Story by Rodger Nichols for Gorge Country Media
Good news – finally – for victims of the Rowena and Burdoin fires. The Secretary of Agriculture has signed off on the change the Gorge Commission made to the Management Plan for the National Scenic Area, which will make rebuilding easier. People who have lost their homes will be able to put up a shed to store tools during rebuilding, will have 10 years to rebuild with expedited review instead of two, and will be able to park an RV on the property to stay in during the rebuilding process.
Here’s how Gorge Commission attorney Jeff Litwak described the process on the Oregon side to a meeting of the Gorge Commission Rules Committee yesterday:
“Wasco County is doing essentially like a self issued checklist type permit. So you would go into Wasco County, get the form, fill out the form, and you would give it to the county planner. The county planner would essentially look at the form and then sign off on it. That is, in the Oregon law what we call a ministerial permit, doesn’t require discretion and notice before you issue the decision. It doesn’t even require any notice after the decision.”
Klickitat County residents can pick up the forms they need at the Gorge Commission office in White Salmon.