White Salmon Council approves Planning Commission work plan, prioritizes shared utilities

The White Salmon City Council on Feb. 4 approved the Planning Commission's 2026 work plan, designating shared utilities as Priority 1 and removing three items from the Commission's list in a 4-0 vote. The motion was moved by Council Member Ben Giant and seconded by Mayor Pro Tempore David Lindley.

Planner Rowan Fairfield presented the Commission's proposed work plan, summarizing prior public feedback and the Commission's view that shared utilities should be advanced. Fairfield said trash-can nuisance rules and e-bike regulations fell outside the Commission's current jurisdiction and cautioned that a comprehensive review of municipal code Titles 16–19 would create major staff workload risks.

Council discussion focused on prioritization and scope. Council Member Doug Rainbolt urged the City to pursue shared utilities to support higher-density housing and suggested researching best practices from other cities; he also raised concerns about the proportionality of service development charges. Planning Commission Chair Carl Trabant and Planner Fairfield advised caution on outreach methods to avoid Open Public Meetings Act exposure and emphasized that some topics were not within the Commission's remit.

Councilors agreed to remove Activities 2, 3 and 6 from the Commission's list and to advance Activities 1 (shared utilities), 4, 5 and 7. Council members clarified that only Activity 1 was being designated as a formal priority and that the work plan should remain flexible; Lindley suggested a mid-year check-in.

Next steps: the Council approved the work plan to move forward with the Planning Commission, the City Planner and the mayor's office coordinating sequencing and staff support. Council members asked for advance Council input before the Commission proceeds on downtown parking work.