Rebuilding in the NSA: A Community Forum
2025-10-01 18:30 - 20:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | White Salmon Valley Community Library, 77 NE Wauna Avenue, White Salmon, WA, 98672
Join fellow Gorge residents for a Community Forum (Klickitat edition) to discuss how National Scenic Area land use rules and review processes are affecting homeowners, property rights, and the future of Gorge neighborhoods. This is a follow-up to the Skamania Community Forum in Underwood, which was tremendously successful, bringing more than 50 neighbors and other stakeholders together to have these critical conversations about the direction of our community under the current Gorge Management Plan.
Whether you’ve faced delays trying to build or improve your home, been denied a permit, or are curious about how these regulations shape what’s allowed in our communities, this is a chance to connect with neighbors, ask questions, and share your story. Together, we’ll explore how these policies work, why they matter, and what options we may have to advocate for more fair, transparent, and locally accountable processes.

This is a neighbor-run event, and officials and other stakeholders are invited to attend and participate. If you have specific questions, please send them to gorgebaf at gmail dot com. Organizers may not have all the answers, but will try to find the right agency or other source that may be able to help. You don’t have to live in Klickitat County to attend this event and share your story. Future community discussion nights will be scheduled in Wasco and Hood River counties.
Follow the event here on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1EpE37ksuA/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Planning Commission Public Hearing
2025-10-07 17:30 - 20:00 | Skamania County Courthouse Annex Building, 170 NW Vancouver Avenue, Stevenson, WA, 98648, United States
Residents of Underwood are invited to attend a historic Skamania County Planning Commission workshop and public hearing to participate, listen and learn about zoning for the last privately-owned, unmapped parcels of land in Skamania County (located in Underwood).
In advance of the hearing, attendees are encouraged to read more about the zoning options currently being discussed and consider how various zoning designations may affect quality of life, property values, the environment, or any other variable that’s important to your family. The result of this zoning decision is a significant one, as it will determine how land will be used for generations to come.
The Planning Commission workshop (open to the public and recommended) starts at 5:30 pm. The public hearing will begin at 6:15 pm. Both will take place at the Skamania County Courthouse Annex Building in the Lower Meeting Room. Residents who would like to make a public comment may do so at the meeting. Public comments are limited to 3 minutes each. Members of the community can also join the meeting via Zoom.
Can’t attend the workshop or hearing on this date? Submit public comments via email to planningcommissioners@co.skamania.wa.us.
Questions? Contact the Skamania County Planning Department directly at 509-427-3900.

The Gorge Under Surveillance: Community Update Discussion Night
2025-12-04 18:30 - 20:00 | Underwood Community Center, 951 School House Road, Underwood, WA, 98651
This past year, Skamania County installed Flock Safety license plate reader cameras in various locations throughout the county, including one on Tribal land at the in-lieu site on Cook-Underwood Road. These cameras automatically record passing vehicles and upload data to a private company database accessible to law enforcement.
Recently, a landmark Washington court case ruled that all images recorded by these cameras are public record, and anyone can request them. In response, the Skamania County Sheriff’s Office indicated its intent to disable the county’s Flock cameras and has since turned them off over concerns that the court decision could make it easier to weaponize the data they collect.
Still, questions remain. Will cameras be removed or only turned off? What data was collected when they were on, and who had access to it? What challenges have other cities had in getting Flock cameras turned off and/or removed?
If you have ongoing questions about Flock surveillance systems in our community, mark your calendar and join neighbors for an evening of updates, sharing, and discussion. what other communities have learned after adopting similar technology.
Additional discussion topics will include:
– What makes Flock cameras different from other security cameras?
– Who can access Flock camera data, and how is it being used?
– What has our six-month data audit revealed about system activity, accuracy, and new camera locations?
– What have other communities learned after adopting similar technology?
– How have communities elsewhere responded to safety gains and/or privacy concerns?
– What rights and responsibilities do residents have regarding public surveillance?
This is a neighbor-led information session, not a government meeting. Your host, a local resident and national privacy and security expert, will share recent legal developments, county updates, and practical steps communities are taking to ensure transparency and accountability.
This event is free and open to everyone.
