Turning The Hatch into a private park?

[Machu]

Not kidding about losing The Hatch

Here is what is happening to The Hatch
The Broughton Lumber Company is working to amend the Columbia Gorge Scenic Act so they can build a 250-unit destination resort, Broughton Landing. The resort will be located across Hwy 14 where the old mill now stands and directly opposite The Hatch.

The most important issues:

1 The largest proposed development in the Gorge Scenic Area. Because it is located outside of any urban growth boundaries, it requires a major amendment to the Columbia Gorge Scenic Act. The amendment completely undermines the cornerstone of Columbia Gorge Scenic Act, opening the door to major resort developments throughout the Gorge.

2 There will be major changes to The Hatch and it's use as a public park by windsurfers/kite boarders. No doubt about it. Read on to see for yourself.

The Columbia Gorge Scenic Act was created for America! It was not created to pad a developers pocket or to support any politicians ambitions.

The Broughton Landing Proposal
Here is the Broughton Landing proposal and plan.

Take a good look at the plan and see if you can even spot The Hatch. Regardless of what anyone says, if you look closely you'll see that The Hatch becomes the resorts "private little launch site". If you can't park there now, think about what will happen when the resort is built. Oh, they offered to build a tunnel under the RR tracks so we can lug our equipment to the launch site. Now, there's another plan for The Hatch. Keep in mind, these are proposals. They do not have to follow through on anything, nor may they be able to. It's just a plan, and it's constantly being revised this way and that, depending on how the wind is blowing.

This is a "resort". There may be some windsurfers/kite boarders, but most will be families on vacation with kids and pets, all understandably wanting to use The Hatch. Think about how that will work. Let's face it; The Hatch is fully used right now by windsurfers and non-windsurfers alike.

We need everyone to help to keep The Hatch available to windsurfers/kite boarders and to defend the Columbia Gorge Scenic Act!

Please attend the next Gorge Commission Meeting

COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE COMMISSION MEETING AGENDA
August 14, 2007
Best Western Inn at the Bridge of the Gods
735 WaNaPa Street, Cascade Locks, Oregon
9:00 a.m. Call to Order
9:05 a.m. Approval of Minutes – June 12, 2007 (correction) and July 10, 2007
9:10 a.m. Public Comment *
9:20 a.m. Opportunity for Tribal Nations to address Commission
9:30 a.m. Staff Report on Proposed Plan Amendment for Recreation Resort * – Tom Ascher
Commission staff will summarize the staff report on the proposed Recreation Resort Plan Amendment. The report includes options and requests Commission direction on remaining policy issues for the purpose of drafting a proposed amendment for public review and comment.
10:30 a.m. Break
10:45 a.m. Continuation of Staff Report and Public Comment *

12:30 p.m. Lunch
1:30 p.m. Assessment Committee Report
1:40 p.m. Indicators update and discussion of next steps * – Angie Kenney and Jill Arens
Commission staff will update the Commission on proposed working goals and a proposed technical/stakeholder involvement process for the Indicators project. There will also be discussion of preliminary objectives for the project. Staff is requesting Commission review and approval of the working goals and the proposed process for the project.
3:15 p.m. Break
3:30 p.m. Directors Report
4:00 p.m. NSA Manager’s Report
4:10 p.m. Other Business
4:15 p.m. Adjourn
--------------------------------------------------------------

If you can not attend, please, please write, call, fax, email your representatives if you live in Oregon or Washington State. If you don't, please contact the Gorge Commission with letters, email, phone calls, etc.
Links are listed at end of this diatribe.

A little history about the Columbia Gorge Scenic Act
The Columbia Gorge Scenic Act was created to protect the Columbia Gorge and it's ecology from all future development in order to preserve this magnificent environment for future generations to enjoy. When the Act was created, a great many land owners and residents had to sell-out or have their development rights restricted or confiscated to fulfill the goal of the Scenic Act. For most, it was a crappy experience. However, thanks to a brave group of politicians and the sacrifices by many landowners, we now have a beautiful recreation area -- open for public use and enjoyment.

However, allowing this resort to be built is an absolute kick-in-the-butt to all those landowners that didn't have the pleasure of a politicians ear. IMHO, amending the Scenic Act is like rubbing their noses in a dirty ashtray.

The Columbia Gorge Scenic Act and Destination Resorts
A cornerstone of the Scenic Act was to restrict all large scale development to existing urban areas -- and that includes destination resorts. Amending the Act to permit this resort would open the entire Gorge Scenic Area to resort developments outside of existing urban growth boundaries. Regardless of what Broughton or politicians claim, I don't think you can just amend the Scenic Act for one capitalistic endeavour without opening up the rest of the Gorge to the highest bidders. After all, if they do it once, it's so much easier (and politically expedient) to do it again.

Now -- about the mill site
When the Scenic Act was enacted, the Broughton Mill site was designated to be eligible for 175 campsites and RV sites, up to 35 cabins and 5,000 sq. ft. of retail space and that is how it remains. Broughton did not dispute these restrictions! Never!

So now, they want to build the largest development ever proposed in the Scenic Area and they want to do it outside the urban growth boundary!

The crappy aspects of what is going on
First and foremost -- reports from public meetings presented to the Columbia Gorge Scenic Commissioners often fail to mention any of the windsurfers expressed concerns about The Hatch. Reasonable concerns about access, parking, crowding, what this means to the areas future, etc., all appear be a non-issues. Many think the windsurfers and kite boarders can just go some place else, have no bearing on this decision, are irrelevant or are simply anti-development, etc.

Hatch users -- We need you to speak up and be heard!

Links:
Columbia River Gorge Commission - http://www.gorgecommission.org/
Sakamania County - brian.baird@mail.house.gov http://www.brianbaird.com/
Governor Chris Gregoire - http://www.governor.wa.gov/
Senator Patty Murray - senator_murray@murray.senate.gov http://murray.senate.gov/

[Machu]

Go to the Broughton site and see what they have posted regarding the last meeting. They stated that The Hatch only exceeded the parking capacity on 6 days in 2006.

Does that sound right to you? Only on 6 days???

[isobars]

Uh ... No wonder Hatchery parking CANNOT exceed Hatchery capacity: THERE'S NOT ROOM to put more cars there than can be put there. Man, them Broughton guys is SMART!

\m/

[TBird]

I consider myself an environmentalist and I am not pro-Broughton Landing. But I think it's a disservice to everyone to throw out "facts" that are complete BS.

The Hatchery is a state park. Broughton Landing cannot claim it as "its private little launch site." You won't have to lug your equipment any more than you do now. I agree parking is a mess at the Hatchery. I say we start by prohibiting the ridiculous mammoth RVs that set up camp at 7 a.m. and stay until sunset. Ditto for the rest of the folks who walk around drinking coffee until 11 before they sail.

Here's what would help the situation at the Hatch: Arrive. Rig. Sail. Derig. LEAVE. Go socialize somewhere else when it's crowded.

[rowenaman]

A quick review of CGWA's web site does not reveal this proposed blight to the environment and sailor alike to be much of a concern? Where are the red flags regarding access, overcrowding, and water quality issues which would all be impacted by Broughton Landing? If CGWA has come out unequivocally against this and I missed it, I stand corrected and offer my apologies.

There is no upside environmentally to this project. Paid PR folks (see the misinformation booth at 1st Friday) will tell you that removing the old mill is a good thing - though that mill does not produce the waste by products (run off) or electricity that the landing will. It will forever change the landscape with 250+ Condos or vacation homes that are proposed. Even the night sky- as we look to that amazing Gorge view to the west from the HR waterfront at sunset - will be reflecting the many lights of essentially a new mini town in the heart of the Gorge.

The Gorge Commission would be utter hypocrites to allow this HUGE development.

There is BIG money behind this folks - and if you dig a little deeper into who's money it is - you will see people who have never been strong advocates of anything other than development, development, and more development!

CHECK OUT these facts: http://www.actionstudio.org/public/page_view_all.cfm?option=begin&pageid=8112

[Machu]

TBird...

Technically, yes, it remains a state park. But it becomes a state park surrounded by a large and expansive private resort--a resort that offers a state park as a selling point and by default controls public access – because access and parking will be on their private land. This resort will control the parking, the access, the runoff, sewage, etc. What they propose and what they actually do are two different things. It’s their decision how, in what time frame, and where things are built or not built.

Maybe the resort will create adequate parking, maybe not. Maybe the parking is created 3-years after construction begins, maybe when construction ends. Maybe economic conditions change and it becomes economically impossible to build a tunnel, set aside and maintain all that public parking, put in a better sewage system, etc.

Maybe economic conditions dictate they sell to another developer. Ah, now we have a half-completed project and the new owner says they can’t honor all the commitments made by the previous owners. So, the City/County/Scenic Act/public are held hostage by the developer. If they want the project finished, to keep all the workers employed, honor contracts with local suppliers, etc., everyone will capitulate and give the developer a pass – they will have no other choice..

A similar scenario recently took place in White Salmon. Developer asks for a rezone in the retail district, City Council gives the ok, “with conditions”, in hopes of boosting retail opportunities. Now, developer says economic conditions have changed and he’s holding off on building, but not until a popular small business was forced to close. Ah, those pesky economic conditions. The result: White Salmon has another empty storefront hurting the entire business district. If the present owner sells, the new owner now gets the prized zoning along with the power to hold the property hostage to win desired concessions from the City. All previous “conditions” will be open for negotiation and the new owner will hold all the power.

Regardless of all that, the Columbia Gorge Scenic Act was created to prohibit resorts and large developments from being built outside of established urban growth boundaries -- no exceptions! If we don't speak up - and speak up loud - the Scenic Act will be dismantled. That's how things work. It would be impossible to eliminate the Act in one swoop, but with the help of public apathy, lots of mis-information, and by chipping away at the ACT -- a little here, a little there -- it will take a little longer, but the end result is the same. Major and unabated development up and down the river.

TBird, I hope we can get a large number of people to this meeting to express objections to the proposed amendment and resort. Hope you can make it to the Aug. 14th meeting.

[pacspeed]

Access to the Hatchery is NOT on private land, you turn in right off SR14. Maybe we wont get to use the few dozen spots on the north side of the hwy, but who cares? Thats for "you snoozed and you loozed" crowd.

Also, what makes you think there will be more people sailing than there are now? Windsurfers drop in number every year, and everyone who wants to spend the summer sailing in the Gorge IS ALREADY DOING SO. I've found it intolerably crowded at the Hatch for years, so if I want to sail there, I put in at the hook, and 3 or 4 upwind reaches gets me there. No access problem, no parking problem, no problem at all.

I say let em have at it. The current mill is a complete sh**hole, and a nice resort will look a whole lot better. If you want to improve the Scenic Act, have them put in a provision to stop clear cuts visible from the river.

[andymc4610]

The current Hatch 'overflow' is on broughton's property as is 'cheap beach' they have been kind enough for years to allow windsurfers parking and access. A lot of doom sayers out there....the Stevensons have ties to the windsurfing community.

[kmarasco]

[jimoakes]

I bet all the windsurfers and kiteboarders who own or rent a unit at the Broughton Landing will drive over to the Hatch early each windy day and take up the best parking spots.
Why walk the 3 or 4 blocks to grab a sail or a board at your condo?
We could arrive at 7am to a full parking lot ,with no one around cause they are eating breakfast at home waiting till the" really good wind" comes.