CAMAS MILL DISTRICT PLAN
Discussion Draft
January 6, 2026
Beyond Bellingham’s success, Appendix 3 discusses and considers an international view dispelling the notion that the Camas Mill is to big to clean. “We Need to Build Things”: While dark clouds were gathering over the community’s efforts to create the CAG, Denis Hayes came to Camas to sign a piece of art at Camas
Gallery. Denis was a high-school friend of Marquita Call, the Gallery’s owner. Marquita believed in a sense of magic in Camas. While here Mr. Hayes learned of the community’s struggle to create the CAG and agreed to pen a letter to the DOE Director. That he did and the powerful letter was recognized by a local historian as significant for Clark County’s history . 20 The sculpture can be seen at the Camas Library. One of the first things Denis told CAG supporters was “We need to build things.” He was expressing dismay at how our country had outsourced so many of the jobs of workers building things and the resulting loss of family-wage employment. Moreover, this made the building of things generate greater pollution as jobs were outsourced to less regulated parts of the world. Denis did not want to see “progress” forsake family wage jobs building things.
“We need to build things” was the inspiration of creating the Mill District Plan around the current operational footprint, and ensuring future non-industrial uses allow the industrial uses to continue. It is the inspiration to support the remaining mill workers and protect and expand the job base for this portion of the mill. It is creating jobs in new technologies for our future. It is a future embodied by our Port, who continues to express interest in being part of the mill property’s future. Economic Development . Camas needs to build things. There is growing realization that absent significant economic development, Camas’ future will involve the fiscal needs of the city chasing the tail of homeowners, renters, large and small businesses, employees and visitors. Economic Development creates consistency with the Growth Management Plan’s goals. This is a better way to meet state requirements and retain the form of a walkable city, with its vibrant core, serving the needs of the entire city and region. Our Camas 2045 discusses economic development on page 109. The short discussion includes community engagement efforts. Nowhere is mentioned that 11% of total comments received supported repurposing of the mill, and in a separate survey land use planning issues dwarfed any others . 21
https://online.flippingbook.com/view/425909356/ 20 Recorded public comments provided as Appendix A. 21
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