County Commissioners table Underwood rezoning ordinance amid public feedback

The remaining 1,600 or so acres would become commercial resource lands — a classification aiming to “protect forest, agricultural and mineral resource lands of long-term significance,” according to county code.

During their Nov. 25 meeting, when a decision was initially expected, commissioners elected to limit deliberation, granting the public an additional two weeks to take notice and organize its response. 

Since the ordinance was a late addition to the consent agenda during a holiday week, present commenters questioned whether BOCC was attempting to rush in its ruling with fewer in attendance. Others raised concerns about the ordinance itself and argued that the commission was not following the proper process for approving the rezoning of unmapped lands.

Joe Kear of the Washougal area mentioned that commissioners weren’t evaluating unmapped lands in accordance with Washington’s Growth Management Act (GMA) and should have started with an inventory of all county resource lands, rather than operating on a parcel-by-parcel basis.

Mary Repar expressed concern that residential zoning in hilly areas could lead people to build homes in dangerous spots. She urged commissioners to either send the ordinance back to the County Planning Commission for a makeover involving the Growth Management Board or designate the entire area as commercial resource land.  

Kristy (last name not provided) from the Underwood area was disappointed by the lack of notice before the Nov. 25 meeting, claiming her neighbors opposed the ordinance and thought they would have more time to prepare comments and attend. She mentioned that the public had been told that “development potential” was limited due to the area's steep, challenging terrain, and argued that building would not improve the county’s financial position or affordable housing situation, as homes in the area would be costly. 

Finally, Nathan Baker, senior staff attorney for Friends of the Gorge, provided comments over teleconference, stating that the commission had not met the two-step, two-meeting process required by law. Baker was also present at the Oct. 7 County Planning Commission meeting, vying for the entire zone to be classified as commercial resource land. He stressed how it would support the logging industry, “which needs all the help it can get.”

He asked commissioners to delay deliberation until the Dec. 9 meeting, and all agreed. They believed the process had been done correctly but chose to err on the side of caution and allow for other potential issues to surface before reconvening. 

Public Works Director David Waymire attempted to ease anxieties, noting that commissioners were not trying to “sneak” in a ruling. He emphasized an oversight caused by the recent transition to a new Clerk of the Board and that his department had failed to communicate the update, which led to the ordinance’s late addition (5 days out) to the agenda. 

Waymire had no problem with “kicking it down the road two weeks so people can make comments on it” and expressed hope that they have a full chamber on Dec. 9 when the issue is settled once and for all.