On Nov. 5, voters will decide who will represent Clark County Council for District 4 as candidates Joe Zimmerman and Matt Little face off in the general election, Nov. 5.
During the Oct. 1 forum hosted by the League of Women Voters of Clark County at Clark-Cowlitz Fire Rescue Station 26, both candidates discussed the challenges of the county’s 20-year growth plan and the future of the county railroad.
Unlike the primary, all Clark County voters can choose District 4’s candidate in the general election.
Managing the Growth Management Act
Washington’s Growth Management Act (GMA) requires applicable counties and cities to develop a 20-year comprehensive plan to address growth projections by 2025. This includes planning zones for future housing and job developments, as well as reducing environmental impacts. Both candidates were asked what Clark County’s priorities should be in the 20-year growth plan.
Zimmerman highlighted that the main focus of the upcoming comprehensive plan will be managing growth and deciding on the appropriate level of density for the county. He believes this will be the biggest challenge moving forward, although other issues like planning for an aging population and environmental concerns are also important.
“I definitely think that the building and development issues are definitely going to be the No. 1 [issue],” Zimmerman said.
Little stressed that next year will be crucial for the GMA, with key decisions to be made about where development will take place. He pointed out that housing is the most pressing issue given the high cost of living. He emphasized the need to focus on providing different types of housing, their affordability and their proximity to services and jobs, while also preserving rural areas.
“I believe the housing, where we put it [and] what it looks like is gonna be very … critical to … what our next 20 years and beyond look like as a community,” Little said.
Future of the Chelatchie Prairie Railroad
The county-owned Chelatchie Prairie Railroad, which runs from Vancouver to Chelatchie, spans 33 miles and passes directly through Yacolt and Battle Ground. The Portland Vancouver Junction Railroad has been the rail’s operator since 2012 and plans to use it to ship aggregate materials from Chelatchie southbound. Lately, the county has considered developing “freight-rail dependent use” (FRDU) areas, zoned for either commercial or industrial use, to provide businesses easier access to the railroad in county rural lands. Both candidates were asked about their positions.
Zimmerman acknowledged that his family owns land in the proposed heavy-industrial overlay in Brush Prairie. Zimmerman said that, while there may be a handful of individuals willing to sell land for industrial growth, or plenty of industries willing to set up shop for railroad access, the local community is mostly unsupportive due to the proximity of heavy industrial to schools and residential buildings.
“What I’m finding is it is generally not a thing that the people of the communities want,” Zimmerman said. “Not to mention my big complaint with the process is … folks, could you imagine running heavy-haul semis down Main Street Battle Ground in order to get out to where the rail is east of Battle Ground?”
Little pointed out that the 2017 state legislation regarding FRDU areas does not require heavy-industrial use and said such developments are inappropriate for certain areas. He said the county-owned railroad could be used for other operations, such as benefiting the community without imposing heavy industrial operations near schools. He also raised concerns about the rail’s current operator, which is under investigation for environmental damage by the Department of Ecology and the Environmental Protection Agency.
“I think the first thing that we have to get … though is the current operator. There’s been a lot of environmental degradation from this operator, and they’re under investigation …. and that has to settle before a decision is made, but the County Council can end the lease based on clear violations of environmental law. So that’s the first thing we have to do, and then the second one is to determine what will be the right way to grow this line in a way that has economic development and neighbors [can] feel safe and secure,” Little said.
Readers can learn more about both candidates at electjoez.com and mattlittle4clarkcounty.org.
