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Scenic Beauty Protected on Underwood Bluff

Scenic Beauty Protected on Underwood Bluff
The scenic Underwood bluff, across the Columbia River from Hood River, was threatened with more development due to a faulty process of lot line adjustment. (photo: Friends' archive)
December 21, 2017
By Steve McCoy
Staff Attorney


Protection of the scenic, cultural, natural, and recreational values of the Columbia Gorge is required by the National Scenic Area Act. The laws that have been written to protect the Gorge must be followed to ensure that these values are maintained, even for something as seemingly simple as a lot line adjustment. When boundary disputes arise between two adjacent landowners, lot line adjustments are often used to resolve the issue.

For example, when a buyer acquires a parcel with a fenceline separating it from adjacent property, both landowners may assume the fenceline marks the actual property line. When that isn't the case, a lot line adjustment can correct the discrepancy. Within the National Scenic Area, lot line adjustments are subject to various restrictions to avoid extra development in sensitive areas. For example, lot line adjustments are allowed between a maximum of two adjacent parcels. They also cannot create new parcels or enlarge a parcel to a size that can be subdivided. Within the Gorge’s Open Space zones, lot line adjustments are allowed only for protection of scenic, cultural, natural, and/ or recreational resources and cannot take advantage of the expedited review process.

In early May, however, Skamania County used expedited review to adjust multiple lot lines between six parcels, some of which were partially zoned as Open Space. The changes would have resulted in an additional, highly visible, buildable lot on Underwood Bluff. The expedited review process, which does not allow public comment, is sensible for low-impact proposals but was not lawful for this project. This meant Friends’ concerns could not be brought to the County prior to its decision.

In late May, Friends appealed the County’s decision, asserting that the project was not eligible for expedited review since it included Open Space areas, and also because it would have adjusted lot lines between multiple parcels and resulted in an additional buildable lot. After hearing from Friends, the applicant ultimately chose to withdraw the proposal and the County nullified its approval.

This was the best possible outcome. While reminding the County of the standards for lot line adjustments, Friends also prevented the unlawful creation of an extra buildable lot in an important scenic landscape. This resolution also averted potentially lengthy litigation. Chalk up another victory for Friends in our tireless work, supported by our members, to protect the Gorge. 

Update: Two weeks after withdrawing their initial application, the applicants submitted another proposal to the county seeking to do substantially the same thing as before. The County again approved the application and Friends appealed. We will keep you updated as thid appeal works its way through the process.​