Urban Holding
Much of the land on the September 2004 land use map included with the 20 year county growth plan falls into the Urban Holding (UH) designation.
The UH category prevents urban sprawl from spreading into rural areas. Urban Holding indicates that lands cannot be developed until sufficient infrastructure (water, sewer, schools, roads, etc.) is in place to support urban development.
This method also applies urban zoning designations for the future development of those now rural lands. Combined with the UH designation, this method protects growth areas from premature development.
Urban Holding alerts both cities and property owners that this land is likely to be urbanized when adequate facilities are available. The norm has been annexation to a city prior to development.
One purpose of long range planning is to make certain that services are available when development occurs.
The government agencies include the county and state (roads and drainage) and cities. Special districts include schools, fire and police protection, sewer, and water.
At the request of the Board of County Commissioners, Long Range planning has prepared a staff report on the impacts of lifting the Urban Holding designation.
The question from the BoCC is this: Are urban services already available in the Urban Holding area? If not, can those services be provided in the near future? If so, why not lift the UH designation to allow development?
As part of their evaluation, Clark County long range planners asked service providers those same questions.
Preparing the September 2004 comp plan update placed an enormous strain on the limited long range planning staff of all these agencies, including Clark County. This time the cities and service providers were only given 30 days to respond.
The results were somewhat predictable.
The cities of Battle Ground, Camas, La Center, Ridgefield, and Vancouver do not want the UH designation removed. Only Washougal asked that their UH zone be eliminated. (Yacolt has no land in Urban Holding.
Regional service providers like roads, schools and the Sheriff's office stated they are not ready either.
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