The city of Vancouver is failing to meet its commitment to clean water and “no net loss” in critical areas. It does not use and maintain the land and water along Burnt Bridge Creek as a regional park and the Growth Management Act Critical Area that it is. It does not enforce city codes for environmental protection and human safety. When the city refuses to take care of our critical area and not abide by the legal land and water uses, how can they enforce the critical area and environmental laws against developers or private landowners? Our city has been failing over the last eight years to bring Burnt Bridge Creek into compliance with state water quality standards. This is despite Clark County paying a $3 million water pollution settlement in 2013. The city has and still approves the rights of individuals to build and homestead in our critical area without regard to our laws, ordinances and Supreme Court rulings.

An example of the problem is the organized camp the last two years at Andresen Road and Burnt Bridge Creek. Critical area ordinances need to apply equally to public land managed by the city, developers and private individuals in order to protect our environment.