The Aug. 29 story “New Camas development up for approval,” on our Lacamas Northshore plan, stated that “Plans for mixed-use development were nixed earlier in the year after the Washington State Department of Transportation said such development could interfere with planes at nearby Grove Field Airport.”
From that story, I assume that WSDOT, on behalf of its aeronautics division, can mandate how we, Camas, can develop land adjacent to an airport. Please let me know if my assumption is correct. Also, what plans are there for Grove Field that the story made reference to? I thought our community had put that one to bed.
I have not been an advocate for closing Grove Field but if it is going to stand in the way of the highest and best use of the Northshore properties then I would certainly suggest that Grove Field also be put to the highest and best use. However, a small recreational airport should not be allowed to influence our plans.
Perhaps the city should be talking to the Port of Camas-Washougal.
John Raynor
Camas
