Columbia River Gorge Commission tells Skamania County it is sharpening focus on economic vitality, land‑use tools

Christina, executive director of the Columbia River Gorge Commission, updated the Skamania County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday about steps the regional agency is taking to better support economic vitality in the Columbia River National Scenic Area.

The commission has formed an internal economic‑vitality committee of five commissioners, will reconvene community stakeholders, and is working to clarify how its existing authorities — including certification of loans for the Washington Investment Board and Oregon Investment Board — can help small businesses and agriculture, Christina said.

Christina said the commission’s signature role in loan work is a certification step required by the National Scenic Area Act: staff review a loan recommendation and confirm it is “consistent with the National Scenic Area Act and management plan,” after which the investment boards may issue loans. She said the original federal authorization was $10 million, $8.1 million of which was appropriated and placed into a revolving loan fund; earned interest and repayments have substantially expanded the economic impact of that fund.

Why it matters: Commissioners said they want clearer lines between the Gorge Commission’s statutory responsibilities and visible, on‑the‑ground support for county economies. County officials urged the commission to identify quick, low‑friction changes that could increase opportunities for farm operators and home‑based entrepreneurs while preserving scenic and natural resource goals.

In the meeting, commissioners and Christina discussed a range of land‑use tools and policy clarifications the commission changed or is studying in response to public input from the Gorge 2020 management‑plan review. Christina said the commission expanded the definition of farmstands to allow more value‑added goods — for example, jams and finished food products — and consolidated older “cottage industry” definitions into a “home ventures” category that permits a small number of employees on a residence‑based business. She said those revisions were intended to increase income opportunities without creating commercial development that would change scenic character.

Commissioners also pressed for more data and clearer communication on several recurring concerns: - Ag‑income test: The commission acknowledged that the ag‑income threshold (applied to large agricultural parcels when a new house is sought) has become a sore point. Christina said the commission has hired ag economists (EcoNorthwest) and is working with OSU Extension to analyze whether thresholds and tests are appropriate and equitable across counties and crop types. "We need to find out what makes sense in Skamania County versus Wasco County or Klickitat County," she said. - Short‑term rentals and traveler accommodations: Christina said the commission had hoped allowing limited short‑term rentals would help supplement household income, but staff have observed conversions of non‑primary residences into rental businesses. She said tracking and enforcement remain complaint‑driven and staff are gathering better data. - Home‑based businesses and farmstands: Commissioners praised the farmstand and home‑ventures expansions as modest, practical tools that “support the community” without harming scenic values. Christina explained the changes grew from a multi‑year, multi‑stakeholder “deep dive” during the Gorge 2020 review. - Loan certification and transparency: Commissioners asked how many loans the commission had certified and whether staff ever refused certification. Christina said the commission’s role is verification and described the certification form and 48‑hour turnaround; she offered to obtain statistics on certified loans and repayment performance for the board.

Christina said the commission plans to convene a new community group tied to the commissioners’ economic committee, increase in‑person outreach after the COVID‑era slowdown, and use the committee to develop communications and policy proposals for the next management‑plan review. "We have to bring that feedback to the committee and see what they can come up with," she said.

The commission’s work on economic vitality spans statutory loan certification, modest land‑use clarifications already enacted, research on the ag‑income test, and planned outreach and data collection on short‑term rentals and ADUs. Christina encouraged county planners and commissioners to provide case examples and to meet with commission planners. "We're here because we really want to hear your concerns," she said.

The commission also noted it helped secure an additional $2 million in loan funding through a USDA Rural Development channel several years ago; Christina said those funds carried different use restrictions than the original revolving loan program and required additional administrative work by partners such as MACED and the investment boards.

Commissioners said they expect the Gorge Commission’s economic‑vitality committee to be the forum for near‑term deliverables — such as improving staff tools to certify loans — and longer‑term policy changes to be considered in the next management‑plan review.

The commission invited county commissioners to its July meeting in Cascade Locks and offered to provide additional loan statistics, parcel‑level ag mapping and a staff report on previous Gorge 2020 edits.