[All-Gorge] 🛑 Missing Members Stall Housing Votes - Gorge Commission 4/8 & 4/9

Procedural gridlock is freezing Gorge housing policy. The Economic Vitality Committee missed its quorum for the second straight meeting, stalling crucial votes on Accessory Dwelling Units. We unpack the debate over short-term rentals, look at the reality of building on agricultural land, and review the agency's new media rules. This episode covers the April 8 Economic Vitality Committee and April 9 Communications Committee meetings.

In This Episode:

• Discussing ADUs and whether the fear of illegal use is just a "red herring"
• Testing the "Ag Income" Rule: Is it a filter for farmland, or a wall against development?
• The Rules of "Strategic Silence": New media protocols and social media limits for Commissioners.
• Permitting Delays: Why Klickitat County's new online portal is stuck waiting on the Oregon state budget.

Resources & Links:

• Read the full written Dispatch at skamaniadispatch.com
• View raw agendas and videos for the Economic Vitality Committee and the Communications Committee.

Documenter notes are available for republishing under Creative Commons license CC by 4.0. With thanks to the Columbia Gorge Documenters, powered by Uplift Local: https://upliftlocal.news/columbia-gorge/columbia-gorge-documenters/

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Hey there, and welcome back to another All Gorge briefing. You can't pass policy if you don't have enough people in the room to vote. And right now, that's the exact problem freezing housing discussions at the Columbia River Gorge Commission. Let's start with the Economic Vitality Committee. They met on April 8th, but for the second meeting in a row, they failed to reach a quorum. Chair Lack Litwer and Commissioner Steve Hawkman were present, but absences from two other members meant the committee could not legally vote or advance any recommendations. Because of that, the planned debate on regulating accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, is officially stuck in neutral. Even without a vote, the lines of conflict are drawn. Chair Litwer argued forcefully to separate the ADU debate from public fears over short-term rentals. He noted that the gorge is physically losing roughly 1% of its housing stock annually to things like fires. And if that loss outpaces new builds, the region is failing state mandates. He called the focus on short-term rentals a red herring, arguing that if an ADU is built legally, it shouldn't be banned just because someone might illegally use it as a vacation rental later. But some residents push back. Mary Repar argued that without explicit bans, new ADUs will be swallowed by investors operating rental businesses. I have to note here that short-term rentals are currently explicitly banned under the Gorge Management Plan in the National Scenic Area. So that's still not permitted even in primary structures. She compared the current market to the 2008 housing crash, noting that adding density doesn't help local workers if those units are absorbed by the vacation market. So turning now to local farms, the committee also pulled back the curtain on the agricultural income test. This is the rule used to evaluate applications for new homes on farmland. Well, senior land use planner Bryce Gusky confirmed that the standard is so high that actually nobody qualifies for it. Applicants look at the requirements and just abandon the process. Program manager Sage Ebel shared baseline data showing that 33% of all land in the National Scenic Area is designated for agriculture. A massive chunk of that is Eastern Gorge grazing land, which requires 160 acre minimum parcels, but yields very low profit per acre. Staff are now gathering this data present to state lawmakers next year, asking the tough question: is this strict zoning actively preserving working farmland, or is it just an outdated wall blocking growth? Finally, a quick look at the Communications Committee, which met on April 9th. As public scrutiny heats up, the agency is formalizing its media armor. They reviewed a 14-page draft establishing rules for strategic silence, quote unquote. The rule is simple: opinions and personal tax get ignored, but factual errors that mischaracterize the agency's work will get a prompt public correction. Executive Director Christina Wolniakowski also laid down the law on social media. If a commissioner posts about agency business on a personal page, it can become a public record. Also, a quick heads up for Clickitac County residents. There's a new Civic Access Online Perming Portal that's fully built, but the launch seems to be delayed. The system is stuck waiting for the Oregon governor to sign a budget that releases funds for basic software licensing fees. Looking ahead, the full Columbia River Gorge Commission will meet next in person on May 12th. Today's episode used information from Columbia Gorge Documenters powered by Uplith Local. You've been listening to a production of opengorge.org, home of the Scamania 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 Scamania 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. Thanks for tuning in, and we'll talk to you next time.