Clark County is in the midst of its annual review of proposed changes to the county’s comprehensive plan – the first time since the 20-year growth plan was updated in November.
Countywide, there are seven proposals up for review, whereas about 20 proposals is a typical load. The drop is likely due to the newly adopted growth plan that presumably took care of a number of changes, said Jeff Niten, a planner with Clark County Community Development working on annual reviews.
Four of the seven proposals are within the boundary of the Three Creeks Special Planning Area – which means, for the first time, the Three Creeks Advisory Council is playing a part in the process.
Three Creeks includes about 27 and a half square miles of unincorporated urban areas around Hazel Dell, Felida, Lake Shore, Salmon Creek and the fairgrounds – and has a combined population of about 65,000 people.
Also for the first time, proposals for mixed use designations have surfaced.
Mixed use is relatively new to the county, Niten said. It was adopted into county code in March 2006 and there haven’t yet been any mixed use development proposals. But two of the seven proposals call for mixed use – and if they’re approved, have plans for developments.
Mixed use has generated much interest, but developers have been hesitant, Niten said.
“When you’re spending your own money, you want to do things that are tried at true,” he said. “You want to know your return on investment. Mixed use is somewhat new and until that first person does it and proves it can pencil out, it may be slow.”
But as developers are willing to stick their toes in the pond, Niten expects interest to pick up.
Jumping in
Ron Edwards is ready and willing.
Edwards, who is president of Vancouver-based Western Construction Services Inc., is hoping the Board of Clark County Commissioners will approve a planning and zoning change for the just more than one acre he bought in Felida in December.
The parcel, at the intersection of Northwest 119th Street and Northwest 36th Avenue, now is designated urban low density residential and is home to a single family residence.
But Edwards, a Felida resident, bought the land with the intention of moving the house and developing a $1.5 million commercial-residential mixed-use project to bring business uses to an area that has few.
Although he has been in business locally for 28 years and has worked on numerous projects – including the majority of Starbucks in the Vancouver-Portland metro area and several Fred Meyer stores – Felida Village is his first development.
Because the chance to change the comprehensive plan only comes once a year, Edwards said there was more up-front consideration about the project’s viability. Before he bought the property for $440,000, Edwards met with county staff and developed a site plan.
Edwards is working with Vancouver-based MGH Assoc. planning and engineering, and the design has an old-timey feel – he wants the buildings to look like they have been there for 100 years to match the feel of Felida.
The site plan – which is not binding – includes a 2,500-square-foot restaurant, space for ground-floor offices or retail and five residential units.
At the suggestion of county planners, Edwards called a meeting with Felida residents in March to present the project and introduce himself. He sent out postcard invitations to 350 surrounding residents and expected a casual open house with cookies and coffee.
“I was lambasted,” Edwards said.
Some neighbors have formed an organized opposition to the project.
Will Ashworth, who lives across the street from Edwards’ parcel, spearheaded an online forum, www.nofelidavillage.com, for neighbors to voice their thoughts on the project. So far, negative comments have far outweighed positive ones.
Some neighbors don’t want commercial uses coming to Felida at all and others don’t want a mixed-use development specifically at Edwards’ site because of the relatively few parking spaces that are required for mixed use, safety and potential traffic impacts.
“I did a lot of research before I moved to this spot, and that included the surrounding zoning,” Ashworth said. “For someone to come in and change the zoning for a different use seems a little two-faced – like a slap in the face.”
A transportation study verified by the county found that the proposed land use change would not significantly impact the transportation system, according to the staff report, and Edwards pointed out that with the current code, he could put nine residences on the lot.
“We love that there’s not a lot of commercial here,” Ashworth said. “We don’t want the Orange County feel. … In 10 and 20 years, I want to keep my house here. There are so many reasons not to do this, I can’t believe (Edwards) is still considering it.”
Edwards even received an email that reads “Felida residents are going to fight you tooth and nail to block your so-called Felida Village. You should have done your homework. We don’t want you here.”
Ashworth, who was unaware of the email, was appalled.
“Whether we want this development or not, (Edwards) is our neighbor,” he said.
Ashworth also bought www.felidavillage.net and www.felidavillage.org – but hasn’t developed those. And, he said laughing, if Felida Village does get built, he may be able to make some money by selling them to Edwards.
Niten said the opposition is unusual in that most people rally around farming and agricultural lands.
“And it’s brand new to me that they created a website,” he said.
Approval all-around
Nevertheless, county staff recommended approval of Edwards’ proposal, and the Three Creeks Advisory Council unanimously gave the project a thumbs up May 8.
The advisory council in itself doesn’t carry decision-making authority, but acts as an advisory group to the planning commission. It is made up of some who have vast experience in planning and others who have none.
County Commissioner Betty Sue Morris, who led the charge for the creation of the council and is a nonvoting member, said it is particularly interesting to hear comments from those who have not been involved in land use planning before and have a vested interest in the proposals.
On May 8, the council also heard from Bill Horning of Portland-based Western Planning Assoc. (on behalf of developer Rocky Bria, who owns Rocky’s Pizza in Battle Ground) about the proposed Ridgeway Park project. The Three Creeks Advisory Council gave the proposal its blessing, but members had some hesitation.
The Planning Commission will have heard Edwards’ proposal May 15, and a hearing before the Board of Clark County Commissioners is tentatively set for November. If Edwards’ proposal is approved, the changes will go into effect Jan.1, 2009.
If it’s denied, Edwards estimates he will have lost about $20,000 in planning costs, but is committed to seeing Felida Village become a reality.
“If it’s not approved, I’ll do it again next year,” he said.
PROPOSED CHANGES TO CLARK COUNTY'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, NOW IN THE ANNUAL REVIEW PROCESS.
Warta, Washougal
A proposed planning and zone change of 50 acres at 36400 S.E. 20th St. from agricultural resource lands to Rural 5, which is intended to provide lands for residential living in rural areas, according to county code. Natural resource activities such as farming and forestry are allowed and encouraged in conjunction with the residential uses in the area.
Ridgeway Park, 179th St./I-5 Interchange
A proposed change of 87.6 acres located at the northeast corner of Northeast 179th Street and Northeast 10th Avenue from light industrial and community commercial to general commercial with highway commercial zoning and mixed use. Highway commercial is intended to serve large areas of the county and the traveling public. New commercial areas shall not contribute to additional strip development patterns, but allowed uses may involve drive-ins, large space users, outdoor sales, wholesale activities, repair services and other heavy commercial users.
Mixed use requires developments to provide the community with a mix of mutually supporting retail, service, office and residential uses and promotes cohesive site planning and design, which integrates and interconnects two or more land uses into a development that is mutually supportive. It also provides incentives to develop a higher-density, active, urban environment than generally found in a suburban community.
Thomas, Barberton
A proposed change of five acres at 11718 N.E. 87th Ave. from light industrial to community commercial, which is intended to provide for regular shopping and service needs for adjacent neighborhoods – but not create or contribute to a commercial strip development pattern. These areas are held to a high standard of site plan review due to the close proximity of the residential neighborhoods they serve.
Felida Village, Felida
A proposed change of 1.1 acres at 11912 N.W. 36th Ave. from urban low density residential to mixed use.
NE 29th Avenue, Salmon Creek
A proposed change of eight acres from urban medium to general commercial with highway commercial zoning, almost 13 acres from light industrial to general commercial with highway commercial zoning and a split-zoned parcel from light industrial and urban medium to all urban medium with R-18 zoning, which is intended to provide for exclusively multifamily residential development.
Wallace, Sifton
A proposed change of 0.85 acres at 14412 N.E. Fourth Plain Blvd. from urban low to community commercial.
Megan Patrick-Vaughn can be reached at mpatrick@vbjusa.com.
