The article “Clark County housing developers face challenges due to environmental and zoning constraints” (The Columbian, May 30) is one-sided and misleading. One would come away believing developers are eager to build affordable housing if it just wasn’t for those pesky environmental regulations and zoning codes.
In fact, the Clark County Council has given great deference to developers in sidestepping environmental impact statements and continually expanding the Urban Growth Boundary. Yet developers use those lands to build more single-family homes rather than affordable housing. An example was provided in an article about 21 single-family homes being built in the Hockinson area “priced to start in the low $600,000 range.”
While I have heard developers challenge environmental decisions, I have never seen any of them petition for zoning amendments to allow flexibility in the development of cottage housing, multifamily housing or ADUs.
Providing more affordable housing will not be easy. We will need to hear and consider many different voices. Good decisions are made by respecting and balancing those many different viewpoints. To begin that process, it is vital to include the many facets of a complex problem.
