2023 Ward 1, 2 and 3 Town Hall Meetings

The following information is a summary of the questions asked and information provided at the Camas City Council Ward 1,2 and 3 Town Hall meetings held between Feb 7, 2023 and April 27, 2023. Again, this is just a summary and does not serve as a verbatim account of what occurred at each meeting. 

Please note, this a summary and not a complete account. As such, some of the information may have been updated more recently. Again, this is a snapshot of the meetings that occurred earlier in 2023. For updated information related to a specific section, of if you have additional questions, please contact the City @ administration@cityofcamas.us 

SUMMARY OF 2023 WARD MEETINGS

Utility Tax

The City was served with a lawsuit related to the rejection of the Petition. The City Attorney’s office is reviewing the matter. We’ve been advised the city position is that no comments are provided on pending litigation. To the extent council members receive inquiries our attorney advises no comment be provided and inquiries be directed to administration. 

Fireworks

It was summarized that Council had reviewed and discussed retaining the current standard established by the state or moving to a standard of safe & sane, or other restriction. They chose not to modify the current standard established by the state.

Infrastructure

38th Ave widening project - The project is funded and underway. The State has tentatively identified additional funding supporting the reconstruction work. 

Streets - Road chip seal in terrible condition less than 6 months after paving.

Unfortunately, the oil used by the City’s chip seal contractor in 2022 did not hold the rock in place as it should. There are multiple locations throughout the City in which this occurred. This is a Warranty issue that is the responsibility of the contractor who will be fixing it in the summer of 2023. In the meantime, City staff have been monitoring conditions and sweeping up the loose rock as needed.

Streets repair & maintenance: Several Roads are in poor condition, yet funding is higher than past. What is the plan and when?

The City’s “Pavement Preservation” budget does typically increase - slightly - each year with increased property tax revenues. However, current levels of funding are not sufficient to maintain our pavement network. In rough numbers:

The city spends approximately $1.0 mil/year on pavement preservation.

Camas would need to spend approximately $2.0 mil/year to maintain our pavement conditions at the current level/rating.

Camas would need to spend approximately $3.0 mil each year over the next 5 years ($15 mil total) to improve conditions to a more optimum level.   

Deferred Maintenance - The belief is that in the past, the City likely chose to defer maintenance on buildings, streets, parks, trails and other infrastructure as a means to save money and potentially because they weren’t aware of the consequences at the time. Preventative maintenance, which we strive for today, typically seems more expensive up front, but in reality is more expensive in the long term as we are now forced to play catch up.

Roundabouts - Ultimately, there will be improvements at 6^th/Adams. What that will look like, or when it will be funded is still unknown, though discussions in recent years would likely point towards a roundabout as the preferred option. Staff submitted for a safety improvement grant in 2022, but was not successful.

How can people suggest changes to infrastructure and street improvements?

Via outreach to councilors and through the city’s website. They can also contact staff directly if they’d like. Additionally, every year in late Spring, City Staff brings forth a discussion to Council regarding the “6-Year Transportation Improvement Program” as required by the RCWs. The public can comment at that time as well.

Water Quality 

Well 13 PFAS - Will be placed back in service this summer, after retesting found no contamination above the State Action Limit. Testing will continue throughout the summer months, while the well is in operation. The City is still monitoring and testing, as well as coordinating closely with the Dept. of Health. Additional tests are being conducted and the City will keep the community informed of the results.  PFAS detection does not mean the water can’t be consumed or that the water will make those who consume it sick; however, informing people that there are PFAS in the water gives them the ability to reduce their exposures should they choose to. Also important to note here that there is no clear guidance from EPA (e.g. they haven’t even created a Federal “limit” yet or any requirements associated with the Clean Water Act, etc.) or from the State on what should happen beyond monitoring and notification to the public – but staff is monitoring closely, coordinating with State, and coordinating with other water purveyors in the area.

Lake Cleanup - There is currently potential litigation specific to Lacamas Shores Biofilter, which is why the City will not discuss that specifically, as we’re not able to comment due to pending litigation. It is ok though, to focus on the bigger picture Lake Management Plan where the City is leading the effort to look at all potential causes of pollution and working with our Agency Partners (County, Ecology, etc.) on sources throughout the entire 67 square mile watershed. It is also safe to say that the City has a State Issued Stormwater Permit in which we continue to meet all requirements. Please visit Engage Camas for the most recent information. Field data collection (water quality sampling, etc.) is complete and is currently being analyzed. The Project Team is currently meeting with County and State Agency (e.g. Ecology, Fish & Wildlife, etc.) Stakeholders as well as other stakeholder groups (e.g. Lacamas Watershed Council, Clark Conservation District, etc.) to review potential management strategies and get initial feedback. The last public Open House to present the findings of the Plan and proposed management strategies is anticipated to occur in mid-July. It is not likely to expect there to be any strategies that can be implemented this summer to directly improve water quality…

Economic Development

Northshore - What are the current plans for the new annexed areas North of Lacamas Lake?

The City Council adopted the North Shore Subarea Plan last November. The Plan accommodates a mix of residential, commercial, mixed use, and open space land and will provide capacity for 8,017 new residents and 1,399 new jobs. The City is currently working on revised zoning, tree preservation requirements, and design guidelines for the area that will encourage high-quality design to create a sense of place in the North Shore consistent with the community’s vision.

Plan for Mill Property - What are we going to do about the mill? Why are we developing the Northshore when we should be developing downtown? Why doesn’t the city listen to the citizens?

The mill is a private business. While the mill has reduced operations in recent years, it still remains in operation and continues to employ members of our community. Though folks have speculated about what could happen in the future, the mill has not shared any plans to stop current operations.

The City isn’t a developer, but we do planning to ensure that development reflects community needs and desires. The City’s 2016 Comprehensive Plan recommended subarea plans for four different areas of our community, including downtown and the North Shore. In 2019, the City Council choose to move forward with the North Shore Subarea Plan. The North Shore was added to the City’s Urban Growth Area and annexed in 2007. Zoning for the area was adopted at that time, but the City Council later recognized that the area would benefit from a more targeted planning process to develop North Shore-specific planning policies and regulations for this unique area.

The City has also heard from our residents and our downtown business community of their desire to see planning for our downtown. The City Council approved funding for a Downtown Subarea Plan last year and the Community Development Department will be starting work on a Downtown Subarea Plan this year.

The Mill is still an active, profitable business that continues to employ Camas residents and the City continues to support and coordinate with like other businesses in Camas. Our understanding is Mill has been hiring additional people in the recent past and that Camas is one of only a couple paper mills that can manufacture the paper towel rolls. Generally speaking, the Mill Property – including the 27 acres often referred to as the Camas Business Center (CBC) property on the north side of 6^th – is included in an “Agreed Order” with the Department of Ecology “to provide for remedial action at a facility where there has been a release or threatened release of hazardous substances”. This means that Ecology and GP have entered into an agreement to investigate the potential release of hazardous substances and to create a Work Plan for future steps and potential cleanup as needed. This step alone could take years to complete, with many additional years for any potential clean-up activities. Additionally, investigation of areas at the Mill that are still operational will not even be started until such time that they are no longer used for business purposes.

What is Camas doing to attract restaurants/new businesses?

Since 2019: 25 new businesses and 14 expansions in Downtown Camas. 

2023: The Pink Room Camas and Next Dough Neighbor doughnuts.

2022: 4 new businesses and 6 expansions! New: Bookish, Camas Brewing Co, Sweet Intention Gift Boutique and William & Son Jewelers; Expansions/Relocations: Giatti’s Speakeasy at Salud; Natalia’s Malt Shop, Naturally Healthy Pet, Camas Bike & Sport, Donna Roberts Realty and Periwinkle’s Toy Shoppe

2021: 7 new businesses and three expansions! New: Camas Slices, Donna Roberts Group, DC Lending, Golden Ladder Interiors, Poppy & Hawk, Phaysone SkinCare and Periwinkle’s Toy Shoppe; Expansions: Moonlight Salon, Natalia’s Café and Salud Wine Bar

2020: 8 new businesses or expansions: A Creative Twist, Clara Flats Apartments, Juxtaposition Home Furnishings, Lara Blair Photography (expansion), LUX Artistry Collective, Papermaker Pride (move/expansion), Riverview Bank (new building), Truly Scrumptious 

2019: 13 new businesses or expansions: Attic Gallery (expansion), Body Bliss Yoga (now LiveWell), Cedar Street Bagel Company, Core Industries, Coventry Gardens, Dr. Jennifer Stebbing, Electrical Panel Co-work Space, Envyago Esthetician, Norris Arts, Papermaker Pride, Petal & Thorn Naturopath, Pinnovate Skincare, Salon Magnolia (expansion), Tommy O’s at the Camas Hotel

Parks 

Swimming Pool - Many community members miss our former pool at Crown Park. Council recognizes that and approved funding in the FY 2023-24 budget to complete pool planning work.

I know many of you are just looking at replacement of the pool for aquatics recreation, but as our community grows, we are looking at recreational uses holistically for not only today, but into the future. This project will help provide community feedback on what our community desires, such as aquatics, indoor recreational classes, and/or indoor sports courts for pickleball and/or basketball. The result of this conversation will inform capital priorities for Council to act on.

Dog Park- Camas has evaluated several dog park sites. In 2021, Parks & Recreation Commissioners and staff from both the cities of Camas and Washougal did a “potential dog park site tour." Both parks commissions discussed the site visits with the respective groups following the tour. On Dec. 8, 2021, the Camas P&R Commission discussed the site visit and discussed the recommendation that came out of the site tour. The meeting can be seen here - https://www.cityofcamas.us/bc-parks-rec-commission/page/parks-and-recreation-commission-meeting-special-meeting-1.

Sites visited – Goot Park, Skatepark, downtown Washougal (lot behind City Hall)

Recommendation – Both commissions agreed that Camas should spend its resources to complete the skatepark improvement project while Washougal spends its resources to complete a dog park. Washougal currently has the dog park project on their capital plan - https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/4687667d89d04959a2d0355d86d6b441

Washougal should have a dog park up and running and Camas will be completing the skatepark improvement project this year. Camas will have capacity to revisit the dog park idea again this year with the Camas P&R Commission, so please watch for it listed on the Commission agenda later this year.

Speeding

Camas PD Officers routinely stop vehicles for traffic violations when handling the rest of their duties and as they travel around the city. Last year they made over 4000 traffic stops. Many of these were on NE 3^rd Avenue. CRESA has the ability to plot out where each stop was made using GIS technology, if needed. The map shows a dot where each traffic stop was made and tends to indicate that traffic stops are made all over the city. These are the stops made during random patrols. 

In addition, we coordinate a traffic complaint process where officers can be specifically assigned to go check out an area that we received a traffic complaint about. Typically, this would look like someone calling the office to report problems with speeding drivers, or drivers who run stop signs. The officer will go out and watch that street/location and work the problem through enforcement if possible. We work with Engineering on some complaints by letting them put out the speed tubes to get us data on speeds, times, and vehicle traffic.

Snow Plowing

There are residents concerned about their roads not being plowed, with statements like - we all pay the same taxes, kids can’t go to school because the City won’t plow the snow and a plow drove by with the blade up, I can’t receive packages, etc., etc.

The City’s response to storm events varies every time depending on the severity, length, conditions, etc. of that particular storm and what we can guess from the forecast. The one consistent item though, is that we focus on the priority routes that move the most people and commerce, and on Emergency Services – plowing, deicing, sanding and getting them where they need to go. Once we get through our priority routes, we work our way down to secondary, and ultimately down to residential streets.

The City’s 6 plows are not enough to be able to get to every road in the City in every event even if we’re running 24/7 - which often occurs, specifically if know we have a large extended storm coming at us. Historically, during most events the snow and ice melts away quickly after a storm. In an extended event, we balance the need to clear priority routes with factors such as equipment capacity and efficacy, cost, and the forecast. A common consideration with a storm event is the City’s stockpile of materials such as sand and deicer because suppliers can’t get to us or don’t have it and we couldn’t stock enough ahead of time because we don’t have the space.

There is also the safety of the crews themselves and balancing the long hours (often 12-16 hrs/day). And from an equipment standpoint, yes, sometimes the plows go by with the blade up! There are reasons for this, such as when laying deicer down plowing isn’t needed, getting to an emergency, using the heavy-duty chains to break up ice/packed snow, moving to another priority route, etc. Sometimes plowing can have the opposite effect when you’re dealing with packed snow/ice and we need to wait for it to soften up and break it up before plowing.