Woodland hearing examiner holds Riverwalk Phase 2 record open for variance and public-access questions

Hearing Examiner Joe Turner closed the public portion of a May 13, 2025 hearing on the Riverwalk at Lewis River Phase 2 subdivision and shoreline substantial development permit but held the written record open for additional filings on a requested lot-coverage variance and the scope of shoreline access.

Turner said he would "hold the record open as just requested" so city staff could submit findings about the variance by May 16 and the applicant could reply by May 20; he then said he would issue his decision within two weeks after that and stated a target date of "July 3." The examiner opened the session and explained his role as an independent, contract hearings examiner who must apply the city's laws in effect when the application was filed.

The project, described by City of Woodland Community Development Director Travis Goddard, proposes 17 single-family lots on approximately 9.6 acres between an existing Phase 1 subdivision and the Lewis River. The site is zoned LDR 7.2 (7,200-square-foot average lot size). Staff noted one undersized lot of 6,591 square feet; staff said that is allowable because lots may be as small as 6,000 square feet provided the average lot size meets the 7,200-square-foot standard.

Goddard summarized staff's recommendation of approval with conditions and walked the examiner through technical matters that will be resolved in final engineering or building permitting. He said the site is partly in the Lewis River floodplain, with most development pads above the floodplain; structures on a few lots may require elevation certificates or a LOMAR (Letter of Map Revision) so owners could avoid mandatory flood insurance. "I would accept either an elevation certificate or a LOMAR for those lots if they choose to," Goddard said.

Staff and the applicant discussed critical-area protections and the proposed approach of placing critical areas in a dedicated open-space tract. Goddard noted transportation and engineering items: cul-de-sac radii appear slightly undersized versus the city code's 45-foot radius requirement, and final plans must obtain Clark County Fire Rescue sign-off (including Knox-box requirements) and public-works approval for street and access details.

The applicant's representative, Andy Nutbrock of McKay Sprockettock, said the developer prefers to limit shoreline access to residents because streets in the subdivision are small and the developer wants to avoid additional parking and nonresident vehicles. The applicant also seeks a variance to allow up to 65% lot coverage; Nutbrock said the applicant "would hope to have the 65% for both" single- and two-story homes. City staff and the examiner discussed whether any lot-coverage variance should be limited to single-story homes as in a prior phase; the examiner asked staff to prepare variance findings for the record.

Other conditions and technical requirements identified in the staff presentation include: extending utilities through the Phase 1 improvements, installation of fire hydrants and payment of fire impact fees, mitigation of school impacts by payment of impact fees, NPDES and other disturbance permits obtained before work, and measures to control invasive species and vegetation on the proposed trail. Goddard said erosion-control issues noted on site had been cleaned up before the hearing.

No formal land-use decision was made at the hearing. The examiner closed public testimony but left the record open for the limited, time‑bounded submissions requested: city staff findings on the variance by May 16 and an applicant response by May 20. The examiner said he would issue a written decision within two weeks after the applicant filing and communicated a target issuance date of "July 3."