County Commission meeting highlights

GOLDENDALE —Klickitat County’s morning workshop session Sept. 1 was a bit of a quickie, clocking in at just 32 minutes. Here are some of the highlights:

• Planning Director Scott Edelman said they were somewhat disappointed with the vendor of the  short-term rental software, who had been slower to respond than expected. To date, he said, only about half of the short-term rentals in the county had been processed. The total so far was 170 short-term rentals, and 20 of them were in accessory dwelling units, which cannot legally be used as short-term rentals. Fines are expected to be in the $150-$200 range.

• An amendment potentially reducing the energy overlay zone for solar projects is proceeding, with a review of contracted attorney comments on Sept. 21, and a planning commission public hearing scheduled for Sept. 28 at 6 p.m.

• Public Works Director Jeff Hunter explained why drivers on SR-14 near the Hood River-White Salmon bridge might see a very bio-friendly way of dealing with some stubborn vegetation: “They cut down a lot of the smaller trees, and then the blackberries took off like mad,” he said. “So this year, instead of mowing it down so it comes back, they’re gonna put goats out there. We don’t own the goats. The goats are not ours, thank goodness, but they’re gonna try to eradicate some of the blackberries with the goats.”