CAMAS MILL DISTRICT PLAN
Discussion Draft
January 6, 2026
Overview : Camas exists because of the Camas Mill. Camas’ outstanding schools are traced to the mill’s international research center. The mill supported generations of families, sending many to college and others into the trades. Remaining mill jobs should be protected as should portions of Heavy Industrial zoned land for future family wage jobs on remediated land. Finding PFAS “forever” chemicals in groundwater, the Mill District Plan incorporates tools from the GMA for groundwater. The Columbia Riverkeeper the mill’s groundwater potentially connected to a shared aquifer . 1 new state policy directives. Two miles of Columbia River shoreline and a 400 acre island serve as part of the Columbia Basin ecosystem. Beyond local/regional recreational opportunities, restoration must include respect for tribal fishing rights as expressed by the Yakama Nation. Rather than continued sprawl further into the forests and its negative impact to natural resources and limited infrastructure, Camas needs low-carbon development. The designation of mill property to return Camas’ historic economic engine is critical to Camas’ fiscal future. As Strong Towns Camas points out, the most revenue producing land with the lowest O & M costs are downtown. Camas’ path must remove a growing burden of non-a ff ordability. This includes increased taxes squeezing out long-term residents, service workers, and future families to fill our schools. While much of the mill’s cleanup will be lengthy, Interim Actions can foster smaller cleanups supporting near term projects. Within the time frame of Our Camas 2045, the Port of Bellingham has shown a way. The path to these important goals is an unrestricted cleanup of Camas today faces a new world. In addition to climate change, tra ffi c and housing a ff ordability are the top contaminated sites starting with hundreds of acres of state-designated “non- operational lands”. Our Camas 2045’s continued Heavy Industrial Zoning is problematic given requirements of state law. Correcting this is a key purpose of this overlay plan. After nine months of discussion in forums, hundreds of views and robust social media discussion; this proposal is for our City Council to consider. Deficiencies in Our Camas 2045’s public participation requirements per state guidelines are corrected through the Mill District Plan. With changes happening at the federal level, our State leadership has not backed away from increasingly di ffi cult goals climate action goals. The Mill District Plan is designed to ensure the State of Washington is successful including through the work of its cities. “[T]he restoration of natural resources impacted by the past, current, and future releases of hazardous waste in order to make the public whole and further tribal Treaty rights.” — Yakama Nation The citizens of Camas believe they deserve to have standing for a cleanup that will define the future of their city, the value of their homes, and the health of their children. — Denis Hayes
See Page 3 https://apps.ecology.wa.gov/publications/documents/2509041o.pdf 1 Page 3 of 35
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