County planning staff presents temporary housing application for Rowena fire survivors; scenic-area cultural review expected

Wasco County planning staff presented an application Aug. 20 seeking county approval to use a county-owned site near The Dalles as a temporary emergency housing community for residents displaced by the Rowena fire. Daniel Doherty, planning director and long-term recovery group deputy, described the request as an interim housing solution that could be available up to five years while survivors rebuild.

Doherty said the application is an administrative, type-2 scenic-area review under the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area rules and the county’s land-use ordinances. The planning division identified both policy and technical hurdles staff expects to face: full scenic-area review requirements, cultural-resource and archaeological reconnaissance surveys, wetland/high-water mark determinations and utility inspections and repairs. Staff highlighted that the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs and the Forest Service’s heritage program have already asked for cultural surveys, which could add months to the review and require mitigation.

Commissioners and staff discussed timelines and alternatives. Commissioners emphasized the urgency for survivors and asked whether other public sites or quicker options were available. Doherty said the site — historically used for RV sites and adjacent to the impacted Rowena community — was selected because it is contiguous with the affected neighborhood and already contains some existing utility infrastructure, though the condition of on-site systems is uncertain and may require inspection, repair or temporary above‑ground services.

Doherty stressed that the application addresses the policy “what” (permission to use the site) while implementation (“how” to finance, staff and install utilities and services) will require coordination among long-term recovery partners, state agencies and potential funding sources. He warned the public that scenic-area reviews can be appealed and that individual elements (for example, shoreland/water boundaries or cultural findings) can trigger separate, potentially lengthier processes.

Staff provided a preliminary site plan with a proposed layout of parking/parking sites and mobile sanitation/shower locations; they reconfirmed the request is not intended as a recreational RV park but rather an emergency temporary housing community. Commissioners asked staff to continue outreach to partners and to present alternative sites and timelines as comments and technical information arrive. Director Glover (Community Development) will have administrative authority to approve or deny the application following the review period; appeals could bring the matter before the board or the Gorge Commission.