Skamania County Community Development Department Building/Fire Marshal Environmental Health Planning Skamania County Courthouse Annex Post Office Box 1009 Stevenson, Washington 98648 Phone: 509-427-3900 Inspection Line: 509-427-3922 STAFF REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION TO THE HEARING EXAMINER PROJECT: FILE NO: REQUEST: Mansur/Stump Comprehensive Plan/ Zoning Map Amendments CMP-16-01 (Comprehensive Plan Map Amendment) and REZ-16-02 (Zoning Map Amendment) The applicant requests amendments to the Carson Community Subarea Comprehensive Plan Map and Zoning Map to change the land use designation and zoning designation from Rural Residential to High Density Residential. I. GENERAL INFORMATION Owner(s): Applicant(s): Tax Parcel Number(s): Gerald Stump 2252 Monaghan Road Carson, WA Scott Mansur 18 Fairway Road White Salmon, WA 03-08-28-2-0-0100-00 and 03-08-28-2-0-0200-00 Curtis Stump 281 Peyrollaz Road Carson, WA Location: 252 Monaghan Road and 281 Peyrollaz Road, Carson, WA; Section 28 of T3N, R8E, W.M. Comprehensive Plan Designation: Carson Community Subarea, Rural Residential Zoning: Carson Community, Rural Residential Requested Comprehensive Plan Designation: Carson Community Subarea, High Density Residential Requested Zoning: Carson Community, High Density Residential Square Footage/Acreage: Approximately 7.14 total acres Sanitary Sewer District: On-site septic Domestic Water Supplies: Carson Water System Fire District: Skamania County Fire Protection District #1 School District: Stevenson - Carson II. BACKGROUND: The applicant submitted Comprehensive Plan Change and Rezone Applications on December 22, 2016 (Exhibits 1 and 2), requesting amendments to the Carson Community Subarea Comprehensive Plan Map and Zoning Map to change the land use designation and zoning
Page 2 designation on two adjacent parcels owned by Gerald Stump and Curtis Stump from Rural Residential to High Density Residential. The Carson Community Subarea Comprehensive Plan was adopted on December 19, 1994, and designated the subject parcels as Rural Residential. The Carson Final Zoning was adopted on December 29, 1997, zoning these parcels Rural Residential. Figure 1. Current Zoning (the subject properties are outlined in red). Under SCC 21.18.070, comprehensive plan map amendments and zoning map amendments may be proceed concurrently. This Staff report will address both applications. III. SEPA THRESHOLD DETERMINATION: A SEPA Environmental Checklist was submitted with both applications on December 22, 2016. A Determination of Non-Significance was issued and published in the official paper of record (the Skamania County Pioneer) on March 8, 2017 (Exhibit 3). The Community Development Department received five comments during the 14-day comment period (Exhibit 4). These comments were from adjacent property owners and expressed concerns about the proposed map amendments and their potential to allow additional residential development in this area. They pertain more to the requests at hand than the County s environmental determination and are therefore included with this report. IV. PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE: A Notice of Public Hearing was sent to the Skamania County Pioneer, for publication on February 22, 2017, and again on March 22, 2017 (Exhibit 5). Mailed notices were also sent to all adjacent property owners within 1000 ft. and interested parties on February 28, 2017, and posted on the Community Development Department s website on that same day (Exhibit 6). Due to scheduling conflicts, a change of venue was required. Notices addressing this were posted on the Community Development website on March 22, 2017, and sent to the Skamania County Pioneer that same day for publication on March 29, 2017. Information about the change
Page 3 of venue will also be posted at all entrances to the Skamania Courthouse Annex on the night of the hearing (Exhibit 7). V. AGENCIES CONTACTED: The following agencies were contacted: Washington State Department of Ecology Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife Washington State Department of Natural Resources Washington State Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation Washington State Department of Commerce Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission Washington State Interagency on Outdoor Recreation Washington State Department of Social & Health Services Washington State Department of Health Washington State Department of Corrections Washington State Department of Transportation Skamania County PUD #1 Yakama Indian Nation Nez Perce Tribe Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Reservation Cowlitz Indian Tribe Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board VI. NATURAL ENVIRONMENT: Photo 1. View of subject properties looking southeast. A. Topography: The subject properties slope gently towards the south. The grade of the properties ranges from 5% to 10% in slope.
Page 4 B. Soils: The Natural Resources Conservation Service identifies two soil types on the subject properties - #158 and #159, both areas consist of Washougal gravelly loam, a prime soil for farmland. C. Surface Water: There is no surface water on the project site. D. Vegetation: The Gerald Stump property has several mature trees surrounding the existing development. The remainder of the properties is mostly pasture or grass with some blackberries. E. Wildlife: The applicant s SEPA checklist identified the presence of songbirds in the project area. A review of WDFW Priority Habitat Inventory data did not identify any sensitive wildlife on or near the subject properties. F. Sensitive Areas: None. VII. NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTERISTICS: The subject properties are located in the southeast corner of Carson, an incorporated urban area within the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. The properties are located south of a Bonneville Power Administration power line corridor and between Peyrollaz Road and Monaghan Road. Within the urban area, nearby properties are located within either the Rural Residential, High Density Residential, or Rural Estate zones and are used for residential purposes. Most of the larger agricultural properties are improved with single-family dwellings or outbuildings. Figure 2. Surrounding Area.
Page 5 East of Peyrollaz Road the properties tend towards over 1-acre in size, though there are several properties under 1-acre north of the BPA corridor and closer to Hot Springs Avenue. West of Peyrollaz the vast majority of parcels are under one acre in size and many are 0.5 acres or smaller in size, especially as you move in a northwesterly direction towards Hot Springs Avenue. There are some properties closer to Peyrollaz Road that are larger in size ranging from two to six acres which could yet be divided. VIII. PUBLIC COMMENT: Five comments received in response to the SEPA determination notice are applicable to this request as well. These are included in Exhibit 4. IX. CRITERIA FOR APPROVAL: A. SKAMANIA COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN: 1. The following criteria for individual comprehensive plan amendments apply to this request: (Chapter 1: Introduction, Amending the Comprehensive Plan, pg. 15.) The Comprehensive Plan Amendment Cycle and review process is as follows: 1. All comprehensive plan amendment applications must be completed by the applicant (signed by the applicant and property owners) and submitted to the Planning Department on or before December 31st of each calendar year. 2. The comprehensive plan amendments will then be placed on the Hearing Examiner s schedule for public hearing at either the following April (east county), May (mid county) or June (west county) meeting. Finding: The applicant submitted a Comprehensive Plan Change Application on December 22, 2016. A public hearing was subsequently scheduled for April 5, 2017. 3. The Planning Department will provide written analysis of each plan amendment to the Hearing Examiner for review. Finding: This criterion is met by this Staff Report. 4. The Hearing Examiner will then hold at least one public hearing to consider and act upon the original application. Finding: This criterion will be met by the public hearing scheduled for April 5, 2017. A complete application for quasi-judicial comprehensive plan amendment must be submitted in writing and include the following: 1. A completed State Environment Policy Act (SEPA) checklist and application fee (as set by the Board of County Commissioners); 2. Comprehensive Plan Amendment Fee (as set by the Board of County Commissioners); 3. Responses to the following: a. Description of the requested Plan Amendment; b. An explanation of why the amendment is being proposed including specific areas of the comprehensive plan needing changes; c. Draft text amendment language, if appropriate;
Page 6 d. An explanation of how the criteria in 4 (below) are met by the proposal; Finding: A complete application and SEPA checklist with the required information was submitted. 4. Criteria against which the proposed amendment must be evaluated and found to be in substantial compliance for approval: a. A text and/or map amendment is necessary to resolve inconsistencies within the County Comprehensive Plan with which the county has no objection; Finding: The map amendment is not proposed to resolve inconsistencies within the Comprehensive Plan. b. Conditions have significantly changed since the adoption of the Comprehensive Plan or Official Controls to the extent that the existing adopted plan provision or map designation is inappropriate. Examples of significantly changed conditions include, but are not limited to: 1) sixty percent (60%) infill of existing lots within the entire mapping designation being proposed for change; or 2) new technology and uses not originally considered in the text have been developed; Finding: The land use element and land designation map for the subject parcels are based upon the Carson Community Comprehensive Subarea Plan, adopted in December 1994. Conditions have changed significantly since that time. The applicant requests only a map change, not a text amendment. Staff reviewed data from the Skamania County Assessor s office regarding parcel size and current land use. There are currently 669 parcels located within the High Density Residential zone totaling 740 acres. At present, 86% percent of these parcels are developed. 83% cannot be further divided as they less than 1-acre in size. 91% of the parcels are either developed or too small to be further divided. These figures demonstrate build-out exceeding 60% and a need for additional land inventory planned for High Density Residential development. This criterion will be further discussed below under the criteria for the Carson Subarea plan. c. The proposed text and/or map amendment is consistent with the overall intent of the goals, maps, and land use element of the Comprehensive Plan; Finding: The proposed map amendment would change the comprehensive plan map, but in a manner consistent with the natural progression of growth in the Carson subarea by changing the designation of the subject properties to a designation that already exists on adjacent properties. The requested land designation is one of the land designations identified in the Carson Subarea plan and is consistent with the overall intent and goals of the plan by its inclusion within the plan. Further discussion of the land use element of the Comprehensive Plan is included below under subsection B. d. The proposed text and/or map amendment is consistent with RCW 36.70, those sections of RCW 36.70A to which Skamania County is required to plan under, and Comprehensive Plan policies;
Page 7 Finding: Specific findings regarding applicable statues and Comprehensive Plan policies are identified in sections B and C below. e. Additionally, for an amendment to the Comprehensive Plan or any Subarea Plan Map, the proposed designation must be contiguous along a shared boundary to the requested comprehensive plan or subarea plan designation by at least 100 feet or 25% of the width of the property proposed to change, whichever is greater; Finding: Together, the subject properties are adjacent to the High Density Residential land use designation for a distance of 495 ft. f. Environmental impacts have been disclosed and measures imposed to avoid or, if not possible to avoid, then mitigate said impacts; and, Finding: The applicant s SEPA Checklist disclosed any potential environmental impacts and measures to avoid or mitigate impacts. Skamania County, as lead agency, issued a Determination of Non-significance on March 8, 2017. g. The applicant should examine potential ramifications of the proposed text and/or map amendment to other Comprehensive Plan Elements and official controls and show how the potential ramifications have been considered and addressed. Finding: The applicant indicated the potential for increased traffic on Peyrollaz and Monaghan Roads as the result of this request. While no land division has been proposed at this time, based on acreage alone the properties could carry an additional twelve single-family dwellings with increased vehicle trips. The properties front Peyrollaz Road and Monaghan Road, both twolane dead end roads with sufficient capacity to carry additional development, according to the County Engineer. It is likely that any increase in trips would be shared between both roads. With regard to other comprehensive plan elements, included utilities, public facilities, and services, the comprehensive plan indicates no concerns for the ability of the community to handle additional growth. The Skamania County PUD was sent notice of the SEPA Determination on this proposal and did not provide any comments. The PUD already has infrastructure for water and power in the area. 2. The following land use element goals and policies are applicable to this request (Chapter 2: Land Use Element, Land Use Element Goals and Policies, pg. 26) Goal LU.2: To provide for orderly future physical development of Skamania County. Policy LU.2.5: Land use patterns should follow along roads, rivers, township lines, range lines, section lines or quarter section lines rather than individual parcel lines to provide for uniform regular boundaries between land use designations. Finding: While the request only applies to two individual parcels, approval of this request would extend the High Density Residential land use designation east to Monaghan Road which is also a quarter section line.
Page 8 Goal LU.3: To coordinate public and private interests in land development. Policy LU.3.2: Promote the revitalization of older or declining areas to capitalize on existing public investments (water systems, streets, electrification, telephone service, etc.) and private investments (buildings, driveways, landscaping, etc.). Finding: The subject parcels are located in an older area with existing infrastructure that can be utilized for any subsequent residential infill development. No new major infrastructure would be required, only minor improvements to bring services to new parcels. Goal LU.4: To promote interagency cooperation and effective planning and scheduling of improvements and activities so as to avoid conflicts, duplication and waste. Policy LU.4.3: Land use patterns, which minimize the cost of providing adequate levels of public services and infrastructure, should be encouraged. Finding: Higher density development is a more efficient use of land that minimizes infrastructure required. Additionally, maintenance costs for infrastructure can be spread out over more property owners. B. CARSON COMMUNITY COMPREHENSIVE SUBAREA PLAN: 1. The following general land use policy applies to this request. (III. Land Use Element, A. General Policies, pg. 1) 4) The comprehensive planning policies set out herein and all land use designations and land use regulations undertaken pursuant hereto should provide clear and objective standards to govern future development. Said policies, designations and regulations should not be varied or amended absent proof of a substantial change in circumstances; Finding: The Subarea Plan defines substantial change in circumstances as a significant change in conditions affecting the Carson planning area as a whole or a substantial portion thereof, sufficient to justify an amendment of this plan. Examples include, but should not be limited to, 60% in-fill in any zone, or a change in legal circumstances sufficient to defeat the purposes of a policy established in this plan or a regulation implementing this plan. As indicated previously, the Subarea Plan for Carson was adopted in December 1994. Circumstances have changed substantially in Carson in the 22 years since that initial adoption. Population growth rates for Carson specifically are unavailable, but the growth rates of Skamania County as a whole give a general idea of the growth patterns in Carson. According to the Washington State Office of Financial Management, the population of the County increased by 19.1% from 1990 to 2000, increasing by 1,583 residents from 8,289 residents in 1990. From 2000 to 2010, the County added an additional 1,194 residents at a rate of 12.1% over that ten year period. Because of limited land available for growth in the County due to the ownership of public lands and the restrictions of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, the Urban Area of Carson must accommodate a large portion of that growth.
Page 9 Staff reviewed data from the Skamania County Assessor s office regarding parcel size and current land use. There are currently 669 parcels located within the High Density Residential land use designation totaling 740 acres. At present, 86% percent of these parcels are developed. 83% cannot be further divided as they less than 1-acre in size. 91% of the parcels are either developed or too small to be further divided. These figures support the need to plan for additional inventory of High Density Residential land. 2. The following land use designation description applies to this request (III. Land Use Element, B. Land Use Designations, pg. 2) High Density Residential The High Density Residential designation is based upon existing high densities and includes parcels which presently are predominantly less than one acre. Other bases for this designation include proximity to public facilities and the ability of an area to support high density residential development without compromising the rural residential character of the planning area. Finding: The subject properties are currently designated Rural Residential, but the applicant has requested a change to the High Density Residential designation. The subject properties are in close proximity to public facilities in Carson. Carson Elementary is approximately 0.5 acres from the subject properties. The Skamania County Fire Protection District #1 Station is approximately 0.9 miles away. Both properties front existing two-lane public roads and are approximately 0.25 miles from Hot Springs Avenue and 0.9 miles from Wind River Highway, both arterial roads. Water and electric infrastructure exist in the area already. A general goal of the Carson Subarea Plan is to maintain the rural residential character of the area. The plan states: This goal is premised upon the proposition that certain qualities or values which are viewed as "rural" by members of the Carson community should be preserved and enhanced. Those values include privacy, mixed residential, agricultural and forestry land uses, peace and quiet, lack of heavy traffic, clean air, clean water, wildlife and fish habitat, open spaces, recreational opportunities, and the least amount of governmental regulation consistent with preserving those and other values protected in the community plan. Land uses consistent with rural residential values should be encouraged; uses or conditions which would result in development inconsistent with those values should be either prohibited or minimized. Rural character can be maintained with smaller lot sizes or higher densities. In fact, while much of Carson consists of residential development on lots less than 0.5 acres in size, the community as a whole has maintained its rural qualities and values. A change in the minimum lot size on the subject properties from 1-acre to.5 acres will not negatively impact the qualities or values viewed as rural as many of these qualities remain in areas within and around Carson. The open space currently on the subject properties is a result of the property owners choice to maintain that space for their own enjoyment. Under the current Rural Residential comprehensive plan designation and zoning the property could be further divided and
Page 10 developed into additional single-family lots or multi-family development. The high Density Residential comprehensive plan designation and zoning allows the same, at a higher density, but with the same goal of maintaining rural character. C. PLANNING ENABLING ACT (RCW 36.70): 1. The following statutes apply to this request: RCW 36.70.380 Comprehensive Plan Public hearing required Notice of the time, place and purpose of any public hearing shall be given by one publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the county and in the official gazette, if any, of the county, at least ten days before the hearing. RCW 36.70.390 Comprehensive Plan Notice of Hearing Notice of the time, place and purpose of any public hearing shall be given by one publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the county and in the official gazette, if any, of the county, at least ten days before the hearing. Findings: Consistent with these requirements, a Notice of the Public Hearing was sent to the Skamania County Pioneer for publication on February 22, 2017, and again on March 22, 2017. Mailed notices were also sent to all adjacent property owners within 1000 ft. and interested parties on February 28, 2017, and posted on the Community Development Department s website on that same day. Notices addressing the change of venue were posted on the Community Development website on March 22, 2017, and sent to the Skamania County Pioneer that same day for publication on March 29, 2017. The public notices addressed both the proposed map changes to the Carson Community Subarea Comprehensive Plan Map and Zoning Map. RCW 36.70.400 Comprehensive Plan Approval- Required vote Record The approval of the comprehensive plan, or of any amendment, extension or addition thereto, shall be by the affirmative vote of not less than a majority of the total members of the commission. Such approval shall be by a recorded motion which shall incorporate the findings of fact of the commission and the reasons for its action and the motion shall refer expressly to the maps, descriptive, and other matters intended by the commission to constitute the plan or amendment, addition or extension thereto. The indication of approval by the commission shall be recorded on the map and descriptive matter by the signatures of the chair and the secretary of the commission and of such others as the commission in its rules may designate. Finding: Skamania County has adopted a Hearing Examiner system under RCW 36.70.970. The Hearing Examiner fills the role of the Planning Commission in reviewing quasi-judicial comprehensive plan amendments. If approved by the Hearing Examiner, the map changes to the Carson Community Subarea Plan Map shall be handled in accordance with all above-stated provisions. RCW 36.70.410 Comprehensive Plan Amendment When changed conditions or further studies by the planning agency indicate a need, the commission may amend, extend or add to all or part of the comprehensive plan in the manner provided herein for approval in the first instance.
Page 11 RCW 36.70.420 Comprehensive Plan Referral to board A copy of a comprehensive plan or any part, amendment, extension of or addition thereto, together with the motion of the planning agency approving the same, shall be transmitted to the board for the purpose of being approved by motion and certified as provided in this chapter. Findings: The proposed map amendment is the result of a quasi-judicial request due to changed conditions. The Hearing Examiner will consider the proposed changes and make a recommendation to the Board in accordance with the above-stated provisions of RCW 36.70.420. D. SKAMANIA COUNTY ZONING CODE The following code criteria for zoning map amendments apply to this request (SCC Chapter 21.18 Zoning Text and Map Amendments, pg. 17) 21.18.040 Petitions for zoning map amendments. Petitions for zoning map amendments are requests to change the zone classification shown on the official zoning map for a specific parcel or parcels by one or more landowners. Requests for such amendments may be initiated by filing with the planning department a completed application on forms supplied by the planning department, a completed environmental checklist, and a nonrefundable fee as established by resolution of the board of county commissioners. Petitions for a zoning map amendment may be initiated by the person or persons that own all the property for which the amendment is sought or for a larger area that includes the property that the applicant owns. Where an amendment is requested for an area larger than the parcels owned by the applicants, the signatures on the application must represent one hundred percent of the owners of the total number of parcels within the entire area proposed for amendment. If a parcel has multiple owners, then all of the owners signatures must be obtained and are counted as a single signature when calculating the percentage of owners signatures obtained. 21.18.050 Frequency of petitions for zoning map amendments. To ensure a comprehensive review of petitions for zoning map amendments, all petitions must be complete and submitted to the planning department on or before December 31st of each calendar year. The petitions for zoning map amendments will then be placed on the hearing examiner s schedule for public hearing as follows: petitions within commissioner district 1 (west end) will be heard beginning in June, petitions within commissioner district 2 (mid county) will be heard beginning in May, petitions for commissioner district 3 (east end) will be heard beginning in April. Due to the number of petitions received each year, there may need to be more than one public hearing scheduled for each of the commissioner districts. In addition, any of the public hearings may be continued as determined by the hearing examiner. If a petition for a zoning map amendment is denied, the petition can be resubmitted no sooner than the third year from the date of denial by the hearing examiner. Zoning map amendments do not constitute an emergency (i.e., an immediate threat to life or property for which action must be taken to alleviate the threat).
Page 12 The hearing examiner will review the list of zoning map amendment applications received at the first meeting in February and set the schedule of hearings. Findings: The applicant submitted a Rezone Application on December 22, 2016, along with the required SEPA Checklist. The applicant, Mr. Mansur, represents Messrs. Stump, the owners of the subject properties who both signed the application. Mr. Mansur is the son-in-law of Mr. Gerald Stump. After receiving the application, a public hearing before the Hearing Examiner was scheduled for April 5, 2017. The Hearing Examiner shall hold a public hearing and render a decision on the request. 21.18.060 Notice of hearing on petitions for zoning map amendments. Written notice of an application for a petition for zoning map amendment under Section 21.18.040 of this chapter shall be by: A. First class United States mail addressed to the applicants; all owners of the real property subject to the proposed amendment; and to all real property owners, as shown in the records of the Skamania County assessor, located within one thousand feet from any boundary of the property subject to the proposed map amendment. If the owner of the property for which the proposed map amendment is requested owns another parcel or parcels adjoining a parcel subject to the amendment, then notification also shall be mailed to owners of real property located within one thousand feet from any boundary of such adjoining parcels. Notification of the hearing schedule for all applications shall be mailed no later than the last business day of February. Failure by any person listed above to receive such notice shall not invalidate any proceedings or decision in connection with the proposed map amendment. Notices addressed to the last known owners of record as shown on the county assessor records shall be deemed proper notice to the owner of such property; and B. Publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the county shall consist of: 1. A list of all applications received, and the hearing schedule to be published on the last date the newspaper is published in February, and 2. A legal notice of the hearing to be published at least ten days prior to the open record hearing date. Findings: A Notice of Public Hearing listing all quasi-judicial zone change requests was sent to the Skamania County Pioneer for publication on February 22, 2017, the last date of publication in February. A second Notice of Public Hearing specific to this application was published in the Skamania County Pioneer on March 22, 2017, over ten days before the hearing date. Mailed notices were also sent to all adjacent property owners within 1000 ft. and interested parties on February 28, 2017, and posted on the Community Development Department s website on that same day. 21.18.070 Hearing by hearing examiner on petitions for zoning map amendments. The hearing examiner hearing process on petitions for zoning map amendments under SCC 21.18.040 shall be as follows:
Page 13 A. The hearing examiner shall hold at least one public hearing on all proposed petitions for zoning map amendments. At the conclusion of such hearing or hearings, the hearing examiner shall consider all testimony and documents presented and shall determine whether, based on the criteria set forth in SCC 21.18.070(b), the proposed petition for zoning map amendment should be approved or denied. The hearing examiner s decision shall be supported by appropriate findings of fact based exclusively on the evidence presented. Finding: The Hearing Examiner shall hold a public hearing on April 5, 2017, and additional hearings if deemed necessary. This provision will be met upon conclusion of the hearing and the issuance of the Hearing Examiner s decision. B. The hearing examiner may approve the proposed petition for zoning map amendment if the zoning map amendment: (1) bears a substantial relationship to the public health, safety, and/or welfare (is the amendment consistent with the comprehensive plan); Finding: If the requested Comprehensive Plan Map amendment is also approved, the requested Zone Map amendment will be consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. The request is not detrimental to the public health, safety, or general welfare. (2) is contiguous to the requested designation by at least one hundred feet, therefore not being a grant of special privilege; Finding: Together, the subject properties are adjacent to the High Density Residential zone for a distance of 495 ft. and (3) circumstances have substantially changed in the area since the adoption of the existing zoning designation. Findings: The Carson Final Zoning was adopted on December 29, 1997. The zoning on this parcel has not changed since that time, despite a substantial change of circumstances in the Carson area as discussed previously in this report. According to the Washington State Office of Financial Management, the population of the County increased by 19.1% from 1990 to 2000, increasing by 1,583 residents from 8,289 residents in 1990. From 2000 to 2010, the County added an additional 1,194 residents at a rate of 12.1% over that ten year period. Because of limited land available for growth in the County due to the ownership of public lands and the restrictions of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, the Urban Area of Carson must accommodate a large portion of that growth. There are currently 669 parcels located within the High Density Residential zone totaling 740 acres. At present, 86% percent of these parcels are developed. 83% cannot be further divided as they less than 1-acre in size. 91% of the parcels are either developed or too small to be further divided. These figures support the need to plan for additional inventory of High Density Residential zoned land. While these figures demonstrate a high rate of build out in the High Density Residential zone, they also suggest that there is developable inventory. There is no
Page 14 requirement that every available parcel must be developed before additional land can be zoned High Density Residential, only that circumstances have changed. C. In the case where a petition for zoning map amendment requires an amendment to the comprehensive plan in order to assure consistency between SCC Title 21 and the comprehensive plan, the review processes for the petition for zoning map amendment and the comprehensive plan amendment may proceed concurrently by holding the hearings for each amendment at the same meetings. Findings: The proposed map amendment requires an amendment to the comprehensive plan. Both applications are addressed in this Staff Report and a hearing on both applications is scheduled for April 5, 2017. X. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the findings in this Staff Report, the requested amendments to the Carson Community Subarea Comprehensive Plan Map and Zoning Map to change the land use designation and zoning designation from Rural Residential to High Density Residential are consistent with the Skamania County Comprehensive Plan, the Carson Community Comprehensive Subarea Plan, applicable Washington state statutes, and the Skamania County zoning code. XI. RECOMMENDATION: A. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN MAP AMENDMENT: Staff recommends that the proposed map amendment changing the Comprehensive Plan Map designation from Rural Residential to High Density Residential be approved. B. ZONING MAP AMENDMENT: Staff recommends that the proposed map amendment changing the Zoning Map designation from Rural Residential to High Density Residential be approved. XII. EXHIBITS: Exhibit 1. Comprehensive Plan Change Application Exhibit 2. Rezone Application Exhibit 3. SEPA Determination Exhibit 4. SEPA and other public comment letters Exhibit 5. Notice of Public Hearing (Skamania County Pioneer publication) Exhibit 6. Notice of Public Hearing (Web posting) Exhibit 7. Revised Notice (Change of venue) Alan Peters, Assistant Planning Director March 27, 2017 Date Please Note: The action by the Hearing Examiner shall be final and conclusive, unless within the timeframe provided in RCW 36.70C, the applicant or adverse party makes application to a court of competent jurisdiction for judicial review of this land use decision.