Camas Or Washougal????

[cblackrun]

Originally Posted by michaelcindy

I have friends that live in a very nice home in Washougal. They moved from Hayden Island in Portland to out there and they hate it. They do not like Camas or Washougal. They feel they have to drive a ways to get to any decent shopping or restaurants. I have visited several times and I do not like the wind, smell, traffic, and lack of entertainment options out there. If I were you I would look at other areas before settling out there. (Sorry Camas/Washougal residents, I just wanted to let to OP to know my experiences!!)

GOOD! Then please don't move there! I wish someone would have made a pamphlet listing these 'hi-lights' about 18 years ago, maybe that would have stopped greed from wrecking the communities. I'm coming into the conversation late, but, having been born and raised in Camas with my family stretching back into the late 1800's I would have to say that Camas and Washougal have been ruined beyond repair. The people who have moved in and ruined the economy of said towns are some of the most materialistic and horrible people I have ever met. And speaking with no ill intention of the dead, I have to mention this event that might better show the mentallity that I'm speaking about... there was a teenager who unfortunately crashed her brand new car and died... her mother then put her credit card on her grave stone. To top it off people buy these outrageously priced homes, better known as monuments to themselves, on Prune Hill... but when they move in they complain relentlessly about the smell of the paper mill, sometimes even bringing law suits against it.

So yes, the towns have small town dining, bad traffic for commuting (check out google earth to see why), grumpy rich people who freak out in Safeway because they don't have Kosher food, downtown businesses that change hands frequently because they can't afford ridiculously priced leases, Lacamas Lake that was only rather recently cleaned up (still wouldn't dare to eat the fish that come out of it, let alone swim in it), and it smells terrible!!!

If you want fine dining, better smelling air, fine homes with close transit to hi-end shops let alone some of the best transit in the NW, move to downtown Portland, Lake Oswego, Beaverton or even Hillsboro... but don't move to Camas or Washougal.

Unfortunately, for modest families moving into Washington or Oregon you won't like house prices or property taxes and you might want to think twice as not even the dry, tree-less hills of Eastern WA/OR have escaped it. Because of this the economy here has changed so much that everything is more expensive and it is common place to see such things as a gallon of milk costing over $5.00.

[love that sunshine!]

Camas is much better. Resale, mentality of the people, amenities, schools, you name it. Camas does have the mill smell, but if you are up on the hill, you don't notice it. The "slough" bridge on Hwy 14 is the most dangerous part of the drive and right by the mill. Try to stay on the west side of that bridge, off SE 192nd Ave if you buy in Camas. Good luck!

[scottsostuff]

Scott was raised in Camas and we have many relatives in Washougal. Are kids loved living in Camas. They really are so close to each other that you can enjoy the best of both of them, wherever you choose to live. While we are a bit more partial to Camas, there are many good deals on homes in Washougal right now.

[Klptzyxm]

I moved to Washougal in 1992 from the Ravenna neighborhood in Seattle, where I resided from 39 years.

We were told Washougal had great schools, a sense of community, all the things you look for when relocating.

What we discovered was after 16 years, even after being involved in a church, local government, school district - is that we have no local friends. The town is very unfriendly to new comers.

The school system prepared students not for college but for work at McDonald's or the Mill. Our son, did poorly in Washougal schools, send hom away to college and he becomes an A student, now in graduate school and a stellar performer!

Zoning sucks - we got a strip mall across the street from us now, rezoned without pubic input or consideration for the so-called downtown plan.

Developer agreements are not enforced, so noise, etc. happen at all hours.

The city went into debt to redevelop downtown by issuing councilmatic bonds, and after two years - no renters!

The city fire bond issue got mailed out of town, and out of city votes invalidated results.

City comptroller is not a certified professional.

The mayor has filed bankruptcy.

Property values have declined.

You can't buy clothes in town.

Oh give me the liberal decision of Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels ...

7 more years ... then I out of Dodge!

Will the last person leaving Clark County please flush Washougal!

[Wonufakind]

I've been interested in the same two places. Did you end up moving to one or the other?

[Conniejl]

I know someone who lives in Vancouver. Email me at: connie@celebratingmystory.com

[Conniejl]

I know someone who lives in Vancouver. Email me at: connie@celebratinmystory.com and let me know if you want me to contact her. She opened up a new section to her business there. I haven't talked to her in a while so I'm not sure how it's going.
Let me know!

[cheeruppeople]

Just thinking about your husbands commute I would recommend Cams.

I live in East Vancouver and the commute is pretty rough to Portland if you work a typical 8 to 5pm or 7:30 to 4:30 pm shift. . I myself wouldn't want to commute from Washougal. There have been days when a bad accident occured that it has taken me about 1 and 1/2 hrs to get home. But thats not that common. I would only live in Washougal if I worked in Vancouver or Camas. Camas Is a bearable commute but it could take close to an hour or more to get home in bad traffic. No traffic should be about 35-40 minutes.

[StealthRabbit]

from 7 miles east of Washougal, I make the commute to school in mid north Portland in 30 min with light traffic, but try to allow 45 min. It takes about 5 minutes more to get from Washougal to Camas, or ~ 20 minutes from extremities with traffic.

I would not do a daily commute during standard hours, but would use mass transit to give me time to read. I prefer to work nights anyway and can' see paying 9% tax, so will work in WA or move to OR if I have to ever work there. (I do occasional 1-2 day jobs there, but as seldom as possible)

[happygorgedwellers]

Anyone moving here from the Seattle area would LOVE these commute times...15 minutes to pdx?? how cool is that!!