The Clatsop County Planning Commission voted unanimously on Dec. 9, 2025, to recommend adoption of Ordinance 25-08, a package that repeals and replaces comprehensive plan Goals 16 and 17 and adopts new estuary and coastal shoreland maps.

David Cook, Clatsop County community development planning manager, told commissioners the update began in 2019 and aims to modernize the goals, bring the plan into conformance with state and federal requirements, and digitize mapping. "The real primary purpose of updating goal 16 and 17 was to ensure that the comprehensive plan was still consistent with all state and federal regulations," Cook said. He described earlier outreach with residents, the commission, the board and a technical advisory committee and said consultant-prepared maps are included in the agenda packet and that GIS maintains internal layers that will be made public after adoption.

During public testimony, Mandy Watson, coastal conservation manager for Oregon Shores, thanked the commission and the project team, saying the updates "seek to protect the ecosystems that protect us in the face of climate change and sea level rise and increase flooding." No other public testimony was offered.

A commissioner moved to accept the revised Goals 16 and 17, including the background reports, consultant maps and LawDuck (code) edits; the motion was seconded and passed on a roll call vote with all members voting aye. Vice Chair Johnson closed public testimony after the vote.

The commission record notes that the updated maps and code changes are intended to make technical information more accessible for staff and the public. Staff said the ordinance will be forwarded to the Board of Commissioners; David Cook reported in the project status report that the goal 16/17 ordinance is scheduled for first reading before the board on Jan. 14, 2026.