RESOLUTION 2005-35

(Determining the designation of forest and agricultural land in the National Scenic Area and the adoption of development regulations under Skamania County Code Title 22 – National Scenic Area, meets the requirements of RCW 36.70A for the conservation of agricultural, forest and mineral resource lands)

WHEREAS, pursuant to the Growth Management Act (RCW 36.70A), each county shall adopt development regulation to assure the conservation of agricultural, forest, and mineral resource lands, and that such regulations shall assure that the use of lands adjacent to agricultural, forest, or mineral resource lands shall not interfere with the continued use, in the accustomed manner and in accordance with best management practices, of these designated lands for the production of food, agricultural products, or timber, or for the extraction of minerals; and,

WHEREAS, over eighty percent (88%) of the land within Skamania County is in public ownership either within the Gifford Pinchot National Forest or is owned by the State of Washington; and,

WHEREAS, half of the remaining twenty percent (12%) is located within the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area and is regulated locally with development regulations that are consistent with the Columbia River Gorge Management Plan and the National Scenic Area Act; and,

WHEREAS, the development regulations in Skamania County Code (SCC) Title 22 – National Scenic Area designated 39,416.10 acres as forest land (SMA Forest, GMA Commercial Forest, and GMA Large Woodland) meeting the intent of RCW 36.70A, and designated 4,240.23 acres as agricultural land (SMA Agriculture and GMA Large-Scale Agriculture) meeting the intent of RCW 36.70A; and,

WHEREAS, the forest and agricultural designations provide for the conservation of land to be used for forest, agriculture, and mineral resource uses, the protection from encroachment of residential uses from adjacent lands, requires a 500 foot notification to surrounding property owners, and has specific setbacks on adjacent uses to assure that the use of lands adjacent to agricultural, forest, or mineral resource lands shall not interfere with the continued use, in the accustomed manner and in accordance with best management practices, of these designated lands for the production of food, agricultural products, or timber, or for the extraction of minerals; and,

WHEREAS, the County adopted SCC Title 22 on December 21, 1993, and the provision have been in effect since adoption;

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Skamania County Board of Commissioners has determined the designation of forest and agricultural lands within the National Scenic Area and the development regulations adopted under SCC Title 22 meets the requirements of the Growth Management Act (RCW 36.70A) for the conservation of forest, agricultural, and mineral resource lands.

PASSED IN REGULAR SESSION this 2nd day of August 2005.