State board remands zoning for industrial park expansion

CLATSKANIE, Ore. (AP) – The state Land Use Board of Appeals has remanded a decision to rezone 837 acres of farmland for industrial development and expansion at Port Westward Industrial Park along the Columbia River in northwest Oregon.

The Capital Press reports the Port of Columbia County had applied to rezone the land in 2017, aiming to attract new businesses and nearly double the size of its property.

Columbia County commissioners had approved the rezoning, but environmental advocates Columbia Riverkeeper and 1000 Friends of Oregon appealed it to the state board.

The board sent the decision back to the county last week, finding the port did not demonstrate how the proposal would be compatible with neighboring farms.

Port Executive Director Douglas Hayes says they are considering options to move forward.

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Information from: Capital Press, http://www.capitalpress.com/washington