Wasco County addresses housing crisis; inter-governmental agreement approved for library

THE DALLES — Under the direction of recent legislation aimed at growing Oregon’s housing capacity, the Wasco County Planning Department is assessing obstacles in identifying residential land.

In a Wasco County Board of Commissioners meeting May 15, Planning Director Kelly Howsley Glover brought concerns over the technical mechanisms for defining available land for residential development.

Howsley Glover explained to Columbia Gorge News that state tools for allowing zoning changes to assess buildable lands aren’t fine-toothed enough to account for properties with conservation easements or held by land trust, or set aside for uses other than housing. She said these properties are often overlooked or inadequately represented by the methodology, leading to an overestimation of available land for development.

“The way we count things is not accurate,” she said.

Oregon’s land-use planning system, established in the early 1970s, is one of the most comprehensive and rigorous in the United States. It leans heavily on buildable lands inventories and housing needs analyses to determine urban growth boundaries, prioritize expansions and meet the state’s oversight criteria.

Howsley Glover’s memorandum to the board brought up a recent appeal from the Friends of Columbia River Gorge to block a subdivision replatting in Cherry Heights.

“Nonprofit organizations like Friends of the Columbia River Gorge and the Columbia Land Trust, pursuing environmental and resource protection interests, are active in purchasing private property in Wasco County and removing it from an inventory of buildable lands,” said Howsley Glover’s memorandum.

Conservation organizations can purchase a property and hold it in trust, or establish conservation easements which prevent development on the land even if it changes hands.

According to the planning department, approximately 440 acres of residentially-zoned land in Wasco County are currently held for conservation purposes by entities like the Columbia Land Trust and Friends of the Columbia Gorge. This land, Howsley Glover noted, is equivalent to around 40 residential lots.

The most recent buildable lands study in 2009 said, “Wasco County contains 2,668 existing buildable rural residential lots covering approximately 12,620.96 acres. Under current regulations, these lots could be partitioned into 3,245 lots. Of the Potential Buildable Lots, 1,658 (51%) are developed and 1,587 (49%) are vacant or redevelopable.” The planning department is seeking not only to update these numbers, but also strike properties not functionally available for development.

Columbia Gorge News reached out to Friends of the Columbia River Gorge Conservation Director Rudy Salakory, who expressed surprise that the planning department identified conservation as an impediment to finding buildable units.

“We were really confused that the small number of lands that are managed for conservation would have any impact on future housing,” he said.

It’s the Friends of the Columbia River Gorge's goal to not to purchase land in urban areas, but as a 40-year-old organization, some of their inherited lands fall within residential areas.

“We're looking for properties that preserve the scenic, natural, and cultural resources of the Gorge, and  recreation uses of the Gorge. That should not necessarily impact housing and if it did, it's such a vanishingly small impact,” he said, adding that the Friends have paid $20,000 a year in taxes.

Salakory pointed to the 2023 housing needs analysis and buildable lands analysis done by the City of The Dalles, which identifies a 3,337-unit projected capacity on vacant acreage and a need for 505 new housing units by 2043.

“I know that the county had some issue with the population growth amount, but I mean, that's six times what they need for 2043,” he said.

Howsley Glover said The Dalles isn’t an area where her department is concerned about conservation easements inflating buildable land numbers. She noted as an example, however, that a 100 acre parcel in The Dalles owned by the school district is locally understood to be the future site of a school, but a lack of mechanisms for earmarking the property makes it artificially appear to be potential residential land.

In the memorandum, Howsley Glover said the Cherry Heights appeal resulted in the developer giving up development rights over another property slated to become housing. She told Columbia Gorge News that a third party had made this claim to the planning department office about this deal.

The developer, Smilekel Group, represented by Klein Associates, Inc. in Hood River declined to comment on the settlement.

The commissioners said they prioritize increasing the housing supply in Wasco County, aligning with Governor Tina Kotek’s statewide housing initiatives.

“Housing is one of the governor's top three priorities,” said Chair Steve Kramer. “We’ve got challenges ahead of us. As our population grows—and it's going to continue to grow—we've got to find places to put folks.”

In a recent video explaining new housing legislation, Kotek said, “More housing supply will help bring down housing costs for Oregonians, especially those who are hurt most by this crisis.” 

“The idea is to see improved, expedited permitting for residential development that, of course, will happen outside of resource zones,” Howsley Glover said. “It doesn't impact farm and forest zones.”

Howsley Glover highlighted ongoing efforts to update the county’s 2009 buildable lands study. This study aims to filter out the properties not available for development and produce a housing needs analysis, which will inform the county’s planning efforts.

“What we're going to do is actually create our own version of a housing needs analysis, because again, we're not statutorily required to do it. What we'd like to do is present an alternative way of thinking about housing needs analysis for rural jurisdictions,” she said.

Commissioner Phil Brady noted that in urban areas, multifamily housing like apartment buildings, condominiums, duplexes and townhouses should be a priority. This includes increased allowance for accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in rural residentially zoned areas outside the National Scenic Area.

“In terms of being able to resolve the housing issue, higher [density] housing is going to be more beneficial,” he said.

The commissioners acknowledged the importance of public involvement in the planning process.

The board plans to continue discussions and refine strategies for addressing housing needs and UGB adjustments. Future meetings and hearings will provide opportunities for public input and participation.

Residents are encouraged to stay informed and involved in the planning process to help shape the future of Wasco County’s development and housing landscape.

Other business: The Dalles Library agreement approved

In response to disagreements between the city of The Dalles and the county Library Services District regarding dividing and defining costs, the two parties came to terms and presented a new Inter-Governmental Agreement to the commissioners. The commissioners approved the agreement.

According to the revisions to the IGA listed in the commissioners’ board packet, the district and the city agreed to changing the terms of their agreement from a five-year term with extensions of five five-year terms, to a three-year term, with extensions of three, three-year terms.

The parties also added a new dispute resolution process which outlines a timeline and process for any disagreements over management or charges.