At the Dec. 9 meeting, planning staff updated the commission on several ongoing projects and staffing changes.

Planning Manager David Cook said the county is working to adopt digital zoning maps as the official mapping product and expects to return to the commission in February; staff will notify property owners of representational changes between digital and paper maps. Cook also noted that Ordinance 25-08 (Goals 16/17) and Ordinance 25-16 (2025 legislative updates) are scheduled for Board first reading on Jan. 14, 2026.

When commissioners asked about why the Arch Cape Deli item remains on status reports, staff described it as a legacy project initially approved by the commission in 2017 and said it can be removed if the commission prefers.

On FEMA’s buyout and NEPA process, Director Gail Henriksen said the NEPA public comment period closed Oct. 6 and the county has not received a timeline from FEMA; she said if FEMA moves forward, implementation might occur in 2027 and that the Columbia Pacific Economic Development District (Col‑Pac) will receive an update from Michael Desmond of Oregonians for Floodplain Protection.

The commission also welcomed new planner Zane Longwell, who began work Nov. 17 and described his background in architecture, food-systems planning and consulting work on economic development and comprehensive planning.