County releases agricultural lands study as part of the comprehensive plan update

Published Date

Study will be discussed at a County Council work session, Nov. 12 

Clark County is revising its Comprehensive Growth Management Plan, a 20-year guide for managing growth and development with respect to the natural environment and available resources. As a part of the update, the county hired a consultant, ECONorthwest, to conduct an agricultural resource lands study which was released this week.

The study focuses on land within the unincorporated areas of the county, outside of the current urban growth areas, including areas that currently have agricultural and rural zoning. The study evaluates state and local criteria to help identify lands that are used or capable of being used for agricultural production. The county held two open houses in September and October to provide information on the study and gather feedback from community members.

The agricultural lands study does not include policy recommendations or recommend changes to land designations. The data within the report will be utilized to inform decision makers and the public in the selection of a preferred alternative that will be further analyzed as a part of the comprehensive plan update. 

The consultant that produced it will give the Clark County Council an informational briefing as a part of a work session in November. The work session is open to the public, however there will be no public comment as part of the event. Public comment on the study will take place in early 2026 as a part of a discussion on the preferred alternative. 

The work session will be held on Nov. 12 at 9 a.m. The meeting will be held in a hybrid format. Attendees can join in person in the sixth-floor hearing room of the Public Service Center, 1300 Franklin St., or virtually via Webex. Information on how to attend the meeting can be found on the council’s meeting page at https://clark.wa.gov/councilors/clark-county-council-meetings.

Clark County has not performed a countywide agricultural resource lands study since the initial adoption of the county’s first comprehensive plan under the Growth Management Act (GMA) in 1994.

 Comments on the agricultural lands study and the comprehensive plan update can be submitted in the following ways: 

Learn more about the county Comprehensive Plan Update project, Your Future. Your Voice. at: https://bit.ly/2025CPUpdate

Learn more about the county agricultural resource lands study at: bit.ly/2025CPAgStudy 

CONTACT:
Jose Alvarez, Program Manager  
564.397.4898, jose.alvarez@clark.wa.gov 

Oliver Orjiako, Director, Community Planning 
564.397.4112, oliver.orjiako@clark.wa.gov