Woodland has officially approved a change to its zoning intended to protect agricultural uses for existing property owners if the city expands its boundary to accommodate growth.
During its Oct. 3 meeting, the Woodland City Council voted 6-0 to establish an agricultural zoning designation in the city. The change comes after concerns were voiced over how rural land that is currently located outside of city limits would be treated if it is annexed.
The agriculture designation will likely be applied to the land to the south and west of city limits, bounded by the Lewis and Columbia rivers, which is usually referred to as the Woodland Bottoms. The city council recently approved the inclusion of most of the Woodland Bottoms within the city’s urban growth area, a region allowed under state growth management planning for future annexation.
Woodland Community Development Director Travis Goddard said the designation protects the rights of farmers and allows them to continue their operations without pressure to sell their land for development, even if it is brought within city limits.
“In 2018, there was significant concern that there would be premature pressure to develop in the Bottoms if developers had the opportunity to build residences, that they would just be offered checks that they couldn’t resist,” Goddard said.
According to a city staff report, the move is intended to make sure existing property owners “are comfortable they can continue their operations.”
The council approved the first reading of the ordinance making the change in April. Although initially up for final approval on Sept. 19, the council voted to postpone the decision because of concerns the Port of Woodland had raised in regard to the zoning change.
Specifically, the port raised concerns over how the change would affect its storage of soils accumulated through dredging operations in the Columbia River, definitions regarding industrial uses and the allowance for railroad use.
Those concerns were cleared up as of Oct. 3’s approval. The port sent a letter prior to the meeting which was in agreement with clarifications made by city staff. In the letter, the port’s Executive Director Jennifer Wray-Keene noted the port has set aside $50,000 to help with master planning in the Woodland Bottoms.
At the meeting, councilor Karl Chapman noted the zoning addition is part of the overarching planning for the Woodland Bottoms, which takes into account the current agriculturally-focused landowners in the area.
“We’re trying to look out for everybody here,” Chapman said.
