WHITE SALMON — With just one business item on the March 5 agenda, White Salmon’s City Council rescinded an amendment that would’ve loosened off-street parking requirements for residents constructing accessory dwelling units (ADUs), which council approved three weeks earlier.
“After the amended ordinance was passed at our last meeting, I was made aware that there is, in fact, a single permit application pending that would benefit from the narrow and specific parameters of the amendment,” said Councilor Jason Hartmann. “In my opinion, this puts the city at risk of creating the appearance of an undue influence among our city staff and/or city council.”
As previously reported by Columbia Gorge News, council eased parking regulations for single-family and multiplex residential districts on Feb. 19. All structures less than 800 square feet in these zones now require a single nine-by-18-foot off-street parking space rather than two larger spaces for homes of any size, among other changes.
During the Feb. 19 meeting, Councilors Patty Fink and Jim Ransier pressed their seatmates to rein in parking rules, a major barrier to affordable housing, more aggressively, with Ransier calling agreed-upon updates the “bare minimum.” Councilors debated raising the 800-square-foot threshold and whether major changes were wise since White Salmon’s Planning Commission had already addressed the ordinance.
Ultimately, council maintained the planning commission’s recommendations, but Fink suggested an amendment that would exempt homeowners from bringing their entire property up to parking code if they built an ADU. In this situation, the resident would only comply with ADU-specific regulations, and council passed the amendment in a 5-0 vote.
“Our code is incoherent on the topic of ADUs and parking in general. My amendment was to clarify one small part of that, and to do so in a way that will primarily benefit homeowners adding to their properties,” said Fink, who denied having prior knowledge of the application. “If our goal is to support infill housing, then we should not be penalizing long-term homeowners with stricter requirements.”
She questioned several parts of the code-making process: How did the planning commission set the 800-square-foot threshold, and did they consider other options? Were the summaries of public feedback that council received accurate? Did the planning commission review recommendations from White Salmon’s CityLab Board?
A chief concern for Fink, however, was code clarity. During his Feb. 19 presentation, planning consultant Michael Mehaffy said that his “interpretation” of existing law aligned with Fink’s proposed amendment, but his comments underscored the code’s ambiguity.
“Clear, precise code language is a best practice planning standard. It benefits both applicants and staff by ensuring consistent application and reducing the city’s risk of unequal enforcement,” said Fink. “This is particularly important for White Salmon as we now have three contract planners ... all of whom may be reviewing and interpreting development application.”
Hartmann added that he supports the amendment itself but sought to avoid any possible appearance of preference for a particular applicant. Other members said they wanted to revisit the amendment, or the parking ordinance writ large, in the future, but did not determine a pathway to do so during the meeting.
With Councilor David Lindley absent and Fink opposing, council rescinded the amendment in a 3-1 vote.
Afterward, Code Compliance Officer Jenne Patterson announced that the block-by-block initiative, a citywide effort to primarily address tall grasses, overgrown vegetation, junk vehicles and building violations on individual properties, will begin March 12. The Code Compliance Office will notify residents in advance via orange door hangers before conducting site visits, aimed at improving safety, fire prevention and roadway visibility.
“Everybody in this community is my customer,” said Patterson. “If there is a complaint or a concern that comes through, if there is a case that lands on my desk, they’re all going to be treated with priority.”
Wes Long, chief of the West Klickitat Regional Fire Authority (WKRFA), then updated council on the agency’s transition. With 47 of 60 volunteer positions filled, WKRFA’s budget is healthy, annual maintenance inspections are underway and Long emphasized he’s fostering a culture that remembers the history of the two departments WKRFA absorbed. He’s also planning to hire a new captain by June.
“I’m happy to report that there’s nothing but smiles. I’ve not received any negative feedback, and the transition is going really well,” said Long.
The next White Salmon City Council meeting is March 19 at 6 p.m. in the fire hall.
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