Clark County Comprehensive Plan: Unique Opportunities and Resolutions. Land Use in Southwestern Washington Law Seminars International Vancouver Hilton Hotel February 12, 2008

2 Unique Opportunities Comprehensive Plan  Planning Assumptions  Capital Facilities Planning  Environmental Impact Statement  Agricultural Land Analysis  Schools Element

3 Unique Opportunities Revisiting the OFM population forecast for year 2024  2004 Adopted Plan – 1.69% annual growth rate (517,700 people in urban areas)  2007 Adopted Plan – 2.0% annual growth rate (584,300 in urban areas)

4 Unique Opportunities Revisiting the employment target for 2024  2004 Adopted Plan – 70,000 new jobs  2007 Adopted Plan – 138,000 new jobs Board policy to increase jobs to housing ratio 1 job for 1.39 persons

5 Unique Opportunities Capital Facilities Planning  2004 Adopted Plan – CFP material trailed land use work; no complete revenue/expenditure forecasting  2007 Adopted Plan – CFP material in lock-step with land use work; “Tech Team” of multi- disciplinary staff members generating comprehensive revenue/expenditure forecasting (especially for transportation CFP)

6 Unique Opportunities Environmental Impact Statement – “Out of the Box Thinking”  2004 Adopted Plan – Five different alternatives  2007 Adopted Plan – Three alternatives “No Action Alternative” (no UGA expansions) “2005 Discussion Map” (preferred proposal) “Geographic Flexibility Map” (19 subareas evaluated and numerous permutations of alternatives)

7 Unique Opportunities Agricultural Land Analysis  Board convened committee to locally define “long term commercial significance” – No conclusion drawn  An eye on Hearings Board cases and on court cases – Lewis County and Snohomish County

8 Unique Opportunities Agricultural Land Analysis  “Analysis of the Agricultural Economic Trends and Conditions in Clark County, Washington”, published May 2007 by Globalwise  Matrix of criteria using WAC guidelines developed by County  Hearings and deliberations by the Planning Commission and Board using criteria matrix

9 Unique Opportunities Schools Element – new to plan  County-wide planning policy: “The county and each city shall give full consideration to the importance of school facilities and encourage development of sustainable learning environments through the adoption and implementation of county and city comprehensive land use plan policies and development regulations.”

10 Unique Opportunities Schools Element – new to plan  County-wide planning policy establishes “school advisory body” comprised of the following: Clark County and cities School districts and special purpose districts Other interest groups

11 Unique Opportunities School advisory body undertakes a review of the following:  Uniform data collection  State and federal law issues  Policy development and implementation

12 Unique Opportunities Policy development and implementation  Actively participate in the development of city and county comprehensive plans and development regulations relating to or impacting schools including: Location of Urban Growth Areas; Location and mix of residential land use designations; Commercial/industrial tax base within each school district; Potential location of future school sites; Potential co-location of school facilities with other public facilities (i.e. parks); Phasing of residential development Private/public partnerships; School facility permitting processes; School impact fees; and Last resort safety net considerations.

13 Unique Resolutions Urban growth area (UGA) expansions Revisiting urban holding policies Three Creeks Special Planning Area  Three Creeks Advisory Council Interlocal Agreement with the City of Vancouver

14 Unique Resolutions Urban Growth Area expansions  All cities gain in UGA expansions Battle Ground – 1,500 acres Camas – 2,400 acres LaCenter – 1,425 acres Ridgefield – 1,685 acres Vancouver – 4,000 acres Washougal – 1,000 acres  12,000 acres total with 4,250 acres of agricultural land converting to urban

15 Unique Resolutions Revisiting urban holding policies  2004 Adopted Plan – Policies included circulation plans, various urban service provisions, annexation or commitment thereto  2007 Adopted Plan – Policies include two specific sub-area plans, transportation plans and financial commitments thereto, annexation or commitment thereto

16 Unique Resolutions Three Creeks Special Planning Area  Hazel Dell, Lake Shore, Felida, Salmon Creek, Fairgrounds, Mill Creek, and Pleasant Valley 27.5 square miles 69,000 people  Three Creeks Advisory Council appointed by Board of County Commissioners

17 Unique Resolutions Three Creeks Advisory Council  Business and neighborhood associations  Special purpose districts and other service providers  Citizens at large  Board member and representatives from Ridgefield and Vancouver

18 Unique Resolutions Three Creeks Advisory Council  Purpose: “To give residents living there a larger and more direct voice in planning for their own future.” Transportation plans Land use plans Other matters as the Board may deem appropriate

19 Unique Resolutions Interlocal Agreement (ILA) with the City of Vancouver  Purpose and principles  Development process  Annexation Blueprint

20 ILA – Purpose Set substantive agreements regarding:  Coordinated service provision  Annexation  Comprehensive planning in the Vancouver UGA

21 ILA – Principles Cooperative relationship Consistent (or as near as possible) development regulations Existing policy Urban services Annexation Blueprint Fiscal impacts & transition agreements

22 ILA – Annexation Blueprint Substantive Agreements  Annexation Blueprint Update. It is agreed that such blueprint: Establishes annexation subareas based on logical service boundaries Generally provides for balanced annexations Provides timing and sequencing schedule

23 ILA – Effectuate the Blueprint Substantive Agreements  Agreement to Effectuate the Blueprint:  Work cooperatively in effectuating annexations within the VUGA  The City shall maintain a website and provide the County notice of new proposals  The County may respond to pending proposals by indicating its intent to:  actively support,  remain neutral, or  assert inconsistencies.

24 ILA – Annexation Support Substantive Agreements  County agrees to support annexations City required covenants in DR Signature certification process Sign petitions for county-owned land

25 ILA – Development Standards Substantive Agreements  Development Regulations: Consistent (or as near as possible) within the VUGA Transportation concurrency Street standards Land use and zoning development standards Stormwater standards

26 ILA – Capital Facilities Substantive Agreements  Capital Facilities. Consistent capital facilities within the VUGA Transportation Impact Fees Transportation Benefit District Transportation planning Transportation systems operations and maintenance Parks

27 ILA – Next Steps Work programs - implementation Annexation notices

Clark County Comprehensive Plan: Unique Opportunities and Resolutions. Prepared by Martin Snell, Director Clark County Community Planning February 12, 2008 Comp Plan website: CONCLUSION OF PRESENTATION