County posts agricultural land study that will inform preferred land‑use alternative – Citizen Portal AI

Clark County Agricultural Land Study: A Framework for Sustainable Development

Report Submission and Purpose

• Report Submitted: November 4, by consultants Eco Northwest and Triangle Associates.
• Core Objective: To provide an evidentiary analysis informing the selection of a preferred land-use alternative, directly supporting sustainable community planning and policy-making.

Advancing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

• SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) & SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production): The study provides critical data for the protection of designated agricultural lands. This is fundamental to ensuring local food security and promoting sustainable food production systems by safeguarding productive land from conversion.
• SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities): The analysis directly addresses the challenge of managing urban expansion. It informs decisions on the Urban Growth Area (UGA), seeking to balance the need for housing with the imperative to protect agricultural resources and create inclusive, safe, and resilient communities.
• SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) & SDG 15 (Life on Land): By evaluating how to reconcile agricultural protection with employment needs, the study contributes to sustainable economic growth while promoting the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems and preventing land degradation from urban sprawl.

Study Scope and Parameters

• Geographic Focus: Countywide agricultural lands situated outside the current urban growth boundary.
• Exclusions: The analysis deliberately excludes forest lands, mining lands, areas within the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, and existing rural centers to maintain a focused analysis on designated agricultural areas, consistent with council direction.

Governance and Engagement Process

1. The study was formally submitted to Clark County staff on November 4.
2. The County Council will consider the study as part of its work sessions on November 12.
3. The report will be reviewed by the county-appointed agricultural advisory commission on November 19.
4. A public comment period on the draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), for which the study serves as evidence, is open until 5 p.m. on November 30.
5. All public comments received will be formally addressed in the final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), ensuring a transparent and participatory process aligned with SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).

Implications for Policy

• The study functions as procedural evidence to guide policy, specifically for the DEIS and the selection of a preferred land-use alternative.
• It does not enact immediate changes to zoning or the UGA but serves as a foundational component for subsequent council actions and any statutory designation processes required for land-use changes.

SDGs Addressed in the Article

1. SDG 2: Zero Hunger

   • The article’s central theme is an “agricultural land study” aimed at informing policies for “agricultural protection.” This directly connects to SDG 2, which seeks to end hunger, achieve food security, and promote sustainable agriculture. Protecting agricultural land is a foundational step in ensuring long-term food production capacity for a community.

2. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

   • The article discusses the challenge of managing the “urban growth boundary” (UGA) to balance “agricultural protection with housing and employment needs.” This is a core issue of sustainable urban planning, which falls under SDG 11. The process described—using an “evidentiary analysis” to inform land-use decisions—is a practical application of creating sustainable and resilient human settlements.

3. SDG 15: Life on Land

   • This goal focuses on the sustainable management of terrestrial ecosystems. The effort to protect designated agricultural areas from urban expansion is a form of sustainable land management. By preventing the conversion of productive soil to developed land, the county is working to halt land degradation, a key component of SDG 15.

Specific SDG Targets Identified

1. Target 2.4: Ensure sustainable food production systems

   • By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices… that help maintain ecosystems… and that progressively improve land and soil quality. The article’s focus on a study to inform “agricultural protection” is a direct effort to maintain the ecosystem of agricultural lands and ensure their long-term viability for food production, aligning perfectly with this target.

2. Target 11.3: Enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization and planning

   • By 2030, enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization and capacity for participatory, integrated and sustainable human settlement planning and management. The process outlined in the article—involving a study by consultants, review by an “agricultural advisory commission,” consideration by county commissioners, and a “public comment” period—is a clear example of an integrated and participatory planning process designed to manage urban growth sustainably.

3. Target 15.3: Combat desertification and restore degraded land

   • By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil… and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world. While not about desertification, the principle of this target includes preventing land degradation. The conversion of productive agricultural land to urban use is a form of land degradation in terms of its productive capacity. The study and subsequent council actions to protect these lands contribute to the goal of preventing further degradation of valuable land resources.

Indicators for Measuring Progress

1. Indicator for Target 2.4 (Implied)

   • The article does not state a specific metric, but it implies an indicator related to the outcome of the planning process: the total area of agricultural land officially protected from inclusion in an expanded Urban Growth Area (UGA). The success of the “agricultural protection” effort, informed by the study, would be measured by how much productive land is preserved for agriculture.

2. Indicator for Target 11.3 (Implied)

   • The article describes the mechanism for planning, which itself can be an indicator: the existence and implementation of an integrated land-use plan that reconciles agricultural, housing, and employment needs. The article confirms this process is underway, stating the study “will also inform how the preferred alternative reconciles agricultural protection with housing and employment needs.” The formal adoption of this “preferred land-use alternative” would be the measurable indicator.

3. Indicator for Target 15.3 (Implied)

   • Progress towards preventing land degradation in this context can be measured by a policy-based indicator: the enactment of zoning changes or other council actions that formally designate agricultural lands for protection. The article notes that the study “does not itself change zoning or the UGA without subsequent council action.” Therefore, the “subsequent council action” is the key measurable event indicating progress.

Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: citizenportal.ai