The commission debated expanding Urban Growth Areas (UGAs) for several cities to accommodate new housing and commercial development, a process requiring the de-designation of existing agricultural resource lands. A central disagreement focused on whether to adopt a strict "no net loss" Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) policy, with proponents citing legal defensibility under the Growth Management Act and opponents arguing it would make future development financially infeasible. Ultimately, the commission adopted a less restrictive TDR policy and approved multiple UGA expansions into former agricultural lands for Camas, La Center, and Ridgefield.
Building_development
Clark County Planning Commission · Sep 03, 2026 · 1:01:49–1:09:01 · Watch on CVTV ↗
Keywords: zoning annexation comprehensive plan density uga UGA traffic impact capital facilities
What was said
1:00:49 Was that correct? I believe they-- after we did the DEIS, they proposed a change to non-residential use. And so non-residential use was not studied in the DEIS. Any discussion on the AG? And it also would be a good time also, just to reiterate, positions on TDRs, too, as we go through these, for the record. This is Commissioner Fanas. I just want to make sure, Jose, that doesn't affect-- since it wasn't studied in the DEIS, that does not affect us in that aspect, that it would be zoned commercial instead of residential. I think--
1:01:46 So the-- at this-- you're not making a motion to change the zoning if, upon annexation, a city decided to change the zoning, this process will have long terminated. OK. That's what I thought. I just wanted to make sure that it didn't affect us. Any other discussions on the CAMAS, anyone? This is Commissioner Barka. Just for the record, then, based on the vote that we just took on the land use-- land use chapter, I don't think any of the de-designated parcels are going to be viable based on what the county needs to do. So I'll be voting no on all of them. OK. Commissioner LeDuc-Montgomery and the same position, for the same reasons I kind of already discussed. And I just think, from a defensibility standpoint, without the no net loss, I don't think things are going to be on a strong position. Any other discussions on this? Just real quick, I just want to reiterate,
1:02:45 a point that I had brought up a long time ago. The land is already-- half of the land that they're asking to bring in is already five acre parcels, gentlemen farms. And it will get developed as McMansions ranches. I think having either its housing density or commercial use is going to be much better use of that property. So I would be voting no. To let them bring it in. I would take a motion or a second, unless there's more discussion. Commissioner Heroun, I move that we approve number five to include the campus UGA, the de-designation land. Commissioner Fadness, I'll second. We have a motion to second, Jeff. Can we have a roll call, please? Brian Halpert. Aye. Mark Burgfold. Aye.
1:03:45 Kyle Fadness. Aye. Ron Barca. No. Jack Caroon. Aye. Leisha LaDuke Montgomery. No. Carl Johnson. No. 4 to 3. 4 to 3 passes. 4 to 3. OK, we're moving on to the next one. LeCenter, UGA, de-designate agricultural resource lands and expand the UGA to the north of additional employment capacity. Any discussion or motion in seconds? This is Commissioner Fadness. I just couldn't remember when we had-- we had done the initial vote on this one. Did we vote to approve? Yes. OK. This is Oliver. You voted to approve with the-- tying into the TDR motion as was in your previous motion. And we can pull that up so that you can see that, if you like. That's OK. I just wanted to confirm. Yes. Any other discussion?
1:04:45 For a motion or a second? Commissioner Halbert, I make a motion that we accept LeCenter, UGA, number 6 here to de-designate agricultural lands. Commissioner Bergfold, I'll second that. We have a motion to second. Jeff, can we get a roll call, please? Brian Halbert. Aye. Mark Bergfold. Aye. Kyle Fadness. Aye. Ron Barca. No. Jack Caron. Aye. Lee Shula, Duke Montgomery. No. Carl Johnson. Aye. 5 to 2. 5 to 2 passes. Moving on. LeCenter, UGA, designate agriculture resource lands and expand the UGA to the southwest for additional employment capacity. Discussion or motion? Commissioner Halbert. Can you slow down just a little bit, please? Yes, I sure will. No problem. I was just reading it, Sandy. Sorry. Go ahead.
1:05:44 Commissioner Halbert here. Hey, on this one, I just don't recall, again, like you were asking, Kyle, how did we deal with this particular one last time? I couldn't even find that we voted on this one last time. At least -- I thought we did. I thought we -- We did. Yeah. This is Commissioner -- This is another donut, right? No. This was the one that goes down to the south on the west side of the highway. Oh. Okay. So Commissioner Barca had brought up a point, I believe, of the center getting hemmed in by the tribe, and correct me if I'm wrong, Commissioner, and, you know, this one I had trouble with seeing bringing this one into the center urban growth area. It just -- it seems like an expansion, like, way off, kind of not within the center of
1:06:42 -- of the center development there. I do understand the concern of getting hemmed in by the tribal lands expansion, but I do have difficulties with seeing this one come into the UGA myself. I've seen the center with schools and everything constantly try to go from the town down the hill and up towards the casino, so I understand that it's out there, but there's a history of the center. And the center schools and everybody else trying to get that connection to I-5. So I think this is the attempt, as best I can see. That was just my two cents. So either way, we're still back to where we were. It's an agricultural de-designation. Again, I'll look for a motion and a second. This is Commissioner Haroon. I will move that we accept the number seven, the center de-designation of agricultural resource land to the southwest for additional employment capacity.
1:07:42 We have a motion. Can I get a second, please? Commissioner Bergfold, I'll make a second. We have a motion and a second. Jeff, can we get a roll call? Brian Halbert. Aye. Mark Bergfold. Aye. Kyle Fadlis. No. Ron Barca. No. Jack Caroon. Aye. Oeshula Duke-Montgomery. No. Carl Johnson. Aye. 4-3. Okay. Moving on to number eight, Richfield UGA. This is the first de-designation for Richfield Agricultural Resource Lands and expanding the UGA to the north for additional employment and housing capacity. Discussion? Whoa. Which one was this? This was the little one or the big one? Big blue. Okay. Any discussion? I think Steve did a pretty good job in explaining this.
1:08:41 I thought it was really -- it was like made a good point. So a motion. This is Commissioner Haroun. Number eight, I recommend that we approve the de-designation of Agricultural Resource Lands and expand the UGA to the north for additional employment and housing capacity. We have a motion. Can I get a second, please? Commissioner Halbert, I'll second. We have a motion and a second. Can we get a vote, Jeff? Ryan Halbert? Aye. Mark Birkvold? Aye. Kyle Fadness? No. Ron Barca? No. Jack Caron? Aye. Alisha LaDuke Montgomery? No. Carl Johnson? Aye. Four-three. Number nine, the second Richfield expansion of de-designation of Agricultural Resource Lands and expand the UGA to the southwest for additional housing capacity. This has been referred as the mall property. A little piece right there, I believe it. Again, discussion or motion?
1:09:41 Is that the donut hole? Commissioner Halbert, I was going to ask the same question. Is that the donut hole property that we've talked about? I think that's one of the many donut holes we've talked about. That's correct. Yes. Yeah. Okay. So, any discussion? Motion? Seconds? Something? No. Okay.
Evidence (3 matches)
direct keyword 1:01:49–1:02:00 zoning, annexation, comprehensive plan, density, uga, UGA, traffic impact, capital facilities
nt to make sure, Jose, that doesn't affect-- since it wasn't studied in the DEIS, that does not affect us in that aspect, that it would be zoned commercial instead of residential. I think-- So the-- at this-- you're not making a motion to change the zoning if, upon annexation, a city decided to change the zoning, this process will have long terminated. OK. That's what I thought. I just wanted to make sure that it didn't affect us. Any other discussions on the CAMAS, anyone? This is Commissioner
direct keyword 1:06:52–1:07:12 zoning, annexation, comprehensive plan, density, uga, UGA, traffic impact, capital facilities
eems like an expansion, like, way off, kind of not within the center of -- of the center development there. I do understand the concern of getting hemmed in by the tribal lands expansion, but I do have difficulties with seeing this one come into the UGA myself. I've seen the center with schools and everything constantly try to go from the town down the hill and up towards the casino, so I understand that it's out there, but there's a history of the center. And the center schools and everybody el
direct keyword 1:08:54–1:09:01 zoning, annexation, comprehensive plan, density, uga, UGA, traffic impact, capital facilities
did a pretty good job in explaining this. I thought it was really -- it was like made a good point. So a motion. This is Commissioner Haroun. Number eight, I recommend that we approve the de-designation of Agricultural Resource Lands and expand the UGA to the north for additional employment and housing capacity. We have a motion. Can I get a second, please? Commissioner Halbert, I'll second. We have a motion and a second. Can we get a vote, Jeff? Ryan Halbert? Aye. Mark Birkvold? Aye. Kyle Fadn