An Underwood business that was forced to relocate has opened in downtown White Salmon.
River View Fitness, owned by Karen Caldwell, opened in October of last year, but soon ran afoul of National Scenic Area regulations. Although the business was located in the Underwood Mercantile Building, an area that is zoned for commercial use, a fitness center did not qualify as an allowable use with the Scenic Area.
"In the Scenic Area, a commercial zone is fairly limited," explained Karen Witherspoon, Skamania County's planning director. "Only a handful of businesses are allowed: a bed and breakfast, restaurants, gift shops, for example. A fitness center was not listed as an allowable use, even though it really has no impacts."
Caldwell said she was frustrated by the zoning restriction, and didn't know about it when she moved her business there.
"I understand the rules for the Columbia River Gorge Commission are there to protect the area," Caldwell said. "But I didn't know there was that restriction. That was frustrating. We didn't change the outside of the building. But the rules are the rules. No one was unreasonable, and no one was mean. It's just the way it is."
The business closed at Underwood in mid-January, and reopened in White Salmon in early February.
River View Fitness, now located at 141 E. Jewett in White Salmon, offers classes that provides cardiovascular conditioning, power lifting and strength training, kick boxing targeted to aerobic conditioning, and yoga, among other disciplines.
Witherspoon said her office received a confidential complaint about the location of the fitness center, which opened last October. The complaint was filed on Dec. 5.
"We had to investigate, and it was not a business allowed under the zoning. We sent a letter to tell them to stop operating," Witherspoon said.
In a Dec. 12 letter from the Skamania County Planning Department, the building's owner, Carl Meinberg, was advised that the fitness center was not allowable under the zoning rules.
"This zoning designation does not list a fitness center or any similar use as an approvable use and is therefore not allowed," read the letter from the county's associate planner, Stacey Borland. "The property and use are considered to be in violation and all activity and use of this building must cease within 30 days of the date of this letter."
Once Caldwell learned the center could not continue, her business took a hit.
"It definitely affected us," Caldwell explained. "We sell two- and three-month passes, and people were reluctant to put money on the line, not knowing what would happen. I wasn't sure I'd be there in two or three months."
Despite the setback, Caldwell decided she would maintain a positive attitude, and it appears to have paid off for her.
"It was a lot of work to move, and a lot of time and money, but in a lot of respects it was meant to be. Everything happens for a reason, even if it's difficult," Caldwell said. "The response is even better in White Salmon. It's where we're meant to be. Our sales this month are higher than they've ever been, and it's only halfway through the month."
The Skamania County Code stipulates that commercial zones have several allowed uses, including: agricultural use except new cultivation; forest practices that do not violate conditions of approval; repair, maintenance and operation of existing structures, including roads, railroads, utility facilities and trails; single-family dwellings on legally-created parcels; gift shops; utility facilities and railroads; traveler's accommodations and bed and breakfast inns; restaurants; home occupations or cottage industries in existing residences or accessory structures.
According to Witherspoon, the building's owner and the business owner were both understanding and cooperative with the need to move River View Fitness.
"They were disappointed, of course, but were very cooperative," she said. "They did what needed to be done to meet the regulations."
Witherspoon explained that the restrictions on what is allowed within the commercial zoning comes from Skamania County's own guidelines, but are included with the county's Scenic Area ordinances, which the county had to adopt.
She added that confidential complaints are not unusual under state law.
"There is a state RCW that allows anyone listing a complaint to remain confidential, throughout the county or the state," Witherspoon explained. "That applies to any complaint for any county codes."
The law she referred to is RCW 42.17.310.
The fitness center, which Caldwell originally opened in Hood River, was in business there for a year before moving to Underwood. It employs five part-time instructors.
Caldwell said that if her business continues to remain strong, she is considering expanding into another part of the same building.
"Eventually the plan is to expand the cardiovascular equipment and weight training equipment, and add a cycling class, making it more of a full service health club," Caldwell explained. "We're happy to be in Washington and thankful for the support, and for people sticking with us."
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