CAMAS MILL DISTRICT PLAN
Discussion Draft
January 6, 2026
Appendix 4: The Downtown Subarea Plan draft falls short of Camas’ needs. Background . The proposed Downtown Sub Area Plan, part of Our Camas 2045, begins with a wonderful history of the Camas Mill and its unquestioned significance to the creation and development of Camas for over a century. The plan further speaks of fully supporting DOE’s cleanup process including support for an unrestricted use cleanup level. The plan references the positive City Council Resolution and Mayor’s letter stating, “Lay the groundwork for the future of the Camas Mill Property by supporting an unrestricted environmental cleanup level.” The draft Sub Area recognized this historic significance and charm of our downtown, and its desire to maintain that look and feel. Certainly a goal supported by most. The Problem. Here’s where the proposed plan stops and the problem starts. Prior to this goal, the overview provides “[the draft sub area plan] provides discussion about future expansion to the Camas Mill Property, when timing aligns with property owners ’ planning processes. Emphasis added) (page 5) To put a finer point on the alignment with the property owner’s, and not city’s planning process, page 37 The downtown core is zoned Downtown Commercial (DC) and Mixed Use (MX). The MX zoning district “ provides for a wide range of commercial and residential uses. Compact development is encouraged that is supportive of transit and pedestrian travel.” The adjacent zones are primarily residential neighborhoods served by downtown amenities, with the exception of the Camas Paper Mill property to the west of the Downtown Core, which is zoned Heavy Industrial. The lack of vision and aspirations for our downtown’s relationship with the mill property is shown in a fictional visit and narrative through downtown Camas by Craig and Melissa (page 35) What’s lacking in this long-term Camasonian’s visit? There is no access to the mill property. It is not even shown. You’d never know that Camas has 2 miles of Columbia riverfront and a 400 acre island divided by a freeway. Separated by the Camas Slough, Craig and Melissa in the year 2045 would certainly welcome some waterfront access, especially as kids are grow older. They still have to go to Washougal or Vancouver to enjoy the water, let alone generating economic income for that access. The vision for Downtown Camas in 2045 remains strictly industrial. It remains so until the mill owner decides to change. Is any other property owner in Camas given such unfettered deference as the city maintains that Ecology should pay substantial additional money for the unrestricted cleanup the mill can prevent? The Model Toxics Control Act is specific: an industrial site with industrial planning/zoning left to the whim of the property owner does not allow Ecology to impose cleanup other than industrial.
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