🏘️ [Skamania] Easing ADU Rules & Navigating Federal Red Tape - Skamania BOCC 4/7

 In this episode, we break down the Skamania County Board of Commissioners meeting from Tuesday, April 7th. We’re diving into the Columbia River Gorge Commission's updates on disaster rebuilding, the debate over Accessory Dwelling Units, and why the strict rules around "temporary" workforce housing are putting a massive financial squeeze on local farmers and families.

In This Episode:

• State lawmakers sweep the Public Works Assistance Account, replacing local grant dollars with higher-interest loans.
• Title III emergency funds are officially approved for local fire and EMS.
• Federal bureaucratic delays threaten the upcoming Forest Youth Success summer season.
• New state SNAP benefit rules mandate eighty hours of work or volunteering, raising concerns for rural residents.

Resources & Links:

• Read the full written Dispatch at skamaniadispatch.com
• Find full agendas, audio recordings, and meeting minutes at skamaniacounty.org.

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Transcript

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Hey there, and welcome to the Scamania Dispatch audio briefing covering the Scamania County Board of County Commissioners meeting for April 7th. We have a lot of structural friction to cover today from both state and federal levels, so let's get right into it. Starting off in Olympia, state lawmakers just swept over $375 million from the Public Works Assistance Account. This is a big deal for us. That account is usually a revolving fund that provides grants for basic local infrastructure like roads and water systems. By sweeping that cash into the general fund and replacing it with construction bonds, the state is effectively forcing rural counties to rely on higher interest loans instead of grants. It's a quiet shift, but one that'll put a heavier burden on local ratepayers down the road. Turning now to federal funding, we did have a local win. The Board of Commissioners approved nearly $180,000 in Title III contracts. You've probably been listening to a lot of discussion around this for the last couple of months. That money will go directly to supporting the Sheriff's Office, local EMS, and fire districts one and three for their emergency response on federal lands. And that comes with a catch, unfortunately, for youth programs. While the Title III is moving forward, federal Title II funds are still completely paralyzed. Because the federal government failed to charter a new resource advisory committee, or RAC, those funds cannot be legally distributed. We've been hearing for a couple of months now that the bureaucratic delay is currently stalling something called the Forest Youth Success Program and threatening their summer operational season. If you're not familiar with the Forest Youth Success, it is a massive piece of our local summer infrastructure. The program is supposed to kick off in late June, giving local high schoolers paid jobs, doing critical forest conservation and trail work. But right now, that entire summer season is stuck waiting on Washington, D.C. And of course, this has a lot of implications, not just for the youth here in Scamania County, but also for our fire season where that work is really critical in preparation and response. So let's now talk about housing and updates from the Columbia River Gorge Commission, who presented at Tuesday's meeting. Executive Director Christina Wolniakowski gave the board an update on policy changes heading into the Gorge 2027 plan review. The Gorge Management Plan is the way that we implement the Federal National Scenic Act. The last time it was updated was in 2020, and we'll begin the revision process for the next 2030 revision in 2027. So coming up very, very quickly. So, some really good news with a lot of these policy reviews already. The director confirmed that the commission has officially adopted a plan amendment to fast-track approvals for folks rebuilding their homes after disasters, like the Burdoin fire and the Rowena fire. Several permits have already cleared this process, and I'm really grateful to hear that. So on to the bigger debate accessory dwelling units or ADUs. The executive director confirmed that the commission is looking into allowing permanent ADUs to help with both multi-generational living and workforce housing needs. But she voiced concerns that authorizing these units could inadvertently feed the vacation rental market. It's really important here that we remind you that short-term rentals like Airbnb are already strictly prohibited in the rural scenic area. But there are fears by some that some ADUs would just illegally filter into that market instead of actually housing locals. But I wanted to remind you that the counties already enforce those STR restrictions now. I've seen for myself the letters that come from the planning office to do so. So the current ban on ADUs is already creating a major squeeze, and I think it's important for us to recognize that it might be a missed opportunity to continue to ban an evidence-based housing practice, like ADUs or other missing middle housing, because of the fear that it could be possibly abused. It's really important that regional policy made by government bodies like the Gorge Commission reinforce that the planners and counties are capable of, have the mandate for, and trusted to already enforce that law. So the executive director did remind the board that temporary hardship dwellings are still allowed if you have an immediate medical or elder care need. But for local farmers who are facing new rules requiring the provide more square footage for agricultural workers, the commission currently only allows temporary seasonal structures. That means farmers and families are often forced to buy expensive custom modulars, tiny homes on wheels, or RVs just to satisfy the bureaucratic definition of temporary. It would be a massive financial hurdle for the exact people these housing policies are supposed to help. So finally, a quick heads up on social services. The state is rolling out new rules requiring able-bodied adults without dependence to work or volunteer 80 hours a month to keep their SNAP food assistance. In a rural county like ours, finding 80 hours of available work or formal volunteer infrastructure is a very difficult hurdle. This means some of our most vulnerable neighbors are likely going to lose their benefits. So what's next? Legislative lobbyist Katie Whittier will be back in the county the week of May 18th to help coordinate our local funding strategies. And if you want to hear from the Gorge Commission, there'll be a meeting in person in Carson Hot Springs on May 12th to hear directly from the governor's office on climate mandates. As always, you can find the full breakdown of these stories, including a jargon buster, and links to all the public documents in the text version of this newsletter. You've been listening to a production of opengorge.org, home of the Schemania Dispatch and the Click of Taddler. We believe that informed communities are stronger communities. To support our work and stay up to date on everything happening in the gorge, head over to schemania dispatch.com to sign up for our newsletters. You can also find us on Facebook at Facebook.comslash opengorge. Join the conversation and share your thoughts on today's episode. Thank you for tuning in and we'll talk to you next time.