Camas will soon acquire 115 acres of land on the west side of Green Mountain after a recent deal that the city’s mayor described as “almost” too good to be true.
The Camas City Council approved the acquisition of the land adjacent to Northeast Ingle Road on Dec. 7. It includes the top of the mountain as well as the area north of the former Green Mountain Golf Course.
The deal includes 60 acres of donated land, which the city will possess by Dec. 31. It will purchase the rest for $3.8 million with a closing date of Oct. 31.
The land has been valued at $20.1 million, according to the city. Owners of the land approached city officials about the property earlier this year.
“I don’t think that these opportunities come around a lot,” Mayor Barry McDonnell said at a work session with city councilmembers. “We have to be strategic and smart in the process, but I think there’s very little risk to be honest with you. It’s almost like a too-good-to-be-true deal, but it is true, I think.”
The city’s Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan identifies land around the mountain, including the possibility of a view from the peak, as ideal for recreation. Once completed, the acquired land will connect several existing and proposed trails and recreation areas around the mountain, as well as those near Lacamas Lake and Camp Bonneville.
“The property that we’re considering here in Green Mountain is a nice connection with all of those other properties up there and would definitely provide opportunities for trails and a variety of public uses as we look to the future,” Public Works Director Steve Wall told the council.
The land is currently zoned for residential development. It includes 159 preliminarily approved property lots, though construction hasn’t begun and won’t move forward, according to the city.
“I’m not troubled that we’re going to lose what we thought would be an increase in housing and growth,” Councilmember Don Chaney said. “It doesn’t bother me that we’ll lose some growth. We’re growing so fast.”
City officials are exploring several options to pay for the purchase. But Camas Finance Director Cathy Huber Nickerson told the council that she strongly believes the purchase will not have a major impact on the city’s coffers.
Before deciding what to do with the land, the city will adopt an updated PROS plan, which will be incorporated into the 2022 annual Comprehensive Plan, according to Community Development Director Phil Bourquin. Both processes include opportunities for public comment.
In addition to the open space, City Councilmember Ellen Burton has suggested the possibility of adding a fire station in the area. A Camas-Washougal Fire Department master plan released last year suggested building a new station to serve the growing population of the Northshore-Green Mountain area.
