(a) Population Changes.

(b) Demographics. This section develops a more complete picture of the people expected to reside in Forks. Portions of the demographic analysis are based on County-wide data and are not particular to the City of Forks. However, the level of specificity is adequate to assess the general needs of the population.

(c) Residential Land Use Needs. As noted in the housing element of this Comprehensive Plan, there is an identified need for quality affordable housing of all types. See the affordable housing element for further details.

Residential zoning developed by both the City and the County should include, as an option to conventional development and zoning, development regulations to allow flexible lot sizes with the same number of lots. Large residential lots may have farm animals according to City and County zoning ordinances.

(a) Employment Trends by Industry. While timber harvesting is not expected to return to its former 1970’s levels, it is expected that some degree of timber harvesting will occur.

The City is actively seeking ways to diversify its economy to mitigate the losses caused by drastic reductions in timber harvesting. Much effort has been put into creating an industrial park and wood drying operation that will facilitate secondary wood manufacturing. The Industrial Park’s primary tenant, Portac Inc., is expecting to begin operations in the early part of 1995.

While tourism is not identified as a timber industry replacement, it is being viewed as a necessary element of Forks’ effort to diversify its economic base. A three (3) hour drive from the highly populated I-5 corridor positions the Westend of Clallam County as an ideal “get away location.” In 1994, the Forks Visitor’s Information Center assisted over 23,810 visitors, answered over 2,400 telephone inquiries, and mailed over 850 letters in response to requests for information. In addition a Westend Office of the North Olympic Peninsula Visitor & Convention Bureau has been established. Although tourism is growing, there is a concern that its growth may result in low paying jobs.

(b) Unemployment Rate. Gross estimates of unemployment based upon data from the Washington State Employment Security Department show that the City of Forks in 1991 had a nineteen (19) percent unemployment rate compared with eight (8) percent of the rest of Clallam County. This is the most direct indication of the need for economic development and redevelopment.

(c) Regional Employment Conditions. Drastic reductions in timber supply have displaced numerous timber workers. Many of the jobs currently available in the City of Forks are in government. Washington State Department of Corrections, with two (2) facilities located within an hour of Forks, is the largest employer for the region. The Department’s Clallam Bay Correctional Center employs 417 people. The Quillayute Valley School District is the second largest employer with 202 employees. Other major employers include the Forks Community Hospital and the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. Forks also has several motels and restaurants that capitalize on tourism, as well as two (2) large general merchandise stores.

(d) Industry Growth. The City is expecting an increase in industry related to secondary wood products manufacturing due to the addition of a wood drying operation. Consequently, more land will be needed for industrial uses and this need will be met by the newly created Forks Industrial Park.

The service sector is a growing employer in Forks due to an increase in population and tourism. Since many of the service sector businesses are dependent upon tourism, more commercial land will need to be available along SR 101.

(e) Future Commercial Zoning within the FUGA. The commercial designation used on the Comprehensive Plan Map indicates the areas of future commercial development. The commercial category is for land to be used for commercial purposes of all types, including land used for retail and wholesale trade, offices, hotels, motels, RV parks, restaurants, service outlets, automobile service stations, repair facilities and storage. This category is further divided as follows:

The use of the intensity in the above commercial zoning designations incorporates numerous factors to be considered by the City and County zoning bodies. In determining the level of intensity associated with a commercial zone, the zoning body should at minimum consider the issues of traffic, parking, noise, sewage, lighting, and pollutants.

(a) Geographic Constraints.

(a) Open Space. As a result of the GMA mandate, the RPC devised a method of designating certain lands as open space based upon either the association of the land with wildlife or critical areas, or the access to the lands by the general public. The use of this category is:

The definitions of open space to be used in any subsequent zoning should read as follows:

Additionally, subsequent zoning ordinances should be written in such a manner that incentives (such as increases in density) be made for developers who incorporate open space public lands into their developments.

(b) Condition of Parks and Recreational Land Uses. As discussed in the inventory of public land use, the City has a large tract of land dedicated park and recreational uses. The City of Forks has approximately 17.1 acres of developed park land. Although this is far below the National Parks and Recreation Standard of ten (10) acres per thousand population, the park lands surrounding the Forks UGA should more than compensate for this deficiency. However, further study should be done to determine if the current availability of park land for public use could be expanded by development of land currently owned by the City or the County, or through future land acquisition.

The capital facilities element of this plan does call for the construction of a swimming pool in 1999 and land adjacent to the Forks Recreation Center should be zoned to permit this use.

(c) Information about Social Services. The inventory conducted in this element does not include information about the quality of the social services provided through the local government, educational facilities, churches, cemeteries, emergency services, and the library. However, the City recognizes that changes in the population will effect these services and will require the planning of appropriate facilities. The agents managing each of these facilities need to work with the City to incorporate their future plans with this Comprehensive Plan.

(a) City Hall. The facilities for public administration were expanded and remodeled in 1993 and are currently in good condition. More parking space is necessary but it is anticipated that there is enough vacant land surrounding Forks City Hall to accommodate this need. No significant expansion is anticipated in the next twenty (20) years.

(b) Water System. The quality of the water provided by Forks is good and the service meets present needs and those projected for the next twenty (20) years. The maximum capacity for the Forks Water System is 1,390 gallons per minute, as determined on page 9 of the City of Forks Comprehensive Water System Plan Update, dated February, 1989 (hereinafter referred to as Water Plan). According to 1987 statistics cited in the Water Plan, there are 2.75 persons per connection. The Water Plan also references a Washington State Department of Social and Health Services recommended daily connection usage rate of 800 gallons per day. Utilizing this data and the projected population for 2015 of this plan of 6,234 persons in the Forks UGA, the water usage for 2015 would be 1,259 gallons per minute, which is below the 1,390 gallon per minute capacity. Note that the Forks water service area conforms relatively closely to the Forks UGA since it was one of the primary factors used in delineating the UGA.

(c) Wastewater Disposal Facilities. The Forks sewer service area only comprise the central portion of the City of Forks. In 1994 the sewage treatment plant was at sixty-seven (67) percent capacity and could reach 100 percent capacity if the vacant lots within the sewer service area were developed. As of 1995, there are no plans to increase the capacity of the sewage treatment plant. However, additional land in the area to the west and southwest of the current facility has been designated as open space limited access, providing the City, upon acquiring ownership, with the ability to expand the current facility if required. A bond was proposed about ten (10) years ago for added sewage treatment capacity and was rejected by the voters.

(d) Solid Waste Disposal. Solid waste collection is provided by a private company currently under contract with the City of Forks for the Forks area and regulated by the Washington State Utilities and Transportation Commission for the unincorporated Forks UGA. Residents of the UGA can also deposit their solid waste at the Lake Creek transfer station which is situated a few minutes north of town. Solid waste from the private companies is transported to the Port Angeles Landfill, which is nearing capacity. Forks is requiring its garbage company to initiate a recycling program and this garbage company has plans to open a solid waste transfer station in the Forks Industrial Park.

(e) Medical and Emergency Facilities. The Forks Community Hospital serves the FUGA and Westend of Clallam County. In 1993, the hospital completed an $8,000,000 expansion that will satisfy the needs of the community for the next twenty (20) years. In addition a well trained volunteer ambulance corps provides twenty-four (24) hour service.

(f) Police and Fire Protection. The provision of safe residential and commercial areas improves the quality of life for current residents, and makes the City more attractive for new residents and businesses. The City is able to provide twenty-four (24) hour police protection and has an excellent volunteer fire crew composed of forty-five (45) members who have a proven response time unmatched by many paid fire departments.

(g) Public Education Facilities. The City anticipates that the current educational facilities may not be sufficient to meet the anticipated growth in student populations in the next twenty (20) years. Currently, the Quillayute Valley School District is studying the feasibility of expanding the Forks High School. Sufficient real property is available for such an expansion, assuming that State funding can be obtained.

(h) Library. The Forks Branch of the North Olympic Library System occupies a large building on Main Street which should adequately serve the western portion of Clallam County for the next twenty (20) years. The Library’s circulation exceeds 7,000 items per month. Services include children’s and adult programs, homebound patron services, meeting facilities, and much more. In addition, the Library has pursued technological advances resulting in its patrons being able to access the world’s “information highway.”

(i) Transportation Facilities. Various types of land uses will need different types of transportation, and will place different demands on the transportation system. Residential areas need access to employment and commercial centers, industrial enterprises need access to supplier and consumer markets, and transportation corridors are often used to extend public services and utilities. The plan projects future transportation needs according to the Future Land Use Plan.

(j) Stormwater Facilities. The City’s stormwater system is composed of a network of public and private facilities. These include wetlands and drainage ways, publicly owned ditches, culverts, and swales. Current facilities are inadequate to handle substantial increases in stormwater drainage associated with increased development. Efforts should be made by both the City and the County to study and implement improvements to the stormwater drainage system.

(k) Process for Siting Essential Public Facilities. Essential public facilities which are determined by the State Office of Financial Management will be subject to the following siting process. When essential public facilities are proposed the City will appoint an advisory City-Wide Site Evaluation Committee composed of citizen members selected to represent a broad range of interest groups and expertise. The committee is also required to include one individual with technical expertise relating to the particular type of facility. The committee will develop specific siting criteria for the proposed project and identify, analyze, and rank potential project sites. The Committee will establish a reasonable work schedule for completion of this task.