Broughton Landing: Press Articles

Commission Extends Public Comment On Gorge Resort Proposal

So many people attended the Columbia River Gorge Commission hearing on a proposed resort Tuesday that the public comments have been extended to the commission meeting next month.

By Pete Springer
OPB News
Portland, OR  February 13, 2008 1:19 p.m.

The Gorge Commission heard from more than sixty people, but there were many more lined up to comment.  At issue is a  proposed resort west of White Salmon on the old Broughton Lumber Mill site.

Opponents say the proposal would set a precedent that would allow others to extensively develop their land in the federally protected gorge scenic area.

But Gorge Commission planner Tom Ascher says this simply isn’t true.

Tom Ascher: “It wouldn’t really translate to other places in the scenic area and we don’t think that the argument that, ‘Well, you let them do it, I should be able to do something similar’ would really carry any water because their situation would be different than the situation we’re dealing with today.”

Ascher says the proposed resort is on the only brownfield outside an urban area in the gorge, which makes the proposed development a unique situation.