A map of the proposed freight-rail dependent use overlay Clark County is looking to implement. The area bounded by red lines is the existing overlay approved by Clark County Council in January; the area in pale green is a previous expansion proposal of the overlay; the area diagonally shaded is the reworked overlay expansion proposal. Areas in pale red are urban growth areas.
A large contingent of people at a recent open house for industrial development along the Chelatchie Prairie Railroad voiced their opposition to what the Clark County Council considers a route to economic independence from Portland.
Of the more than 100 people who were at Hockinson High School Aug. 30 for a presentation and question-answering session, most hands went up for “opposed” when Clark County Community Planning Director Oliver Orjiako asked for a show of feelings among the crowd.
The open house was hosted to provide an update on recent progress the county has made implementing 2017’s ESB 5517, legislation that allows for industrial development along short-line railroads in Clark and Okanogan counties. Clark County has one such line, the Chelatchie Prairie Railroad.
The county has been working on implementation for nearly a year, now in a stage where a list of permitted industry has been drafted by an advisory committee made up of several stakeholders.
Information handed out at the open house showed more than 60 uses that were either outright permitted or would be allowed with a conditional use permit.
Conditional uses, which included chemical, cement and asphalt manufacturing among others, would require a community meeting and public hearing before being allowed.
Project Manager Jose Alvarez said the committee also recommended an expansion of the overlay already approved by council earlier this year.
They want to stretch the overlay from the current 300 acres to 2,100 acres.
Initially, the committee was eyeing expansion of the overlay to all parcels within one mile of the railroad between Vancouver and Battle Ground’s urban growth boundaries, though Alvarez explained that many parcels were ultimately excluded based on a number of factors.
The committee also recommended extension of sewer infrastructure past urban growth boundaries into the proposed overlay area.
Both Alvarez and Clark County Community Planning Project Manager Colete Anderson answered about two dozen questions written by those in attendance. Of the questions, a few asked what the public could do to prevent any development along the tracks.
“What can a basic resident do to stop this process short of lawsuits and court injunctions?” One question specifically asked, leading to a round of applause from the audience.
“(With) lots of comment,” Alvarez answered.
At one point an attendee called out Clark County Councilor Eileen Quiring, who was in the crowd, on her position regarding rail line development. Quiring’s district includes parcels that would be impacted by implementation of the law.
Quiring stood firm.
“We need industrial land in the county to be able to bring jobs to this county, to give it its own identity and its own economic engine,” Quiring added. She addressed fears of residents that the move-in of industry would negatively impact their quality of life.
“I think that the (advisory committee) has taken care of a lot of the development rules that will protect you from that,” Quiring said.
The next step in the process is a Sept. 26 work session for the county council. Following that, a public hearing before the Clark County Planning Commission would lead up to county council’s own hearing before they would make a final vote.
Public comment for the current phase of work is open until Sept. 13.
Editor's note: A previous version of this story indicated the overlay would expand by 3,800 acres. Project manager for freight rail-dependent uses Jose Alvarez clarified that he had misspoke at the open house.
