Columbia Gorge

[diggitydot]

Originally Posted by hymalaia

I could be wrong but this sounds more like an issue of local attitudes in conflict rather than the big bad federal gorge commission screwing over helpless little property owners. I'll try and read more up on this including the supreme court link as time allows.

Definitely read that WA state Supreme Court link. The information is very enlightening about the situation and shows specifically where the GCC erred substantially. Also, when the changes to the Beas' plans were shown to or discovered by Skamania county, the county decided they weren't a big deal and still continued to allow the building, as per their right. All these details are in the link.

The Bea family wasn't necessarily cherry-picking which laws to abide by and which ones not to. Yes, they made some slight changes to their land as necessary to build and absolutely should have had those changes approved before continuing. But when those changes were allowed by the county, who has the final say when none of the "interested parties" objects, then that really should have been the end of it. As an "interested party" the GCC neglected their responsibility by failing to submit their objections within the legal time frame to do so, particularly since they were notified of all information giving them plenty of notice. By not filing any objections, they showed approval of the home.

Essentially, the GCC was attempting to set a precedence that would allow them to avoid any and all time frames already established by the Columbia River Gorge Scenic Act which would enable them to retroactively object to any project and any time. Can you imagine having built a home within all of their guidelines 10 years previous and still have to tear it down because someone on the commission felt it wasn't "in line with the Columbia River Gorge Scenic Act"?

[asnow]

My Partner and I are thinking about moving to The Dalles from Portland. She is a nurse. We want to move to a small town and start a family. We love the charm and the really old houses! And of course the small town feel. So is The Dalles Gay-Friendly?

Thanks!

[bruce a hylton]

It all comes down to whose history is being altered. Any one who wants to do something within site of the gorge now needs more than one permit and more than one process. To remodel an existing structure can take years and may be subject to many changes before actuallly allowed. My family has been in the gorge since before statehood and any objection to them continuing to live their as they have done for over a hundred years is hard to swallow, especially when it is just for someone else to drive by one time a year.
Go back and read the original rules and then check how they have been altered since. Check some old pictures and see if you can find the wild stories that were made up about my grandfathers place at the mouth of the klickitat. Check and see how many indians are buried within site of the Klickitat river. Only those with history in the area will have any idea what I am talking about.

[beenhereandthere]

Originally Posted by asnow

My Partner and I are thinking about moving to The Dalles from Portland. She is a nurse. We want to move to a small town and start a family. We love the charm and the really old houses! And of course the small town feel. So is The Dalles Gay-Friendly?

Thanks!

Based on a few stories I have read and heard about the way Blacks have been treated there (not good), it may not be all that welcoming towards gays. Who knows?

[diggitydot]

Originally Posted by asnow

My Partner and I are thinking about moving to The Dalles from Portland. She is a nurse. We want to move to a small town and start a family. We love the charm and the really old houses! And of course the small town feel. So is The Dalles Gay-Friendly?

Thanks!

You'd really have to visit the community to get a feel for it. Things that wouldn't even register to me might be big huge, land-beacon-sized red flags to you and your partner.