WHITE SALMON — The hottest topic in White Salmon has been housing and how the city plans to increase opportunities for middle and low income residents, and diversify the housing market. On June 15, the city council and planning commission held a joint work session with the assistance of Structura Naturalis Inc. President, Michael Mehaffy to discuss the Housing Action Plan and the Housing Needs Analysis. The HAP will look to increases the supply of housing by providing incentives, preserve existing affordable housing by providing supportive regulations and encourage the development of well-located, livable homes.
On June 21, the White Salmon City Council adopted Resolution 2023-06-56, which approved the final draft of the Housing Action Plan (HAP) during their meeting. The plan provided short, medium and long-term actions, and outlined goals and strategies. The city received a $25,000 grant to help produce the studies.
Medium-term actions in the plan include creating a designated office to “assist with the development of tax increment finance partnerships with existing non-profit housing institutions and agencies.” The plans also call for the development of a housing protection ordinance and creating a Housing Trust Fund. Actions for the longer term call for developing a form-based code for parts of the city that would like to be involved and to consider launching a “innovating housing festival” where companies could showcase their innovative ideas for homes to White Salmon.
Rayburn says the city is already getting started on the short-term action recommended by the plan. Three actions recommended are to streamline and ease restrictions on infill, create a website that offers technical assistance, pre-approved plans and community feedback and compile a database of existing sites for potential development. Rayburn made sure to include elderly residents in the plans.
“I want to reinforce the importance to not overlook our aging senior community and the importance of housing options for that demographic,” said Rayburn.
“None of us are getting any younger,” said Mehaffy. “We do have that included in the plan and it is certainly important.”
In a memo obtained by Columbia Gorge News, Mehaffy stated, “It is my professional opinion that the City of White Salmon should remove the zoning restrictions on house widths and minimum areas and instead allow the building code minimums to govern. This would serve as a suitable first step in implementing the findings and recommendations of the Housing Action Plan.”
The city council did not make an official decision on home widths within the city limits, but Rayburn estimates a commitment in their July 19 meeting.
In other news, on June 6, the Washington Regional Transportation Commission announced that the White Salmon Bluff Connector Trail project was awarded a $74,170 planning grant. This will allow the city to hire a professional planner or engineer and make their conceptual ideas into a reality. The city partnered with the Friends of White Salmon Bluff and the Strid family to secure an easement on part of the Strid’s property. The easement will connect the trail going north from Highway 14, across Dock Grade Road and up to the downtown. Along the trail will be viewing platforms that overlook the Columbia River and parts of Hood River.
“It’s not just a trail, but a connector trail, because it will allow connector points for a variety of different purposes and places,” said Rayburn.
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