October 4th, 2007
Find a way for Broughton
The Columbia River Gorge Commission's (CRGC) draft proposal to provide for recreational resorts does not offer enough flexibility, and it may end up having a negative impact on the National Scenic Area. The amendments currently being proposed to the National Scenic Area Management Plan are a positive step, but they remain restrictive enough that the backers of the proposed "Broughton Landing Resort" do not believe they can proceed.
That would be unfortunate.
Here is one key example of where the draft proposal collides with the vision of the project's backers: The Broughton development envisions a resort that would have 245 vacation units -- a mix of cabins, townhouses, and condominiums. However, the CRGC's draft "Recreational Resort Plan Amendment" would cap the total number of lodging units and campsites at 210.
The old Broughton Mill site west of Underwood offers a unique opportunity to transform a decrepit, decaying, and virtually abandoned former industrial complex into a well-managed facility that could enhance recreational amenities in the area. The resort could boost tourism, provide tax benefits for Skamania County, and offer economic benefits for local merchants and businesses.
We believe that SDS Lumber Co. President Jason Spadaro in particular, and the project's proponents overall, have gone many extra miles to find a way to make this project work within the National Scenic Area. This approach deserves to be praised and encouraged.
Indeed, the groundwork Broughton Landing's backers undertook with its proposal is a showcase of how development should proceed in the Columbia River Gorge. Spadaro has worked diligently to get the word out about the project, holding community meetings and workshops, answering questions and taking groups and even individuals on tours of the former Broughton Mill complex. He has willingly met with groups that may oppose the development in an effort to forge a compromise solution, and he has listened and altered the plans for the resort multiple times to make the project a better fit for the Scenic Area.
We've been impressed by the open channels of communication between the project's backers and opposing groups, such as the Friends of the Columbia Gorge. That's the way it should be. We need more of this type of dialogue and fewer lines drawn in the sand, where opposing sides shut down and won't budge.
There are no villains here. The opposing parties have acted in good faith, and both see benefits to the Scenic Area in their points of view. Further, the parties continue to express interest in face to face meetings, in the hope a solution can be found. It's vital that this process not end in legal and/or regulatory stalemate.
Although there may be no direct comparison between the proposed Broughton Landing project and Skamania Lodge in Stevenson, there are some similarities. Skamania Lodge is a top-notch facility that produces economic and recreational benefits, blends in well with its natural surroundings, and fosters historical and cultural interpretation. Would anyone now argue that Skamania Lodge should not have been allowed?
The Broughton Landing project, we believe, would prove to be an asset to the area, not a problem. We urge the Columbia River Gorge Commission to find a way to offer enough flexibility that the Broughton Landing Resort can be established.
JB
