Residents urge review of West End plan before any zoning map amendments

Several residents used the public-comment period at the Skamania County Board of Commissioners meeting on Jan. 25, 2025, to ask the board to review the West End Comprehensive Plan before approving any changes to the official zoning map.

One resident urged the board to “review the WEESCAP, the west end comprehension plan before making a decision on amending the zoning in the west end,” and warned that “amending the official zoning map based on one's individual request is a slippery slope.” The speaker said a single individual amendment can have broader adverse impacts and asked the public to be heard at the planning commission meeting that evening at 6 p.m.

Lisa Alexander, who identified herself as the executive director of the Community County Council on Domestic Violence and ****** Assault, welcomed the newly elected commissioners and said her agency provided more than $130,000 in emergency financial assistance to county clients last fiscal year. "We spent over a $130,000 in this community last fiscal year on client emergency financial assistance to help people in this county, and we'll continue to do that same kind of work," Alexander said.

Stacy Patton, describing herself as a private citizen and fifth-generation county resident, welcomed the new commissioners and said she expects them to represent all residents rather than special interests. "I 100% have faith that both of you ... will represent the people and will, stay true to who you are," Patton said.

The board did not take action on zoning during the meeting; these remarks were made during the public-comment period. The resident who raised WEESCAP specifically asked commissioners to attend that evening's planning commission meeting to hear public testimony.

No written public comments were reported to the clerk for this agenda item.