News

• Community Planning

Vancouver, WA – Age-friendly housing will be the topic of a Tuesday, Feb. 17, meeting of the Commission on Aging. The meeting will be 4:30-6 p.m. in the sixth-floor hearing room of the Public Service Center, 1300 Franklin St. It is open to the public, and a chance for Clark County residents to share concerns about needs of local residents. Speakers will be Howard and Sharon Johnson, co-founders of the nonprofit Age-Friendly Innovators, which teaches building professionals and homeowners about aging in place.


• Community Planning

Vancouver, WA – The Board of County Councilors will hold a work session at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 18, to discuss an additional alternative analysis as part of the environmental review for the state-mandated Comprehensive Growth Management Plan update. The work session will be open to the public on the sixth floor of the Public Service Center, 1300 Franklin St. Four open houses on the scope of the environmental review were held in August 2014, and the board approved three alternatives the following month. Two open houses to provide more detail on the alternatives were held in October 2014.


• Community Development

Vancouver, WA – The Clark County Fire Marshal’s Office is taking applications for at least four retail fireworks permits to be assigned by lottery Friday, Feb. 13. Fireworks cannot be sold in Clark County without a permit. Four permits will be issued through the lottery and more could become available if they are not retained by current holders, said Fire Marshal Jon Dunaway. Applications for the permit lottery can be obtained at the Fire Marshal’s Office, 505 N.W. 179th St., Ridgefield or on the county website.


• Public Works

Vancouver, WA – Up to $3 million in federal funds will be used to improve pedestrian and cyclist access to the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge. Last summer, Clark County and the city of Ridgefield jointly applied for funding to improve Northwest Main Avenue, from 300 feet inside the city limits north to the wildlife refuge headquarters at 28908 N.W. Main Ave. Western Federal Lands Highway Division, part of the U.S.


• Treasurer

Doug Lasher, Clark County Treasurer, announced that the annual Property Tax Foreclosure Auction will again be held online via an Internet-based foreclosure auction provider called “bid4assets” at http://www.bid4assets.com/storefront/index.cfm?sfID=823. It is strongly recommended that bidders do their due diligence in researching properties that are for sale.


• Community Planning

Vancouver, WA – Clark County planners will meet with the Board of County Commissioners in a work session at 10:30 a.m. Sept. 24 to discuss the potential scope of an environmental analysis on alternatives for updating the Comprehensive Growth Management Plan. The work session will be open to the public on the sixth floor of the Public Service Center, 1300 Franklin St. The county is considering options that include: • No change from the current plan adopted in 2007. • Changing some land uses currently planned in existing urban growth areas.


• Community Planning

Vancouver, WA – Clark County is holding four open houses about planning for development and studying potential impacts as the next step in updating the local Comprehensive Growth Management Plan. All open houses are 7–8:30 p.m.:

• Aug. 19: Vancouver Community Library, 920 C St.
• Aug. 20: Lacamas Lake Lodge, 227 N.E. Lake Road, Camas
• Aug. 27: Ridgefield Community Center, 210 N. Main Ave.
• Aug. 28: Battle Ground Community Center, 912 E. Main St.


• Community Planning

Vancouver, WA – County staff will ask the Board of County Commissioners to move forward with an ongoing update of the Comprehensive Growth Management Plan in a public hearing set for 10 a.m. June 24. The Board will meet at the Public Service Center, Sixth-Floor Hearing Room, 1300 Franklin St. Commissioners will consider how to divide projected population increases and planned employment increases among local cities and unincorporated areas. If approved, staff will use the allocations to plan for new homes and jobs over the next 20 years.


• Elections

Vancouver, WA – The Clark County Auditor’s Office is sponsoring a campaign workshop, “Winning Ways to Run for Office – A Candidate / Campaign Workshop.’’

The free workshop takes place on Monday, May 9, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Clark County Elections Office, 1408 Franklin, Room 226, Vancouver, WA.

A panel of experts will describe what it takes to carry out an effective campaign in Clark County. Speakers will also offer helpful advice regarding political sign regulations, campaign finance, and resources available at the Elections Office.