We envision the Port Angeles Region as Clallam County’s economic center,...

The Port Angeles Region has undergone significant change in the 20 years that have passed since the first Growth Management comprehensive plan was adopted in 1995. This plan led to a successful partnership of public, tribal and private interest groups which worked cooperatively to build a diversified, sound regional economy, managed growth to preserve resources and community character and maintained the County’s high quality of life.

Businesses which provide regional services have been grouped at convenient locations at major intersections within the urban growth area and conform to visually pleasing landscape and building design standards. These regional service center sites have been identified both within the City of Port Angeles and within the unincorporated urban growth area. Developers seeking to build a regional business facility are directed to these community approved sites. All neighborhood and regional business centers are linked by an efficient local transit system. Tribal business centers have also grown to become major employers within Clallam County.

Most new manufacturing and industrial concerns are located at the expanded Airport Industrial Park. A major push to provide infrastructure and prebuilt manufacturing sites combined with a major marketing effort in the mid-1990’s proved fruitful with several small to mid-size manufacturers relocating to Clallam County. These industries, along with local industries that were encouraged to grow with local support, now supply work for our citizens and have replaced jobs lost in other manufacturing sectors. The Airport Industrial Park has maintained a campus-like appearance which provides an attractive site to relocate a business. Port activity has also increased markedly in the last 20 years. Cruise ships and high speed passenger ferries now regularly stop in Port Angeles with visitors connecting to various points of interest in the County. Many value-added wood products, other manufactured products and specialty food products are being shipped from plants in the County to the Pacific Rim Nations. The Port is has become a major marine repair and oil spill response center.

where the urban area of Port Angeles is a cultural, educational and growth center,...

The urban area of Port Angeles provides a mixture of employment, residential, commercial, cultural and recreational opportunities. Peninsula College is now a four-year institution offering advanced degrees. Much of the new development and redevelopment which occurred after 1995 took place within the existing urban center of Port Angeles where infrastructure was in place or could be easily extended. Today, there is still ample room for development within that original urban growth area. Port Angeles is the ultimate supplier of services within the urban growth area.

a transportation hub,...

Port Angeles is linked to all other urban growth areas in the County by an efficient transit system. The County-wide transit system operates a high speed electric bus in the “transit priority” lane of Highway 101. Many electric cars now are used for local trips. The new Port Angeles Parkway provides an alternate east side, cross town route for local access to Port Angeles. The airport has become the center for commuter, visitor and freight shipment with convenient connections to transit, ferry and freight haulers. Within the Port Angeles urban growth area, neighborhood population centers are linked to the Olympic Discovery Trail via multiple feeder trails and paths for efficient nonmotorized transportation options for reaching work or for recreation.

with a population that respects the beauty and function of the natural environment,...

Twenty (20) years of work in education and environmental restoration have resulted in the development of a strong sense of stewardship towards the Port Angeles watershed and its environmental resources by all watershed residents. Critical areas are protected and environmental enhancement projects have restored many acres of wetlands and miles of streams to salmon runs. Few weekends go by when local groups are not found in the field working on habitat improvements or maintenance. Water is clean and abundant due to conservation efforts. The abundance of intact native plant communities and natural systems in the County are the focus of many professional research efforts which share their results with visitors and students through several interpretive centers built in the region. Careful stewardship has ensured the conservation of our land, air, water and energy resources for future generations.

Forest resource lands, farms and important open space resource lands first identified in 1992 remain in resource use. Many of the agricultural and open space resource lands have been permanently protected through transfer or purchase of development rights. The rural portions of the region identified in the 1995 plan have retained their rural character through the use of low density development options, open space development patterns, critical area protection measures and purchase of development rights. A clear boundary exists between rural and urban areas.

a good place to live,...

The Port Angeles region is known for its livable neighborhoods which express their own unique character. They are all noted for their quality of life, pedestrian orientation and superior design. Many residential areas have been separated from the hustle and bustle of commercial activities near Highway 101 by allowing public uses such as schools, parks and public golf courses as commercial to residential buffers. Commercial businesses in these neighborhoods provide goods and services to neighborhood residents and some have residences located on upper stories. The Highway 101 corridor is now a tree lined boulevard with landscaped medians as it passes through the urban area and businesses all along this corridor have upgraded their landscaping and physical appearance. Most high density, low cost housing has been infilled into single-family neighborhoods located just off Highway 101 in urban growth areas where easy access to transit and job opportunities is available. Well designed and landscaped manufactured home parks and multifamily developments provide an attractive low cost living environment. Visitors to our area note the distinct open space boundaries between neighborhoods which make use of the steep sided creek ravines which are left in the natural state.

where we work together,...

The Port Angeles region enjoys a healthy and stable economy, emphasizing diversity in the range of goods produced and services provided. Businesses continue to locate in our County because of the high quality of life, provision of business infrastructure, the emphasis on superior schools, and the ability of a tightly knit community to provide a safe living environment for all. The business community also recognizes that the predictability brought about by the management of growth and the creation of effective public/tribal/private partnerships has fostered a relationship of trust between residents, business interests and governments. This trust has benefited the overall economic development of the County. Problems identified by residents and the business community are clearly articulated in the Plan and solutions have been proposed with clear sources of funding identified. Residents and business interests trust their local governments to follow through on solutions because the Plans and promises made to manage growth in 1995 have been followed and changes to the original plan occur as a result of demonstrated community need. Relationships with tribal governments have improved as the community embraces its cultural diversity. Change is accepted and proceeds in an orderly fashion based on the growth management plan.

Over all, we envision a great place for all to live, work and play!