The
City of Camas has a long history associated with its
industrial citizens. In 1883, Mr. Pittock, owner of
the Oregonian newspaper in Portland, chose Camas for
a paper mill site because of the abundance of local
water. The community’s heritage began, has grown
and now thrives on its industrial history. New businesses
exploring Camas consistently remark on the community’s
business-friendly atmosphere. Local citizens are proud
of this unique heritage and recognize that the health
of our community is directly related to the health of
our local businesses.
Camas’
history provides a springboard into the community’s
future. In the mid-1980s, the Camas City Council began
a focused proactive journey to diversify the economic
base. Large areas of flat undeveloped property were
annexed into the City and designated for light industrial
development. The City has secured immense financial
support from the State and others to fund millions of
dollars in infrastructure to support what has become
a growing high-tech community. World-class companies
such as Underwriters Laboratories, Sharp Microelectronics
Technology Inc., Linear Technology Corp., and WaferTech
demonstrate the success of this vision. The industrial
park’s success can be attributed to several factors,
the most significant of which may be priority permitting
for prospective clients. Staff members escort new companies
through the maze of land use, environmental and building
permits. In addition, the business park is supported
by a utility system with solid reliability and redundant
looping to ensure uninterrupted operation. Rates for
water and power are lower here than in surrounding states.
Community leaders are invested in the health of local
businesses. A business-friendly tax structure encourages
investment and expansion. Mayor Paul Dennis said, “We
believe that Camas provides a unique environment which
supports healthy businesses and fosters happy productive
employees and citizens who are active in their community.”
In the words of Lloyd Halverson, City Administrator…”Say
only what you can deliver, then deliver what you say.”
We’ve had a vision and have not wavered. Many
new businesses thrive here and have become part of the
community fabric. The City of Camas invites corporations
to become part of this network of prosperity. As a community,
we welcome you.
The
business park is zoned Light Industrial / Business Park
(LI/BP), a unique zone that creates a character where
companies prosper in proximity to local residents. It
supports landscaped campuses with complimentary architectural
features. There are trails throughout this area and
the area includes some industrial lots on a world-class
golf course.
The Southwest Washington Region is fortunate to lack
any significant natural disasters such as tornadoes,
electrical storms, droughts or earthquakes.
Within
the gateway to the Columbia Gorge where the Washougal
River meets the Columbia River, Camas provides a small
town atmosphere with tree-lined streets and amenities
within walking distance. The mountains, lakes, rivers,
forests and the ocean are all within a two-hour drive.
If you prefer to walk, there are many beautiful trails
within Camas. A region of extraordinary beauty, people
come from home and abroad to enjoy such attractions
as the Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, Bonneville
Dam, and the historic Pendleton Woolen Mills. Outdoor
enjoyment includes fishing for giant sturgeon in the
Columbia River, spending a day at the beach on the Columbia
River or the Pacific Ocean, snowboarding or skiing on
Mount Hood, windsurfing in the Gorge, hiking one of
the 700 miles of Gorge trails, and world-class golfing.
All this, and only minutes away from the airport, universities
and colleges, and a full menu of amenities offered in
the Portland metropolitan area.
Recruitment
for economic development can be divided into two main
areas. They are development in the downtown area of
Camas and hi-tech development within the Light
Industrial/Business Park area. The Downtown
Vision Coaltion was formed to address any issues
within the downtown core area of Camas.
Light
Industrial/Business Park
Aerial
Map of Light
Industrial/Business Park
Zoning
Map
Business
Resource
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