Camas plans 165 acres of ‘legacy’ park land near Lacamas Lake

Camas officials are working on a plan to turn 165 city-owned acres north of Lacamas Lake into a regional park that balances conservation with recreation.

The city acquired the property through Clark County’s Legacy Lands program, which uses property taxes to preserve land for future generations.

Over the past several months, the city and its GreenWorks consultants have been querying community members about what type of amenities they hope to see there. The Camas City Council expects to review the final master plan for adoption this fall.

So far, Camas Parks and Recreation Director Chris Witkowski said, the public has shown high interest in helping plan the area’s future. About 75 people attended an open house to share their thoughts, Witkowski told members of the city’s parks and recreation commission during their June 25 meeting.

“I was encouraged by the attendance and the amount of discussion,” he said.

The city also has an online survey available on its Engage Camas website through Friday.

Although the city and its consultants are still sifting through feedback, they have already rejected a few concepts , including a skate park, equestrian center, fishing dock, archery range, equestrian trails, all-terrain vehicle recreation, sports fields, vacation rentals, sports courts, concert venues, community center, restaurants, a club house and a splash pad.

A mix of forested areas, wetlands and grassy open spaces, the 165-acre site provides a buffer between Lacamas Lake and Camas’ developing North Shore neighborhood.

During the June 18 open house, consultants split the area into seven zones defined by distinct natural features, historical uses and land use constraints, then listed potential uses still under consideration for each zone.

On a 4.3-acre site that includes a club house and gun range, for instance, future amenities may include an expanded beach area, coffee or food vendors, environmental nonprofit offices, kayak or other outdoor recreation rentals, a mountain bike course or demonstration gardens.

A 1-acre site that is home to the Pomaria House could someday accommodate an outdoor classroom, picnic shelter, hike- or bike-in campground, arboretum with interpretive trails, an elevated “tree walk” structure, disc golf course, lake overlook, boardwalk or bike pump track.

Future uses on the 1-acre, lake-adjacent site containing the historic Leadbetter House could include environmental nonprofit offices, a rental house for events, visitor center and retreat center.

North of the Leadbetter parcel, on a 7.8-acre site that includes an equestrian barn, potential uses include a rental venue, coffee or food vendors, U-pick orchard, market or bike rental shop.

A 10.1-acre “nature zone” that boasts open woodlands, ponds, rolling hills and a stream could someday be home to an ecological restoration area with paths, a nature park, picnic shelter pavilion, arboretum or interpretive trail. Or, the city could opt for the proposed “leave it alone” option and refrain from developing this particular zone.

On a 9-acre, flat, grassy open space near the region’s northeastern boundary, proposed uses include a disc golf course, picnic shelter, ecological restoration with trails, outdoor classroom, coffee or food vendors, a developed park with a nature-play area or a nature park.

And a 5.8-acre, hilly area known as the “northwest fields” could someday accommodate an arboretum, an ecological restoration area, a nature park, U-pick orchard, disc golf course or observation tower.

During the open house, the city asked community members to prioritize each of the possible amenities from 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest priority.

“We don’t have the results from that yet,” Witkowski told parks commission members last week. “The results will take at least a month.”

Kelly Moyer: 360-735-4674; kelly.moyer@columbian.com