Clark County Council to vote on 179th Street plan

The proposed changes have drawn the ire of nearby residents. Their concerns include properties being affected by surface street changes, development occurring before the roadway upgrades and an overall shift away from the rural lifestyle that attracted some people to the area.

Ahead of the meeting, county staff hosted four listening sessions with residents, though they stated up front that the sessions were unlikely to substantially change the project.

Urban holding lifted

In 2019, the county council lifted the urban holding designation from 2,220 acres near the Interstate 5 interchange at 179th Street, allowing for more development along the corridor.

According to Columbian archives, the area around 179th Street was the last large parcel where development could occur under Clark County’s comprehensive plan.

A consultant found that developing the land currently in the urban holding would add 4,815 housing units and 2,850 jobs and generate an initial $188 million in taxes, with $23 million annually in ongoing tax revenue.

As part of the original developer agreements when the urban holding was lifted, 1,222 single-family residences and a 500-student elementary school were approved.

Concerns

Heidi Pozzo, a resident who has lived near 179th Street for 15 years, said Thursday that although she was aware the urban holding was being lifted, she was surprised by how quickly development started happening.

Driving along the two-lane 179th Street can feel like being on a roller coaster because of its hilly topography. As you drive east from I-5, the surrounding area starts to change, from subdivisions and under-construction buildings to wide-open fields with horses roaming.

“It’s pretty out here,” Pozzo said. “It’s farms, rolling hills. It’s not dense city life, which is what I think people were looking for when they moved out here.”

Pozzo said that due to the increased construction and heavy vehicles, the road’s condition has deteriorated. She would like to see construction tied to the roadway upgrades.

Mo McKenna, who lives near 179th Street, echoed Pozzo, saying her biggest concern is that it appears there is no master plan with development already occurring.

The prime farmland and growing conditions attracted McKenna to the area in 2019, six months before the urban holding was lifted. She was aware the urban holding had been in place for more than a decade, but she said it is difficult to find good, affordable farmland in the Portland metro area.

Given the proximity of 179th Street to the Clark County Event Center at the Fairgrounds and RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater, McKenna said the county needs more strategic economic development and planning.

“Why don’t we have restaurants or bars or distilleries? Why isn’t there a hotel for people to stay at?” McKenna asked. “I think they’re missing opportunities to think about creating a vibrant community here.”

Development is happening, and the Access Management and Circulation Plan allows the county to make the most of the situation in a way that is responsible and safe, said county engineer Ken Lader, director of Public Works.

“The plan allows us to protect habitat, wetlands, environment and wildlife, in addition to providing for circulation, traffic, mobility and increased safety in the corridor. It provides all of that in a cohesive way that doesn’t really exist otherwise,” Lader said.

“As development comes in the area, it becomes much more piecemeal and harder to coordinate those parcel-to-parcel developments,” he added.

Tuesday’s council hearing will be held at 6 p.m., both in person at the Public Service Center, 1300 Franklin St., Vancouver, and virtually at https://clarkwa.webex.com/clarkwa/j.php?MTID=mc92ccbe2d6956b83c8392ed94dbeb7c4.