(1) Retain suitable forest land in the County in commercial forest land use, because of general economic benefits to the people of the County derived from forests, including timber production and processing, watershed conservation, recreation, and fish and wildlife conservation.

(2) Encourage the retention of public and private commercial large forest land holdings in commercial forest land uses, primarily as a timber resource base for the perpetuation of the County’s forest and timber products industries.

(3) Foster the conservation function and scenic role of the County’s private forest lands, recognizing that certain limited development will be necessary in the furtherance of other forest land goals.

(4) Recognize the economic contribution of forest lands, through timber management and wood products processing industry. It is necessary to allow forest related industries to locate in the forest and especially in the designated forest areas where they have historically existed in order to facilitate timber industry growth and operations. Industries such as log storage and log shipping, and equipment shops and storage areas are suitable in forest areas. Also, shake and shingle operations, lumber mills and wood products manufacturing should be allowed in forest areas.

(5) Encourage classification of forest lands under State forest land taxing laws and thereby minimize conversion pressures due to highest and best use taxation assessment.

(6) Allow recreational developments which require a forested setting, such as primitive campgrounds, picnic areas, trails, boat launches, and other dispersed outdoor recreational developments currently enjoyed on forest lands in commercial forest areas provided that the recreational activity is compatible with commercial timber harvest. Recreational developments which are not compatible with timber harvest include, but are not limited to, golf courses, RV parks, water slides, and other uses not normally found in commercial forest areas.

(7) Clallam County shall conserve forest and mineral resources for productive use by designating resource lands where the principal and preferred land uses will be commercial resource management activities.

(8) Property designated as commercial forest resource lands shall meet the following criteria:

(9) Forestry shall be encouraged both within and outside of designated commercial forest lands. Reforestation shall be encouraged as the subsequent preferred reclamation method upon depleted surface mines.

(10) Clallam County shall work with cities, other public agencies, tribes, and private land owners to conserve public and private resource lands, and to encourage continued resource management.

(11) Resource industries shall use management practices that maintain forest productivity, protect the environment, and protect adjacent land uses. Clallam County shall support implementation of “best management practices” as defined by the Forest Practices Act and the Surface Mining Act on forested lands to provide for environmental protection, wildlife habitat conservation and a viable forest industry.

(12) The primary land use within designated commercial forest land shall be commercial forestry. Other resource industries such as extraction and agriculture shall be permitted within a designated forest resource area when managed to be compatible with forest management. New single-family dwellings shall be allowed in commercial forest areas as a conditional or special use when the home is not incompatible with commercial forestry, provided that a single-family dwelling on legal lots of record less than 80 acres in area should be allowed within designated commercial forest land, subject to applicable performance standards to ensure compatibility with adjacent commercial forest lands. Residential development shall be recognized as a compatible land use on lands designated as transitional from forestry to rural; provided, that measures are taken to ensure that the development is compatible with the adjacent commercial forest land use.

(13) Land uses adjacent to designated forest lands shall be sited and designed to prevent conflicts with forestry. New, nonclustered residential development adjacent to designated forest lands should be low density, and should be designed and sited to reduce potential conflicts between residences and adjacent forest lands. Each regional subarea plan shall identify the land uses and densities of residential development that are compatible with adjacent long-term commercial harvest of timber.

(14) Lands designated as commercial forest shall remain in large parcels and ownership patterns conducive to forestry.

(15) Residences within designated forest land areas shall be designed and sited to maintain the productivity of the district. Design measures and site plan requirements should be used to provide for fire control and to prevent conflicts with forest management.

(16) A private dwelling in a designated forest production area shall have an approved on-site domestic water supply or be connected to an approved water system which will not be adversely affected by forest practices.

(17) Establishment or expansion of special purpose taxing districts and local improvement districts, except fire districts, in designated commercial forest lands shall be strongly discouraged unless they directly benefit forestry.

(18) Clallam County should offer incentives to encourage conservation of forested lands. Incentives should include property tax benefits, cluster subdivision options, right-to-practice forest practices in the accustomed manner, and technical assistance in harvest techniques, water quality and habitat protection. When conservation of a forest parcel is assured, adjacent land uses, utilities, and transportation should be designed to reduce conflicts with forestry.

(19) Lands that have not been designated as commercial forest lands of long-term commercial significance under this Comprehensive Plan and lands that have not been classified as forest land under Chapter 84.33 RCW and timber land under Chapter 84.34 RCW shall be considered as lands likely to convert to nonforest uses. Timber harvesting on such lands shall be considered a conversion under the Forest Practices Act and shall comply with County regulations for clearing, grading, drainage, and protection of critical areas.

(20) Clallam County policy on lands harvested and not reforested under a Class I, II, or III Forest Practices Act (FPA) permit and which are being converted to nonforest uses is that such lands shall have all local permits withheld for a period of six (6) years. This moratorium shall run with the land and be duly noted in the public record. For the purpose of implementing this policy, the conversion of land to nonforest uses shall mean the subdivision of land or the preparation of land for subdivision or construction. Should a landowner wish to remove the moratorium or convert the land to nonforest uses, the owner shall:

(21) Clallam County shall require a conversion harvest plan on Class IV forest practices in addition to the forest practices application. Said plan shall consist of a questionnaire and a site plan, as provided for by Clallam County. The purpose of the conversion harvest plan is to address specific environmental and land use questions, and may not necessarily require extensive environmental review as provided for by the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA).

(22) Clallam County shall work with federal agencies, the State, cities, tribes, ditch companies and utility providers to conserve areas designated as commercial forest land use (CF) and as designated mineral resource sites. Areas with these designations shall not be annexed to cities, become incorporated or be included in urban growth areas unless the property’s development rights have been purchased or transferred prior to or concurrent with annexation or inclusion in an urban growth area.

(23) Land designated as commercial forest shall remain in this classification unless a strong case can be made that the zoning could be changed without affecting the commercial viability of the surrounding forest land. Zone change applications shall meet one of the following criteria:

(24) Essential public facilities may be located in designated commercial forest lands provided the County finds that such facilities cannot otherwise be located in urban areas, are largely self-contained or served by urban governmental services in a manner that adjacent rural or urban development is not promoted. The siting of essential public facilities in resource lands should not interfere with resource management on adjacent resource lands.

(25) Industrial uses which support timber harvesting and timber management activities may be located in designated commercial forest lands provided that the County finds:

(26) Industrial uses which do not support timber harvesting and timber management activities shall not be located in designated commercial forest lands unless the County finds:

(27) Master planned resorts with primary focus on destination resort facilities consisting of short-term visitor accommodations associated with a range of developed on-site indoor or outdoor recreational facilities may be located in designated forest lands if the County finds that such development has more long-term economic importance than the commercial harvesting of timber, and if consistent with other criteria set forth in CCC 31.02.270.