Reject urban area expansions
Janet Hedgepath for LWVCC | Published on 2/21/2026
Read at The Columbian:
https://www.columbian.com/news/2026/feb/21/letter-reject-urban-area-expansions/
The League of Women Voters of Clark County urges the county council to deny requests by La Center and Ridgefield to expand their urban growth areas.
The requests by the two cities would reclassify agricultural land to open it to development. However, the county’s Vacant Buildable Lands Model has determined that there is enough land available for building without reclassifying agricultural lands.
An independent study also found that all current agricultural resource lands in Clark County are properly designated and provide long-term commercial significance to the agricultural industry. Of those lands, 96 percent are classified as prime farmlands or farmlands of statewide importance.
The Agricultural Advisory Commission determined that the proposed growth expansions would negatively affect agricultural productivity and viability. The commission recommended promoting long-term sustainability of agriculture in Clark County to protect its contributions to the local economy and quality of life.
Under the Growth Management Act, counties must make the conservation and enhancement of the agricultural industry an objective of their long-range planning. The Clark County Council should adhere to this direction and tell La Center and Ridgefield to find buildable land within their current UGAs.