OLYMPIA – Legislation sponsored by Sen. Adrian Cortes (D-Battle Ground) to close a loophole in the Growth Management Act (GMA) that impacted Clark County’s agriculture and forest lands passed the Washington State Legislature on Tuesday.
Senate Bill 5820 repeals authorization in the GMA allowing industrial development on timber, agricultural, and mineral resource lands or critical environmental areas adjacent to the railroad in Clark County.
“Our state laws mandate the protection and conservation of our most precious lands, including our agricultural and critical areas,” Cortes said. “Our Legislature took a bold step to reaffirm our state’s commitment to that mandate by repealing a poorly drafted and unworkable law that allowed for specific precious lands in Clark County to become industrialized. This bill opens the door for future recreational use of the rail corridor, creating opportunities for tourism, outdoor access, and economic development.”
The GMA requires that certain counties and the cities within those counties engage in planning for future population growth. Counties and cities planning under the GMA must adopt development regulations to assure the conservation of agriculture, forest, and mineral resource lands. Senate Bill 5517, which was signed into law in 2017, allowed Clark County to be exempt from GMA’s conservation requirements. Clark County is one of only two of Washington’s 39 counties to be exempt from the GMA’s conservation requirements.
“This bill would not have passed without the support of hundreds of Clark County residents,” Cortes said. “Our neighbors from various political spectrums came together to push for this bill in order to protect Clark County’s agricultural and forest lands. The passage of this bill strongly demonstrates that when people truly believe in a common goal and work diligently for that goal, we can all achieve great results for our community.”
Senate Bill 5820 received support from community members and local lawmakers in Clark County, including Battle Ground Mayor Eric Overholser and Battle Ground City Councilmember Troy McCoy.
“Battle Ground and our surrounding communities cherish our agricultural heritage, farmlands, forests, and natural environment, which define our quality of life and rural character.” Overholser said. “Senate Bill 5820 restores full compliance with the Growth Management Act for these sensitive lands, ensuring equitable protection statewide and preventing irresponsible expansion that could harm local farms, water resources, wildlife habitats, and neighborhood livability. Senator Cortes has demonstrated strong leadership for the 18th District by addressing this inconsistency thoughtfully and responsibly.”
“This bill proves that when representatives, senators, the Battle Ground City Council, and local citizens unite, we achieve real results,” McCoy said. “It is a powerful reminder that progress happens when our community works diligently toward a shared vision.”
Senate Bill 5820 now heads to the governor’s desk to be signed into law.
