Camas to host 2nd North Shore ‘phase 2’ open house

Camas city officials will gather community feedback this month on the future of its North Shore area located north of Lacamas Lake.

The city will host an open house from 4 to 7 p.m. on Aug. 17, at Lacamas Lake Lodge, as well as an online at EngageCamas.com, to discuss the second phase of subarea planning in the North Shore area.

“While (the first phase) of the subarea planning process focused on developing a community vision for the North Shore, Phase 2 is focused on guiding development in a way that implements the adopted vision statement,” the city stated on its EngageCamas website page devoted to the North Shore.

The city of Camas annexed the 800 acres of land known as the “North Shore” into the city limits in 2010. At the time, city officials planned to use the mainly agricultural area for a mix of residential, commercial and industrial uses. And while North Shore property owners could develop the area according to those current zoning designations, officials are hoping the city’s nearly 4-year subarea planning process will help alter the North Shore, changing zoning overlays, protecting natural areas and giving the city a unique mix of recreational opportunities, housing options not found in other areas of Camas, locally owned commercial businesses and some light industrial business parks located further away from the lake on the northern end of the North Shore.

“While current uses are primarily agriculture and single-family residences, most of the subarea is in private ownership and the area is anticipated to experience substantial growth over the next 20 years,” the city stated on its North Shore website.

The city heard from more than 1,100 community members during its first phase of North Shore subarea planning. In September 2020, officials used that input to craft an eight-point Camas North Shore Subarea Plan Vision focused on preserving the area’s natural beauty and environmental health; planning a network of green spaces and recreational opportunities; clustering uses for more walkability; providing a range of housing options; located industrial parks and commercial center away from the lake; favoring local-serving businesses; planning for new schools and infrastructure; and striving to maintain Camas’ “small-town feel.”

The North Shore could, if all goes according to the subarea planning, the city stated in its 2020 vision: “sustain the city’s quality of life through phased and sustainable growth that contributes to community character.”

Now, city leaders want to gauge the public’s response to “three key” recommendations from city staff and the city’s North Shore consultants that would move the subarea planning into its final phase:

• A preferred land use and transportation concept, which is a map that lays out the location of different land uses within the North Shore that also identifies the general location of primary arterial roads providing access to the North Shore;
• New design guidelines and standards based on the eight-point vision that would guide the North Shore’s look and feel; and
• New zoning and comprehensive plan designations based on the approved land-use and transportation concept and design guidelines that the city would need to adopt into its comprehensive plan and municipal code.

The Aug. 17 North Shore open house is the second time the city has reached out to the community to collect input on the North Shore’s second phase of subarea planning.

The first open house took place online from Feb. 16 to March 16, and asked people to weigh in on North Shore design concepts that included a mix of parks and open spaces, residential areas, mixed-use land and commercial/industrial uses.

About 1,700 viewed the online open house,, and nearly 100 people completed the city’s related, online survey, which asked them to weigh in on the North Shore land-use concepts in greater detail.

City staff took this input back to the North Shore Steering Committee and Community Advisory Committee to develop a revised North Shore land-use plan.

The public will have a chance to see those revised land-use plans at the second North Shore Phase 2 open house on Aug. 17, and can give feedback through an online survey Aug. 17-24 on EngageCamas.com.

For more information about the open house of the city’s North Shore subarea planning process, visit engagecamas.com/north-shore-subarea-plan.