Hearing examiner approves 281-lot development in Washougal

WASHOUGAL — A hearing examiner approved plans for a huge housing development in Washougal — “Northside” — that had run into some opposition.

The proposed 281-house development would add nearly 700 residents to the city, according to the Camas-Washougal Post-Record, which reported on the hearing examiner’s Jan. 17 decision. The project is located roughly near 29231 S.E. 23rd St., about a mile east of Woodburn Elementary School.

The decision can be appealed in Clark County Superior Court up to Feb. 8, the newspaper reported. In the meantime, the project awaits final civil engineering design and review, Washoual city planner Jessica Herceg told the newspaper.

Foes of the project packed Washougal City Hall for a public hearing in late December in an attempt to sway hearing examiner Joe Turner. Many expressed concerns during three hours of testimony that the project would erode the community’s small town feel.

The project calls for houses with prices ranging from at least $300,000 to more than $1 million on a 100-acre lot on Washougal’s north side. The finished value of the project is expected to exceed $150 million. Construction is expected to begin this summer. It is expected to be built in six phases.

The project, which city officials say would be among the largest ever in the community, would include about 33.5 acres of open space and parks and more than 2 miles of public trails while providing public viewpoints connected to the trail system.