A2 Hood River News,
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
G REATER G ORGE
www.hoodrivernews.com
Klickitat County will review marijuana moratorium
By SVERRE BAKKE
The Enterprise
The question of continu-
ing a moratorium on the
production, processing, and
retail sale of marijuana in
unincorporated Klickitat
County will be put to the
board of commissioners
during an April 14 public
hearing in Goldendale.
The County Board adopt-
ed an ordinance on Oct. 21,
2014, that prohibits the es-
tablishment of new mari-
juana businesses outside
the limits of the county’s
three incorporated cities.
By law, the County Board
must hold a hearing every
six months to determine if
the public supports contin-
uing the ban for another six
months. The current mora-
torium expires April 21.
County officials say the
purpose of the hearing “is
to solicit public input and
comment from interested
parties on the possible ex-
tension of the moratorium
for another six months.”
County commissioners
could decide on April 14 to
let the ban expire, adopt
findings of fact in support
of an extension, or contin-
ue the matter for further
discussion. The hearing
will begin at 1:30 p.m.
County Planning Direc-
tor Curt Dreyer said renew-
ing the ban for six months
is just one option provided
to the County Board under
state law.
“As with the prior hear-
ings on the matter, I suspect
both sides of the issue will
be eager to voice their opin-
ions and desire for a final
decision favorable to their
respective positions,” Drey-
er said.
The County Board enact-
ed a six-month moratorium
on marijuana businesses in
late 2013. During a hearing
on its continuation in April
2014, one person spoke for a
ban or stricter local regula-
tions, while more than 30
testified against county reg-
ulations because the state
already had stiff regula-
tions in place to protect the
public.
County commissioners
elected to let the moratori-
um lapse. In that vacuum,
some growers, processors,
and retailers here became
vested in the system regu-
lated by the state Liquor
Control Board (LCB). The
county’s Oct. 21, 2014 mora-
torium did not impact these
b u s i n e s s e s, wh i c h a l s o
would not be subject to any
new county regulations.
Last fall’s county ban on
marijuana businesses came
in response to public com-
ments the County Board re-
ceived throughout last sum-
mer and fall on regular
meeting days. Concer ns
cited included the LCB’s
lack of notification require-
ments to neighboring prop-
erty owners or the public at
large.
Concurrent to the board’s
ongoing review, the Plan-
ning Commission is con-
ducting its own review of
county regulations to deter-
mine if code amendments
should be enacted to apply
to the different marijuana
businesses that Washing-
ton’s voter-approved Initia-
tive 502 has brought forth as
part of an evolving regional
economy.
So far, the Planning Com-
mission has conducted
workshops with new Sheriff
Bob Songer and new Prose-
c u t i n g A t t o r n e y D av i d
Quesnel. Dreyer said plan-
ning commissioners “have
not developed any proposed
amendments, let alone a
consensus of a general di-
rection.”
Dreyer noted that during
the workshop with Songer
“there was some leaning to-
ward proposal of a perma-
nent ban.” He said it was
s ug g ested the Planning
Commission could hold two
public hearings (one on
each side of the county)
and, based on testimony,
recommend a permanent
ban to the County Board, or
continue to develop amend-
ments applicable to grow-
ing, processing, and retail
sales of marijuana.
One idea that surfaced in
discussion was to designate
a new zone for marijuana
businesses, or to allow them
in specific existing zones,
such as, agricultural zones
for growing and processing,
and processing in industri-
al zones).
In any event, the Plan-
ning Commission would
have to conduct a properly
noticed hearing to take pub-
lic testimony.
“At this point, there is no
proposal on which the pub-
lic could comment,” Dreyer
said.
However, the Planning
Commission is becoming
versed in the local history
of the subject. Dreyer said
he has provided each mem-
ber with minutes of County
Board meetings and hear-
ings, “so they have a sense
of the contentiousness of
the issue.”
But just holding a Plan-
ning Commission hearing
for the sake of holding a
hearing would not be pro-
ductive, he said.
9th Annual
GORGE
ARTISTS
Photo courtesy of SCEMS
S TEVENSON C AR C RASH
Pioneer Pizza moving forward with plan for outdoor service
The Enterprise
The White Salmon City
Council dedicated portions of
both of its March meeting to a
discussion with Pioneer Pizza
owner Christiaan Erasmus
about his plan to provide a
dedicated but table-less out-
door serving area for cus-
tomers of his Jewett Boule-
vard establishment on the
north side’s upper sidewalk.
Erasmus indicated on
March 18 his plan for outdoor
service must comply with
Washington Liquor Control
Board regulations and federal
Americans with Disabilities
Act access requirements. Be-
cause liquor may be served
there between 3 and 11 p.m.
most days, the area will have
to be blocked off on both ends,
yet provide a clear 42-inch
path into and out of the desig-
nated service area.
Pioneer Pizza staked out its
intent in early March when it
installed two wooden tables
next to the railing opposite its
entrance. Questions about
whether they were legal or re-
quired additional permitting
were put to city officials be-
fore the March 1 meeting.
Erasmus appeared before the
council that night to address
any questions.
Erasmus said his cus-
tomers are demanding the
extra service and he wishes to
provide it because, in his
mind, “it’s a money-maker.”
“I have talked to a lot of peo-
ple about this, and all feel it is
good for the town, because it
gives a leg up on Hood River,”
Erasmus said, plus, like
Henni’s sidewalk dining in
the next block of Jewett, “it
looks cool.”
He added, “Pioneer needs to
have a presence on the side-
walk in the summer. It’s the
Northwest.”
David Dierck of the Inn of
the White Salmon and Doug
Ellenberger of Everybody’s
Brewing both spoke in favor of
rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
Rediscover Skamania
Friday, April 10th
We’re welcoming you home!
Come see all the exciting updates and
additions to your favorite destination
here at home in the Gorge.
Doors open at 6 PM.
$40 per person, your Rediscover
Skamania Pass includes access to:
• Great food • Culinary demonstrations
• Special Waterleaf Spa experience
• Wine and craft beer tastings • Live music
Purchase passes in advance at the lodge,
Skamania.com or at the door.
O P E N S T UDIOS
Free Tour • Visit 38 Artists
April 10, 11, 12, 2015
10am-6pm
Skamania County Emergency Medical Services responded to a vehicle accident in the 1100 block of SW Rock Creek Drive in
Stevenson at 12:33 p.m. on Saturday, April 4. Crews arrived to find a small sedan approximately 40 feet over the embankment
on the south side of the roadway. The vehicle was occupied with one driver, a 40-year-old female, who was entangled and en-
trapped in the vehicle. Crews performed heavy extrication to free her from the vehicle and a ropes system to raise the injured
patient up the hill to the roadway. She was transported with lights and sirens to a landing zone at Stevenson Elementary School
and transferred to Life Flight. Life Flight transported her to Peace Health Southwest Medical Center. SCEMS, Skamania County
Fire District No. 2, SCFD No. 1 and Skamania County Sheriff’s Office were on scene.
By SVERRE BAKKE
Erasmus’ plan.
“I believe outside dining is
good for business, and good
for the town,” Dierck said,
speaking in terms of more
business and more employ-
ment in the downtown com-
mercial district.
Ellenberger said having an
establishment with outdoor
seating “shows there’s life in
town when people are passing
through.”
“Anything that helps drum
up business in town, I’m for
it,” he said.
Police Chief Tracy Wyckoff
expressed his concern that Pi-
oneer Pizza is bringing a more
boisterous environment
“where people are a little
more on the sporting side”
outside onto the sidewalk.
“With the way it’s set up, it
seems it will be more of an
outdoor drinking area than a
wine-and-food establish-
ment,” he said, referring to
the current layout of bars and
benches.
Wyckoff noted that in his
more than two years as chief
of police, the department has
had more noise complaints
about Pioneer Pizza than any
other establishment in Bingen
or White Salmon. Wyckoff
wanted to be assured Pioneer
managers are going to moni-
tor the behavior in and use of
the sidewalk area to make
sure “it’s not going to be a
problem for the police depart-
ment.”
gorgeartists.org
ESTATE SALE
• 800-221-7117 • SKAMANIA.COM
& LIVE AUCTION
We’re cleaning out
three barns and a house!
Lots of antiques • Wood-burning cook stoves
Roll top desk • King size bedroom set
Hutch • Tables • Art and more
Garage Sale & Auction Preview
Friday, April 10, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Auction Saturday, April 11
10 a.m. (Doors open 8 a.m.)
Randy & Sheryl Graves
4300 Chamberlin Drive, Hood River
FULL SAIL APRIL
BREWMA STER DINNER
Thai Flair
THURSDAY, APRIL 9TH
First Course
FRIED VERMICELLI WRAPPED SHRIMP
Vermicelli wrapped prawn served over green papaya
salad topped with a sweet ginger Thai sauce.
PAIRED WITH SESSION EXPORT
Second
Course
FISH SAUCE CHICKEN WING
Sweet yet savory sauce played down with fried garlic.
PAIRED WITH FULL SAIL AMBER
Intermezzo
Third Course
Coconut, mango, and lime zest.
DUCK PAD PRIK KING
Duck confit served over classic Thai Pad Prik King
served with steamed jasmine rice.
PAIRED WITH FULL SAIL IPA
Fourth
Course
MANGO STICKY RICE
Thai sticky rice with fresh sliced mango topped
with Thai ginger sea salted coconut milk and
toasted sesame seeds.
"27" ANNIVERSARY WHEATWINE ALE
$40 PER PERSON
Quantities are Limited
SERVING FROM 5:00 PM
STEVENSON, WA
“If we were to conduct a
hearing simply to gather
public opinion, they would
hear the same arguments
from both sides and still be
no closer to a recommenda-
tion to the board of com-
missioners than they are
now,” Dreyer said.
As additional tools, Drey-
er plans to provide plan-
ning commissioners with
ordinances from eight coun-
ties that adopted local regu-
lations to allow growing,
processing, and retail sales
of marijuana; county ordi-
nances that treat marijuana
as an agricultural product;
and a Chelan County reso-
lution that recognizes I-502
as a state program and bans
acceptance of applications
for marijuana businesses.
Said Dreyer, “I hope that
the examples of what other
counties have enacted will
help the Planning Commis-
sion discuss our own zoning
regulations and how they
might be tweaked to accom-
modate the new type of
uses.”
506 COLUMBIA STREET
HOOD RIVER, OR
OPEN DAILY
11:00AM – 9:00PM
541-386-2247