Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Fire Cfp topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Clark County to consider first‑time fire district capital facilities plans and impact fees
Summary
Four fire districts (Districts 3, 6, 10 and Clark‑Cowlitz) submitted capital facilities plans under a 2024 code change enabling fire impact fees; staff recommended approval and reported planning commission support (5‑2). District 10 preemptively requested a 50% reduction from formula results to address affordability in its rural service area.
Bart Kachin of Community Planning introduced four fire district capital facilities plans and attendant impact‑fee proposals — Districts 3, 6, 10 and Clark‑Cowlitz — noting the county amended code in 2024 to allow fire districts to adopt CFPs and fees.
"These are brand new plans that have not been approved by the council yet," Kachin said. Staff explained the fire‑district formula is simpler than the school formula (it separates single‑family, multifamily and commercial development types) and that planning commission hearings produced a 5‑to‑2 recommendation to approve the fire plans. Kachin also said District 10 voluntarily requested a 50% reduction from the formula result because the raw number was high for a very rural district.
Chief John Norm (Clark‑Cowlitz area) said impact fees would help offset costs when tax increment financing diverts property‑tax revenue from new development. Chief Chris Drone (District 3) told councilors that apparatus prices are rising — he cited engines costing about $1,200,000 — and that fee calculations reflect those capital assumptions. Councilors asked whether fee schedules could break out high‑impact commercial uses (for example, residential health‑care facilities) and chiefs said other jurisdictions sometimes charge different rates for those facility types and staff could explore options.
