Port of Camas-Washougal Recreational Lands & Facilities Element

Purpose & Process The Port Commission adopted the most recent update of the Port of Camas-Washougal’s Comprehensive Scheme of Harbor Improvements and Strategic Plan (Strategic Plan) on December 21, The Recreational Lands & Facilities Element is an addendum and an amendment to the Strategic Plan. The plan is an update of the July 2004 Recreational Lands and Facilities Element. This update addresses recreational lands and facilities under the purview of the port and emphasizes recreational boating, parks and trail facilities. The plan analyzes the condition and use of existing recreational facilities. The planning process depends upon extensive public involvement in determining which facilities need to be improved or expanded and identifying new recreational facilities that should be available to meet the needs of port patrons and the community at large.

Research the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office's requirements pertaining to the contents of a recreational facilities plan and planning procedural requirements, particularly those relating to public participation in the planning process. Describe the recreational lands and facilities under the port’s purview: marina and boat launch facilities; marina park; Parker’s Landing Historical Park; Columbia River levee; and the Captain William Clark Regional Park at Cottonwood Beach. Identify and briefly describe other local, state and federal recreational lands and facilities in the Camas-Washougal area, including marinas, boat launches and shoreline parks, which complement the port's recreational facilities and serve the same regional recreational community. Identify goals, strategies and tactics included in the port's Strategic Plan pertinent to recreational lands and facilities under the port’s purview, and goals and objectives set forth in the 2004 Recreational Lands & Facilities Element, as well as new recreational facility goals expressed by port officials, recreational facility users and the general public. Assemble and analyze data indicating the level of use of the port’s recreational facilities and other publicly controlled recreational facilities in the area.

Identify generally recognized standards with respect to the supply of recreational facilities in the area and the actual or probable demand for them. Obtain public opinions on the adequacy of the port’s recreational facilities and the need for additional facilities, drawing upon the results of stakeholder interviews and an opinion survey as well as views expressed by open house participants. Identify proposed recreational facility improvements, based upon the actual and probable demand for various recreational facilities, results of the stakeholder interviews and the opinion survey, and other public input. Select the most appropriate, practical recreational facility projects to be addressed in the plan. Prepare a capital facilities program including a list the port’s short- and long-term recreational facility project priorities, timelines for undertaking the projects, cost estimates and funding sources for the projects.

Prepare a first draft of the Recreational Lands & Facilities Element Update for review by the staff and the state Recreation and Conservation Office. Circulated the draft for an environmental review under Washington's SEPA requirements. Modified the plan in response to salient comments received during the review process and prepare a second, refined draft of the plan. Submit the refined draft of the plan to the Port Commission for consideration as an addendum and amendment to the Port of Camas-Washougal Strategic Plan. Submit the adopted plan and supporting documents to the Recreation and Conservation Office for approval—January 31, 2014.

Summary of Goals

S TRATEGIC P LAN The following is a summary of the goals and certain strategies included in the December 2010 Strategic Plan that are relevant to the update of Recreational Lands & Facilities Element. W ATERFRONT Lead a collaborative effort to develop a more vibrant, economically viable and publicly accessible Columbia River waterfront. Work collaboratively with property owners, the public, and the port’s agency partners to develop a master plan for the future redevelopment of the Columbia River waterfront property for the area within the Port District. The master plan should provide sufficient flexibility to attract a range of employers. Maintain Captain William Clark Regional Park at Cottonwood Beach, Parker's Landing National Historic Site, Marina Park and the boat launch facility as public recreation areas.

G ENERAL A VIATION Operate Grove Field in a safe and economically sustainable manner Supports all aspects of general aviation including recreational flying. Increase constituent understanding, sense of ownership and support for the port and its initiatives. Provide multiple opportunities for input from the port’s constituents and partners, carefully consider the input, and respond in a timely manner. Communicate regularly with port stakeholders about port activities and plans. Establish a dialogue with citizens and stakeholders to solicit broad community input on key issues and initiatives.

R ECREATIONAL L ANDS & F ACILITIES E LEMENT The following is a summary of the goals and certain objectives included in the 2004 Recreational Lands & Facilities Element that remain relevant. Also listed are new goals and objectives reflecting current recreational facility planning initiatives. M ARINA & B OAT L AUNCH Continue to consider alternative measures to improve and expand the marina to accommodate additional recreational vessels. Strive to improve the financial position of the Marina. Plan, design and undertake marina improvements in a manner that will minimize adverse impacts to the environment and promote public safety. Continue to consider alternative measures to improve recreational boater access to the Columbia River. Strive to safeguard the financial position of the existing and new boat launching facilities. Plan, design and undertake boat launch improvements in a manner that will minimize adverse impacts to the environment and promote public safety.

P ARKLAND Maintain open space overlooking the Marina and the Columbia River as a venue for entertainment and other community events. Maintain the Parker’s Landing Historical Park and continue to recognize the site as a cultural asset and place of interest. Continue to work with Vancouver-Clark Parks & Recreation, and the cities of Camas and Washougal to implement the master plan for Captain William Clark Park at Cottonwood Beach. W ATERFRONT T RAIL Establish a multi-use waterfront trail extending from the port office area east through port-owned shoreline property, enhancing public access to the shoreline. Encourage and support the city of Washougal in its efforts to continue the trail to Steamboat Landing, resulting in a continuous multi-use trail connecting the marina, Steamboat Landing, the Columbia River levee and Capt William Clark Park at Cottonwood Beach.

Project Proposals The following is a preliminary list of proposed recreational facility projects involving the improvement of existing or installation of new recreational facilities on Port of Camas-Washougal-owned properties or sites under the port's purview. Tentative project schedules are identified. Details regarding project design, cost priority, etc., not shown. M ARINA, M OORAGE AND R ELATED P ARKING F ACILITIES Replace H dock and slightly modify its configuration in order to provide for additional moorage slips accommodating larger vessels—2013. Remove three unused dolphins (six pilings) located in the vicinity of H dock— Extend the walkway on G dock 35 ft south—2014. The extended walkway will serve as a vessel staging area in the near-term and provide a framework for possible future expansion of the dock.

Replace the 810-foot marina headwalk with a structurally sound and environmentally sensitive structure, which will allow more natural light to reach the marina basin than the existing opaque headwalk and mitigate the shadows resulting from the upgrade of H dock, i.e., enhance fish habitat—2013. Remove 30 creosote-treated deteriorating wood pilings anchoring East Dock and B, C, D and E docks in the upper marina and replace them with 28 steel pilings—2013. Install upgraded electrical power serving the Breakwater-Guest Dock, adding six connections to the onshore power supply line—2013. Upgrade the marina security gate controls at all four marina entry gates—2014. Pave the marina and port office parking area (44,000 sq ft) north of the port office—2014. Dredge the entire marina basin (152,274 sq ft), removing approximately 12,100 cubic yards of sediment, returning the basin floor to -4 to -6 Columbia River Datum. Dredge spoils will probably be discharged to the Columbia River south of Lady Island—2015. Install a 4-foot sight-obscuring fence (e.g., black vinyl chain link) extending 1,000 feet along the west, north and east perimeter of the boat trailer parking area serving the marina and boat launch—2018.

P ARKS Construct a 3.44-acre park on the state-owned parcel of the shoreline property adjacent to and south of the proposed waterfront trail—2016. Install a cover and rebuild the overlook platform in Marina Park—project schedule yet to be determined―2017. Revitalize the newly acquired acre Hambleton site—a series of development projects, including shoreline public access facilities in addition to the waterfront trail—trail construction tentatively scheduled for

T RAILS Construct a 0.83-mile waterfront trail on port-owned shoreline property in the vicinity of the marina, port office, newly acquired Hambleton property, and the South Sixth Street and South A Street properties— Continue Columbia River levee maintenance and enhancement projects. The crown of the levee supports a multiuse trail extending 3.2 miles from Steamboat Landing to East Gate 6—a total distance of 6.4 miles return. The levee trail connects with the 2.5-mile Steigerwald National Wildlife Refuge loop trail. The port budgets approximately $50,000 annually for levee maintenance projects.