Snowden Community
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Adopting a Critical Areas Ordinance (CAO) is a WA State requirement for all cities and counties, under the Growth Management Act. Its purpose is to establish local regulations to protect critical areas, which are defined as “critical aquifer recharge areas, fish and wildlife habitat conservation areas, frequently flooded areas, geological hazardous areas, and wetlands.”
The Klickitat County Planning Commission is no longer taking public comments on the CAO, but the Commission has scheduled a Workshop to review comments, on February 3 at 6:00PM, and Deliberations before making a final decision, on February 18 at 6:00PM.
Attend in person at the Klickitat County Services Building, 115 West Court Street, Room 200, Goldendale, Washington, 2nd floor
Join via Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85782372047?pwd=WcV8P4l5C1aTxaO71ZIpRJW7NaCsNb.1 (Meeting ID: 857 8237 2047 Passcode: 152082)
The SCC Land Use Committee has met and reviewed the draft CAO and feels that it needs many revisions: most urgently 1) to include how local decisions will be made and enforced, and 2) to include detailed maps showing recognized critical areas. These maps have been prepared by various state agencies and are readily available to include. Not all critical areas have been mapped, however, and the ordinance also applies to those areas. The Land Use Committee strongly urges the Planning Commission extend the comment period to allow more thought and discussion.
CENTURYLINK UPDATE: On January 10, 2025, the Washington State Utilities and Transportation Commission (WUTC) issued a statement, that when boiled down, says that CenturyLink (CL) and the WUTC reached a mutually acceptable “settlement”, and must submit the official settlement agreement with supporting documentation by February 07, 2025. And “the Commission (WUTC) further reserves March 12, 2025, for a Settlement Hearing if necessary.”
If CenturyLink is happy with the settlement – will Snowdenites like it? We can hope so! But we will have to wait until February 07 to find out the terms of the “settlement agreement” between CL and the WUTC. Let’s be prepared to let the WUTC know how we feel about the new “settlement agreement”! This site will be updated as soon as we have more information about this important issue.
New Fall photo carousel available on the Photos page.
The seasonal burn ban has ended. Fire Danger: Low. More information about county burn bans, and what you can and cannot do during a burn ban is available on the KC Department of Emergency Management page.
Check out the new Emergency Preparedness page!
Information about upcoming community events can be found on the GorgeCurrent Events Calendar and also on the Mt. Adams Chamber of Commerce Events Calendar.
Gorge MakerSpace offers classes for youth and adults in wood working and woodturning, laser cutting, 3D printing, blacksmithing, art, sewing, embroidery, painting on fabric, DIY & home repair, and robotics. For more info and to sign up see: Gorge MakerSpace.
Recommended Ways to Monitor Wildfire Status: Facebook Group for monitoring the latest wildfire info: Columbia Gorge Wildland and Fire Information Page. Free iPhone and Android app for monitoring latest wildfire info: Watch Duty. Website for monitoring wildfire activity: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/.
If you haven’t been able to attend any of the recent Wildfire Mitigation Workshops, you can learn about the Wildfire Ready Neighbors! Program, and sign up for an In-Person Visit By a Wildfire Expert, at the WA DNR website.
Underwood Conservation District also offers free, in-person Wildfire Resilience Assessments. See the UCD Wildfire Resilience Program page.
Additional information about Home Fire Safety can be found at the Firewise USA website.
For Essential Community Services (warming shelter locations, closed roads, food needs, domestic violence resources, info) dial 211 or go to https://search.wa211.org
