MAY 2008: AROUND THE STATE
Gorge
commission changes rules on development
COLUMBIA GORGE In
a few of its recent decisions, the Columbia River Gorge
Commission has approved a home with solar panels, an outdoor
light, and a zoning change that could allow an $80 million,
245-unit destination resort.
Wait a minute. What was that last one again?
Ever since the commission formed in 1987 to protect the Gorge,
the owners of the former Broughton Lumber mill just west of
White Salmon, Wash., have been trying to turn an eyesore into a
moneymaker. Their current proposal offers condominiums, shops
and meeting places for birders, bikers and kite-boarders,
creating an estimated 288 construction jobs and $8 million in
annual tourism spending.
“Our intention is to build something that fits in the
Gorge and enhances it,” says Broughton general manager
Jason Spadaro, who lobbied the commission for two and half
years to amend its management plan. On April 8, the commission
consented, with stipulations, by a 10-2 vote.
Michael Lang, conservation director for Portland-based Friends
of the Gorge says the vote “weakens the protections of
the National Scenic Area Act” by paving the way for the
largest development ever allowed in the protected area.
“That’s the precedent we’re worried
about,” Lang says.
Tom Ascher, a land-use planner for the commission, counters
that the rule change applies narrowly to former industrial
properties outside designated urban areas. Besides, Broughton
hasn’t applied yet, much less won approval. The coming
round of processes and appeals is expected to take several
years. Who knows? By then maybe the real estate market
will
rebound.
BEN JACKLET
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