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About Columbia Gorge news. (The Dalles, OR) 2020-current | View Entire Issue (June 23, 2021)
12 Columbia Gorge News Wednesday, June 23, 2021 www.columbiagorgenews.com Under Canvas hearings delayed Jacob Bertram ■ By Columbia Gorge News Concerned parties will have to wait another month to testify and learn the results of two widely anticipated back-to-back hearings on separate aspects of a propos- al to develop a luxury camp- ing site near Husum, Wash. A last-minute objection to the process forced a delay in the hearings, now resched- uled for 9 a.m., Thursday July 29, and 9 a.m., Friday July 30. Montana-based company Under Canvas is seeking permit application approv- als to move forward with a project proposal that would see the development of a seasonally operated, 95-tent luxury camping facility sited on Oak Ridge Road near Husum. The plans call for individual canvas tents, multiple deluxe tents with en-suite restrooms, sepa- rate bathroom facilities, a commercial kitchen, laundry services, and enough gravel parking spaces for around 125 vehicles. “Approximately two communal fire pits start- ed, maintained, monitored, and extinguished by trained Under Canvas staff set at set times” would adorn the fa- cility, should their individual permits be approved. Following the compa- ny’s submission and later revised submission of permit applications and a SEPA (State Environmental Policy Act) checklist last year, progress was halted after landowners on Oak Ridge Road appealed the county’s reissued Determination of Mitigated Non-Significance, citing the county planning department’s SEPA evalua- tion of the project as lacking “reasonably sufficient infor- mation” on potential impacts on traffic, wildfire, state and local wildlife populations and habitats, wetlands and streams, and nearby land uses — including the open range located in the vicinity. According to discussions held between the county board of commissioners and county planning officials in February, it was decided among county officials that, given the appeal, state SEPA policy directs the county to combine the public hearings on the SEPA appeal as well as the conditional use permit application into one, with the board of county commis- sioners acting as the hearing body. Commissioner Jacob Anderson voluntarily recused himself from the discussions, based on his campaign interactions on the proposal. The recusal left the two remaining commis- sioners, Commissioner Dan Christopher and Board Chair Dave Sauter, to decide to bring on a hearing examiner to preside over the hearings, eliminating the possibility of a tie decision. The board brought on Wenatchee-based attorney Andrew L. Kottkamp to preside over the hearings. Fast-forward to last week — the SEPA appeal hearing was scheduled for Wednesday, and the conditional use permit application hearing on Thursday. A day before what was supposed to be the hear- ing on the SEPA appeal, the attorneys representing appellants Friends of Oak Ridge and Dennis and Bonnie White (Jennifer Calkins) and Klickitat Land Preservation Fund (Bryan Telegin) wrote a joint letter to the Klickitat County Planning Department, objecting to Kottkamp’s appointment as hearing examiner. The attorneys argued the Klickitat County Board of Adjustment is the body responsible for a determina- tion on both the appeal and the conditional use permit application, as opposed to the county’s assertion that the Board of County Commissioners — and thus, a hearing examiner — would be the hearing body. The claim comes down to language within state and county codes. At Thursday’s hearing, Kottkamp called the letter a “motion to dismiss the hearing examiner,” which ul- timately led to his decision to HR planning commission positions open Busy commission needs three volunteers Oberst ■ By For Gail Columbia Gorge News HOOD RIVER — Three posi- tions on the City of Hood River’s Planning Commission are open for application. The seven-member commission is appointed by the city council to review subdivisions, conditional use permits, planned develop- ments, variances, and other major land use applications and advise development amendments, zone changes, and comprehensive plan updates. It meets twice monthly. Two planning commissioners’ terms are expiring in October — Mark Frost and Meagan Ramey — and Tina Lassen has resigned, leaving three positions to be filled. As in the past, Mayor Kate McBride and a council member — Tim Counihan — will interview applicants with Planning Director Dustin Nilsen. The council will see all of the ap- plications along with the interview group’s recommendation before choosing members of the commis- sion. Nilsen said he would contact former applicants as part of his outreach. Hood River’s Planning Commission has been busy lately. In addition to recommending standards for Middle Housing construction and considering a 30-unit development this spring, at its meeting Monday, June 21, the commission was scheduled to consider a permit for a 10-lot sub- division that could include eight townhouses and two single-family dwellings on .58 acres located be- tween East Hazel Avenue and East Eugene Street. (Meeting held after print deadline.) The Hazel Ridge Subdivision land is zoned for high densi- ty dwellings, but its neighbors suggest that roads and other infrastructure in the area are not suitable for the development. The commission will consider a 224-page report that includes photos, studies, surveys, find- ings and designs prepared by the applicant and the city’s planning department. Planning staff has tentatively recommended approval of the de- velopment, with many conditions, including street and sidewalk improvements. To apply for a position on the city’s planning commission, visit the Planning Commission’s website, cityofhoodriver.gov/ planning-commission, or call 541-387-5210. postpone the hearings until the issue has been resolved. During the hearing, County Prosecuting Attorney David Quesnel called the objection letter “litigation by ambush” based on the late entry of the objection letter to the record, noting the dead- line for pre-hearing motions was April 1. “There was ample time to bring this issue to the hearings examiner,” Quesnel said. “This is just a strategy to delay, to continue the pattern of harassment and intimidation of the planning department and the board of commissioners.” “I’m not sure what in- timidation or harassment he’s referring to,” Telegin responded. Dennis White, one of the appellants in the case, called the prosecuting attorney’s comments “way off-base.” Quesnel then asserted a motion for sanctions on the appealing party for the delay in the hearings, in part due to the objection that caused a delay. Dan McBrearty, Chief Development Officer for Under Canvas, told Columbia Gorge News via email that the company “remains optimistic about a positive outcome” from the joint hearings, “given our project suitability for the site, low impact and sustainable development philosophy, and mission to inspire connections with the outdoors for all to enjoy. “The completeness of the SEPA checklist was evi- denced by the county’s initial issuance and subsequent re-issuance of a mitigated declaration of non-signif- icance,” McBrearty said. “Under Canvas provided all required materials and volunteered additional infor- mation and public outreach on topics that were of the greatest importance to the community, namely traffic, fire and water, ensuring full compliance with local and state code as well as partner- ship with the community.” NEWS IN BRIEF Hood River County Fair July 21-24 Yes, there will be a full Hood River County Fair this year, said Fair Manager Clara Rice. Dates for this year’s fair are July 21-24. Rice said that the fair will be bigger and better than ever, with carnival rides from Davis Shows Northwest and Saturday headliner Carly Pearce. Exhibit entry information can be found at www.hoodriverfairgrounds.com/p/getcon- nected/open-class-list — bring your exhibit to the fairgrounds during the entry day — and general information and updates at www.hoodriverfair- grounds.com. Hood River summer reading program The Hood River County Library District kicked off its annual Summer Reading Program June 15. This year’s program can all be done online or patrons can visit the library for a paper form to track their Summer Reading program. The program is for all ages from birth to adult. Read a book, listen to an audiobook, or complete an activity to participate. Patrons can read or listen to anything they wish including graphic novels and magazines. Visit hoodriverlibrary.org/summer-reading/ for details and to sign-up. The program runs through Aug. 14. The full event calendar can be viewed at www.hoodriverlibrary.org/ events. Newspaper to publish foreclosure list THE DALLES — The Columbia Gorge News was named by the board of commissioners as the newspaper of record for the publication of the 2020 Wasco County annual foreclosure list. SPORTS 2 PEND A 1:39.65 26 1) Theis, Kaleo 2) Johnston, Josh 3) Spratling, Tyler 4) Robinson, Cahill 3 HOOD A 1:42.35 24 1) Continued from page 13 Hackett, Gavin 2) Hawkins, Kaitaro 3) Jones, Henry 4) Southall, Luke DiGennaro, Lydia 4 TDAL A 1:45.47 22 1) 4 HOOD B 1:58.98 22 1) Coburn, Skyler 2) Hoover, Sumerfield, Olivia 2) Galvez, William 3) Randall, Carter 4) Jessica 3) Southall, Anna 4) Cole, Michael Tomlinson, Abby 5 HOOD B 1:49.85 20 5 RGVW A 2:04.55 20 1) 1) Wilson, Jack 2) Bullock, Hoblet, Alexis 2) Villagrana, Jackson 3) Banks, Moze 4) Jimena 3) Hall-White, Autumn 4) Adams, Elijah Arthur, Gwyn 6 PEND B 2:13.12 14 1) Event 17 Girls 100 Yard Nelson, Kylee 2) Galloway, Backstroke Allison 3) Pitner, Paige 4) 1 Arpag, Sarah HOOD Bostwick, Ann 1:03.72 16 7 REDM A 2:22.60 10 1) 2 Cramp, Melinda PEND McGowan, Kloey 2) Zampelli, 1:04.25 13 Lillian 3) Crumrine, Vanya 4) 3 Arthur, Gwyn RGVW Kurner Ovalles, Venecia 1:10.39 12 4 Kurner Ovalles, Venecia Event 16 Boys 200 Yard REDM 1:15.47 11 Freestyle Relay 5 Abbas, Kennedy TDAL 1 REDM A 1:34.94 32 1) 1:15.48 10 Messner, Asa 2) McGowan, 6 Southall, Anna HOOD Jacen 3) Haywood, Colin 4) 1:16.09 9 Konop, Ryan RESULTS IMC district swim meet 7 Bostwick, Ann PEND 1:18.94 7 8 Galvez, Jessica HOOD 1:19.47 5 9 Nelson, Kylee PEND 1:22.17 4 10 Phillips, Grace PEND 1:22.77 3 11 Gradilla, Yudith REDM 1:28.71 2 12 Zampelli, Lillian REDM 1:37.16 1 — Villagrana, Jimena RGVW DQ Event 18 Boys 100 Yard Backstroke 1 Haywood, Colin REDM 58.57 16 2 Hackett, Gavin HOOD 1:04.43 13 3 Marshall, Corbin RGVW 1:06.05 12 4 Daft, Tyler REDM 1:09.34 11 5 Miltenberger, Matthew PEND 1:09.35 10 6 Parker, Wesley TDAL 1:12.30 9 7 Bullock, Jackson HOOD 1:13.89 7 8 Randall, Carter TDAL 1:14.92 5 Event 19 Girls 100 Yard Breaststroke 1 Graves, Michelle HOOD 1:15.95 16 2 McCormack, Abigail HOOD 1:19.12 13 3 Haight, Hannah TDAL 1:20.90 12 4 Hoblet, Alexis RGVW 1:24.71 11 5 Kennedy, Finley PEND 1:28.69 10 6 Pitner, Paige PEND 1:28.82 9 7 Villagrana, Melissa RGVW 1:37.35 7 8 Spencer, Kalan PEND 1:37.66 5 9 Urbina, Anika PEND 1:38.90 4 10 Hall-White, Autumn RGVW 1:40.37 3 11 McGowan, Kloey REDM 1:41.82 2 12 Rincon, Reta TDAL 1:50.28 1 — Stasak, Mikelle HOOD DQ REQUEST A FREE QUOTE! 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