the Council will have to take action to get rid of the FRDU overlay. It does not get removed automatically as a result of the bill.
- The governor had not yet signed SB 5820 as of March 11th.
Clark County Work Sessions
- 031126 Work Session FVRL Overview
- Noxious Weed Management Program
- At about 40 minutes into the recording, there is an important discussion regarding the county’s use of herbicides and their impacts to fish/waterways.
- At about 40 minutes into the recording, there is an important discussion regarding the county’s use of herbicides and their impacts to fish/waterways.
Commission and Advisory Board meetings
- Charter Review Commission meeting:
- Railroad Advisory Board meeting:
- Parks Advisory Board meeting:
- Items of note:
- Regional Parks Funding Task Team updates
- Gordy Jolma Family Natural Area Master Plan updates
- East Fork Reconnection project impacts/Improvements to Lower Daybreak Regional Park
- Parks & Nature System Plan
- Review audio recording and agenda
- Items of note:
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
Friends of Clark County in the news!
“Repeal of 2017 law allowing freight rail-dependent development along Clark County’s short-line railroad hailed”
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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!
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See you next week!
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