Open House – August 30, 2018 Freight Rail-Dependent Uses

Jose Alvarez, Community Planning

• Write your questions on provided index cards

• Staff will collect cards during presentation

• Questions will be answered at the end of the presentation as time allows

• All questions collected will be compiled, answered and posted online at www.clark.wa.gov/rail

Presentation questions and answers

8/30/18 2 Freight Rail Dependent Uses Work Session

October 19, 2017

• Growth Management Act (GMA) amendment:

• State amended the GMA to allow two counties, Clark and Okanogan, to adopt development regulations on resource lands (agriculture, forestry, mineral) adjacent to short line railroads for “freight rail dependent uses”.

Freight Rail-Dependent Uses project overview

Freight Rail Dependent Uses Open House 3 8/30/18

FRDUs are “buildings and other infrastructure that are used in the fabrication, processing, storage, and transport of goods where the use is dependent on and makes use of an adjacent short line railroad”.

-3ESB5517, Section 2(9)

What are Freight Rail-Dependent Uses (FRDUs)?

4 Freight Rail Dependent Uses Open House

Linde, LLC, NE 47th Ave/NE 78th St

Omega Industries, Inc., NE 40th Ave.

8/30/18

• Chelatchie Prairie Railroad is a 33-mile short line, owned by Clark County

• Operated by Portland Vancouver Junction Railroad Co.

• Industrial uses are currently allowed within Urban Growth Areas (UGAs) of Vancouver and Battle Ground

• Proposed code would impact rural and resource lands outside UGAs

What is the short-line railroad?

5 Freight Rail Dependent Uses Open House 8/30/18

November 2017- present

• Clark County’s 2-Phase Implementation approach

• Phase I: Comprehensive Plan policies and overlay map

• Phase II: Initiate Freight Rail Advisory Committee to propose development uses and standards

Freight Rail-Dependent Uses project overview

Freight Rail Dependent Uses Open House 6 8/30/18

• Properties within an overlay have a base zone (Ag-20, R-5)

• Overlay indicates additional uses beyond what is already allowed

What does overlay mean?

7 Freight Rail Dependent Uses Open House 8/30/18

• County Council added policies to the comprehensive plan:

• Land Use

• Rural and resource

• Transportation

• Created an overlay map

• Within 500’ of rail

Phase I – Comprehensive Plan policies and overlay

8 Freight Rail Dependent Uses Open House 8/30/18

Freight Rail Advisory Committee:

• Columbia River Economic Development Council

• City of Battle Ground

• Commercial & Industrial Realtor

• Portland Vancouver Junction Railroad

• Port of Vancouver

• Railroad advisory board members (non-affiliated)

• Parks Advisory Board

• Farm Bureau

• Brush Prairie Neighborhood Association

Phase II – Committee and Development Regs.

9 Freight Rail Dependent Uses Open House

Committee’s charge: To consider and recommend development regulations related to freight rail-dependent uses.

8/30/18

Freight Rail-Dependent Use Advisory Committee recommendations:

• Overlay map expansion and one-mile corridor

• Development use list

• Building and development standards

• Sewer extension

Phase II – Development uses and standards

10 Freight Rail Dependent Uses Open House 8/30/18

View from 39th St. bridge, Fruit Valley

Overlay expansion and one mile corridor

11 Freight Rail Dependent Uses Open House 8/30/18

• Agriculture, forestry (crop/animal production, forestry and logging)

• Utilities (electric power generation, natural gas distribution)

• Construction (storage yards for building materials, contractors’ equipment and vehicles

• Manufacturing (food, textiles, wood products, plastics/rubber, asphalt paving mixture, chemicals, metal, cement, electronics)

• Wholesale trade (durable and non durable goods)

• Retail trade (construction and industrial equipment sales)

• Transportation and warehousing (rail, truck, postal service)

• Other (information, real estate and rental and leasing, waste management, repair and maintenance)

Examples of Freight Rail-Dependent Uses

12 Freight Rail Dependent Uses Open House 8/30/18

• Requires applicants to submit the location of buildings in relationship to the railroad and how they will comply with development standards such as building height, property line setbacks, and landscaping.

Building and Development Standards

13 8/30/18 Freight Rail Dependent Uses Open House

Andersen Plastics, Brush Prairie

• Currently, sewer is not allowed outside of UGAs

• The proposal would update county code to include the option to extend sewer services to support freight rail-dependent developments.

Sewer extension

14 Freight Rail Dependent Uses Work Session 8/30/18

Survey – September 13 deadline www.surveymonkey.com/r/MQ3SRGP Email Jose.alvarez@clark.wa.gov Online www.clark.wa.gov/rail Mail Community Planning P.O. Box 9810 Vancouver, WA 98666-9810 Sign up for email updates www.clark.wa.gov/community-planning/get-project-updates

How to comment on the proposal

15 Freight Rail Dependent Uses Work Session 8/30/18

Freight Rail Dependent Use Implementation

Freight Rail Dependent Uses Work Session 16

ESB 5517 Oct. 19, 2017

Phase 1 adopted Jan. 9, 2018

Phase II begins March 28, 2018

Advisory Committee Proposal

June 20, 2018

Open House Aug. 30, 2018

County Council WS Review open house

feedback Sept. 26, 2018

Planning Commission hearing and

recommendation TBD

Council hearing and ordinance adoption

TBD

8/30/18

Questions and Answers

17

Clark County Community Planning

Clark County Public Service Center

1300 Franklin Street • PO Box 5000

Vancouver, WA 98666-5000

All questions and answers, including those not answered during the presentation will be compiled, answered, and posted online at www.clark.wa.gov/rail.