Three requests from BattleGround - two to expand and one to return one parcel. Discussion regarding Battle Ground’s lack of planning. . C. Barca felt that if they want to expand their Urban Growth Area (UGA) they should not be returning a parcel that is already in their UGA. He said a jurisdiction should take responsibility for its UGA. C. Fadness didn’t see the difference and the cities needed land they could develop. The 3 requests were approved

4 - Camas UGA expansion of Grove field - passed

C. LeDuc Montgomery proposed an amendment to the Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) section in the Land Use Element before the other UGA requests are considered. C. Harroun wants to send back to Council their original TDR version as he objects to C. LeDuc Montgomery’s no net loss of agricultural land clause. He calls the provision a “death nail”. C. Barca doesn’t agree. He and C. Harroun debated the particulars of how the provision would work. C. Barca sums up the debate saying, “we have a difference of opinion about highest and best use of the land. You see the best use is for development.” C. LeDuc Montgomery argued that the amendment would be more legally defensible and responsible to the majority of public comment. C. Harroun repeated that it was not economically feasible and the cities “desperately needed this land”. The amendment fails.

The other UGA articles pass. There is another debate over a Vancouver request that created minimum densities in some zoning areas. C. Fadness and C. Harroun wanted the minimum densities changed to incorporate the recommendations that DEAB (Development, Engineering and Architectural Board) had sent to the Commission two hours previously. C. Barca said he was not willing to accept DEAB’s recommendations without looking at them. C. Harroun defended DEAB and said they were the experts and should be listened to. C. Johnson said DEAB had lost some credibility with him by sending a multi page document two hours before a meeting. C. Harroun said that staff doesn’t work with DEAB and doesn’t listen to the commissioners. He asserted that DEAB should have their recommendations adopted because they were a board made up of developers and they knew their subject matter. C. LeDuc Montgomery said that argument could have applied as well to the Agricultural Board and wasn’t . She defended the staff. The amendment failed.

Oliver Orijako spoke up and asked to go on the record that it was not acceptable to insult his staff. He spoke highly of his staff and restated firmly that he would not expect to hear any further public criticism of his staff. C. Harroun said he did not intend to insult the staff and then went on to list his grievances with the staff, mostly that he didn’t feel listened to.

Commissioners had about 100 items to vote on. They were primarily items they had seen and passed before. This was their chance to make any adjustments after hearing public comment and reading any letters they received. When they got to the Comprehensive Plan Chapters, several were pulled out to amend. C. LeDuc Montgomery again raised the issue of an enforceable TDR program change for the Land Use chapter. C. Harroun and C. Barca again argued the merits of both sides with C. Harroun saying, “We can’t do this to our cities” and C. Barca noted that each of the cities had asked for a TDR program when they testified at the previous meeting. The amendment failed again. On the Housing chapter, C. Barca had some specific additions to reduce the cost of home ownership specifically for housing in the 80-100% AMI. That amendment passed. An amendment to the Climate chapter added a provision for the County to work with the PUD to allow for grid scale batteries. (This idea was brought up at the hearing by Don Steinke) C. Fadness again brought up the idea of code changes removing minimum density requirements and allowing detached housing in mixed use zoning. Although both would allow more single family housing and undermine meeting housing requirements, he contended it was only to allow more flexibility. The amendment failed.

At the end of the meeting Oliver Ojiako thanked his staff, consultants, districts and the commissioners for all of their hard work. He said he accepted C. Harroun’s apology and again praised his staff and rejected any public criticism of them.

He will take the commissioners recommendations to the Council on Sept 16. The Council will have a hearing on October 1 at 4pm and will carry over to October 2 at 10am if necessary.

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