Camas City Council Approves Grass Valley Development Plan

Camas, WA — After listening to three hours of presentations and public comments Monday night, the Camas City Council unanimously voted to approve the Grass Valley Master Development Plan, which is a combination of new commercial and residential construction.

The site, located at 192nd Ave and 38th Street, will be the new headquarters for Holland Partner Group, and is expected to bring 1,500 jobs to the area, said Camas City Administrator, Pete Capell. Holland’s campus development plans call for three new office buildings, totally 272,000 square feet with 1,000 parking spaces. The master plan includes a 20,000 square foot market, 12 apartment buildings (each with 24 units), a pool, and complex leasing office.

The apartment buildings were the source of great concern for a majority of the Awbrey Glen residents (off 192nd Ave). Thirty Awbrey Glen residents attended the long session, with six making public comments.

At issue is the height and location of apartment building structures to be built on the site’s southern border, which is adjacent to the Awbrey Glen subdivision. Residents feel the developer’s fence and proposed greenbelt weren’t enough to insulate them from the light, activity and noise that apartment life would bring.

“Awbrey Glen residents propose a compromise, they don’t want to stop development,” said Jiri Vasat. “We want to extend the green belt on the south side to 50 feet from the Awbrey Glen property line.”

Roger Young echoed Vasat’s comments, and asked developers to reduce the southern apartment buildings to two stories, rather than three. He also expressed concern about traffic congestion.

“We don’t want their windows looking into our living spaces,” said Young.

Others discussed their SEPA appeals, water runoff issues, and green belt mandates.

Attorney Randy Printz, who represented the project, presented the plan and offered multiple responses to the SEPA appeals and said the “development meets all code requirements” and urged the council to vote to deny the appeals, and clear the way for the development to proceed.

Camas City staff and councilors have been reviewing project plans for many months.

 

 

After three hours of presentation and public comments, City Councilor Deanna Rusch motioned that the SEPA appeal be denied, which was seconded by Councilor Anderson. The council voted unanimously, which constituted a final order on the matter. The Grass Valley Development project will begin as soon as possible.

”I encourage residents to work with developers to discuss remaining issues,” said Camas Mayor, Scott Higgins.

Rusch said “this is a healthy development for Camas.”

Printz said the developers will break ground this summer, and completion will be some time in the summer of 2019. The project is a $164 million private investment.

”We will likely build a large component of it at one time to minimize the construction related impacts, so it’s not under construction for several years,” said Printz.

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