Public comment sought for campground proposal

CASCADE LOCKS — The Port of Cascade Locks, led by Executive Director Jeremiah Blue, hosted an open house on April 7 as part of its proposal to develop a 100-unit campground on the Columbia River.

Held at the Marine Park Pavilion, the open house was intended to inform the public and get feedback on the proposal. Phase 1 is complete and included preliminary site analysis, market analysis, a feasibility study, and a five year financial forecast. Subsequent phases would be planning and design, permitting and review, and construction.

The campground, slated to be built on 12 out of the 25 flat, unused acres in the port’s light industrial zone that already have utilities available, is meant to serve a variety of users. Planned options and facilities include hook-up sites, both back-in and pull-through; yurts or cabins; a covered pavilion for group gatherings; bike and pedestrian access; tent and primitive sites; restrooms and showers; and a playground.

The port said it aims to protect mature trees and respect the existing ecosystem, and would finalize the proposed layout after public input.

Residents found the details of the project when they attended the open house. The benefits were quantified with the help of the Campground Consulting Group, adviser to the port. The port plans to use its own development funds to pay for the construction.

Once in operation, the facility would pay for itself with generated revenue. The financials revealed that, in the first five years, the port would generate approximately $5.75 million in revenue for itself from the campground.

This would further result in more than $400,000 of revenue for the City of Cascade Locks in the form of Transient Room Taxes. It would create an estimated eight to 15 jobs, both permanent and seasonal. Local businesses could see approximately $5.9 million in added revenue over the same five years.

The port continues to seek public feedback on this proposal.

“This project is still in very early design — about 10% — so a final cost has not yet been developed. Early work has been limited to studies to define scope and feasibility. Public input will help shape the direction and inform future design decisions, including development of a full cost estimate and project budget,” Blue said.

Community members who were unable to attend the open house may submit written comments by emailing Blue directly at jblue@portofcascadelocks.gov.

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