Clark County adopts 20-year growth plan

VANCOUVER ̶ Capping more than three years of work, the Clark County Councilors this week adopted a plan that will guide growth in Clark County over the next 20 years.

The more than 400-page Comprehensive Growth Management Plan final update now goes to the Washington State Department of Commerce.

On Tuesday, Oct. 13, the council adopted ordinance 2026-10-01, reflecting their decisions on the plan update. The county will issue a Notice of Adoption of the Comprehensive Plan Update on Oct. 23, which kicks off the 60-day appeal period. Appeals are submitted to the state Growth Management Hearings Board.

The council approved the plan after listening to public comment and discussing the options.

The plan includes a new Climate Element, multi-modal transportation standards, and updated housing policies and zoning code with an emphasis on providing housing at all income levels.

Additional highlights of the plan include:

• Changes to the comprehensive and zoning plan map;
• Updates to policies and text in the comprehensive plan document;
• Changes to Clark County Code Title 40, the county’s unified development code, to implement map and policy changes;
• Changes to the Arterial Atlas;
• Updated Capital Facilities and Capital Facilities Financial Plans; and
• Updated school and transportation impact fees, and new fire impact fees.

The Growth Management Plan Update covers the 20-year period ending in 2045, when the population is projected to be 718,154 and 73,500 more people will be employed in Clark County. Currently, the county’s population is approximately 577,431, and there are approximately 180,900 jobs.

By state law, the update must include a capital facilities plan that outlines the public facilities, such as roads and schools, needed to support the additional population and how they will be financed.

The Growth Management Act requires state and local governments to manage growth by identifying and protecting critical areas and natural resource lands, designating urban growth areas, preparing comprehensive plans, and implementing them through capital investments and development regulations.

The act applies only to Washington’s quickly growing counties.

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

Information provided by Clark Co. WA Communications.