<img height="1" width="1" style="display:none" src="https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=192888919167017&amp;ev=PageView&amp;noscript=1">
Friday, March 29, 2024
March 29, 2024

Linkedin Pinterest

Letter: Another step toward more sprawl

The Columbian
Published: September 7, 2013, 5:00pm

Despite an eloquent plea from Carolyn Foster, one of Camas’ own high school graduates, to grow in a more sustainable manner for the sake of her “Millennial generation,” Camas City Council passed a Comprehensive Plan amendment on Sept. 3 that will allow property owners to develop their land on the north shore of Lacamas Lake. Their action will widen the hole in the Portland metro area’s urban growth boundary and allow large-lot single-family homes and 313 acres of business park.

Part of the plan calls for multifamily housing, but developers may be creating townhouses without the town. While property owners may claim that they plan a walkable neighborhood, the concept of “business park” was created for the automobile. The planned arterial separating housing from business belies that fact. So does the separation of the small area along the lake zoned for retail.

As I said at the hearing, there are better ways to do office and light industrial in “employment neighborhoods” with a well-developed grid of streets and mix of uses that will be attractive to the workforce of the future.

Instead of choosing to grow in small blocks with a mix of uses extending from its delightful downtown grid of streets, Camas has chosen further sprawl. Unfortunately, that sprawl will affect all of us.

Mary Vogel

Portland

We encourage readers to express their views about public issues. Letters to the editor are subject to editing for brevity and clarity. Limit letters to 200 words (100 words if endorsing or opposing a political candidate or ballot measure) and allow 30 days between submissions. Send Us a Letter
Loading...