This October, the Skamania County Planning Commission will host a workshop and public hearing to discuss and field public comments around zoning for Skamania County’s last privately owned, unmapped parcels of land in Underwood. The result of this zoning decision is a significant one, as it will determine how the land may be used for generations to come. Below is an overview of the zoning options currently being considered and details regarding the workshop (open to the public) and public hearing.

Mark Your Calendar: Planning Commission Workshop & Public Hearing

DATE: Tuesday, October 7th
TIME: Workshop starts at 5:30 pm. The public hearing begins at 6:15 pm.
WHERE: Skamania County Courthouse Annex, Lower Meeting Room
170 NW Vancouver Avenue, Stevenson, Washington, 98648

There are three parcels of privately owned, unmapped land left in Skamania County, and they are located in Underwood near Chemawa Hill, north of Crooked Acres Winery. Together with the publicly owned DNR parcel, these parcels total approximately 2,000 acres. Any use is technically allowed on unmapped lands until zoning is established. Zoning these parcels is important in order to provide clarity for the public and to protect landowners, the environment, and the community.

Although discussions began back in 2016, state law delayed zoning of these parcels until the Whistling Ridge Energy Project was completed. Now that the project has been terminated, the county can move forward with assigning appropriate zoning to these lands. Under the Growth Management Act, Skamania County is legally obligated to designate these forest lands as resource lands.

The Skamania County Planning Department initially presented several options (take a look here for a deeper dive). During the last public hearing, both CRL-40 and R10 zoning designations were considered and discussed at length by commissioners as options for one or more of the unmapped parcels:

CRL-40 Zoning (Commercial Resource Lands – 40 acres)
• Supports existing land use
• Preserves large forested parcels
• Allows land to be divided into parcels no smaller than 40 acres
• Best suited for long-term timber and resource use

R10 Zoning (Rural Residential – 10 acres)
• Allows for residential development
• Creates the possibility that other land nearby may also be opened to residential use
• Allows land to be divided into parcels as small as 10 acres

The unmapped parcels of land in Underwood have historically been used for commercial timber management, and that hasn’t changed. In a post-2007 zoning review, both the Board of County Commissioners and the Planning Commission recommended CRL-40 (Commercial Resource Lands – 40-acre) zoning, based on the area’s current and historical use.

The last public hearing around zoning for these parcels took place on July 15th, 2025, but several Planning Commissioners were absent, and the Planning Commission was unable to secure enough votes to make an official recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners. Public comment was also taken before the Planning Commission could officially present the options to the public, so another public hearing has been scheduled.

Public comments have been divided. Many members of the public are concerned about water and other infrastructure elements required for additional residential development in the area. Wildfire management and emergency access are also concerns that have been mentioned. Broughton Lumber owns two of the parcels, and a member of the public spoke on their behalf in support of R10 zoning for one of the parcels.

Arguments in Favor of CRL-40:

• Preserves timber and resource lands
• Matches current land use
• Supports long-term environmental stewardship

Arguments in Favor of R10:

• Potentially increases property tax revenue for the county
• Gives landowners more flexibility in land use and development

Underwood residents who are interested in submitting a public comment on this issue may send an email to: planningcommissioners@co.skamania.wa.us, or attend the public hearing in person on October 7th to make a public comment in person. Comments will be limited to 3 minutes, max. Questions? Contact the Skamania County Planning Department directly at 509-427-3900.

This summary was compiled by Underwood resident, Kristy Podruchny. Kristy regularly attends Planning Commission meetings to stay informed. Any opinions expressed or implied here do not necessarily reflect those of the UPRD or its board members. If you feel there are critical considerations missing from this post, please email us your additions, and we’ll include them here for public discussion. If you’d like to contact Kristy with questions, you can reach her at kristyp99@gmail.com.