Shorelines Campaign

CALL to ACTION

Friends of the White Salmon River, January 2025

Klickitat County Critical Areas Ordinance.
Hearing January 21, 6:00pm in Goldendale.

The County is about to approve an updated version of the Critical Areas Ordinance (CAO), a regulation intended to limit damage to shorelines, habitat, and other critical areas.

The Planning Commission has been revising the CAO, section by section, for about a year now.  The changes weaken protections across the board.

Water is life.  Shorelines keep the water healthy.  Shorelines are living edges where land, water, and air meet, a dance between moving water and resistant land.

Riparian zones are used by  60-80% of all living species for habitat, food, clean water, birthplaces, and shelter.  Healthy riparian zones provide flood and erosion control.

Riparian corridors- rivers of life – are the arteries and veins of our environment – connecting, nourishing, and cleansing.  Human life and well-being depend on water.

The Planning Commission has been working in front of empty seats, talking to themselves.  We need to show them that they need to talk and listen to those who care about a healthy environment.  In person is best.  Show up in Goldendale for the hearing on January 21

Your physical presence is impactful.  If you can’t come in person, submit a comment.

You don’t need to be an expert on the regulation.  In fact, it’s pointless to bog down in the details.  You just say that that you CARE and that you want the County to adopt the strictest and most protective standards provided by state agencies. 

Sign up for our newsletter  here https://friendsofthewhitesalmon.org/support-fwsr/fwsr-newsletter/.  We will be publishing more information shortly.

“There exists today a fundamental division between those who seek to preserve the natural world of the enjoyment of their children and the health of the planet, and those who will put it in peril for whatever value they can extract from it, and who would just as soon give their sons and daughters money as wonder.  “A Death in Eden”  by Keith McCafferty.  Join us in preserving the legacy of wonder. 

1. ATTEND THE HEARING

Klickitat County Planning Commission Hearing on the Critical Areas Ordinance

Hearing Information
Date: Tuesday, January 21, 2025, at 6:00 PM

Public Notice of hearing: https://www.klickitatcounty.org/DocumentCenter/View/20685/PC-
Public-Hearing-Notice-January-2025

In person:

Klickitat County Services Building, 115 West Court Street, Room 200, Goldendale, Washington, 2nd floor

Zoom:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85782372047?pwd=WcV8P4l5C1aTxaO71ZIpRJW7NaCsNb.1
Meeting ID: 857 8237 2047 Passcode: 152082

Will you be attending the hearing?

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2.  Submit a Comment by Tues., Jan 21 @ 5PM

Send an email to  planning2@klickitatcounty.org

Include these key points:

* I want the county to adopt the strictest and most protective standards provided by state agencies. 

* There has not been sufficient public notice and outreach about this hearing. 

 

3. SEND A LETTER

In writing:  Must be received by 5:00 PM on Tuesday January 21, 2025
Klickitat County Planning Commission
115 West Court Street #302
Goldendale, Washington 98620