Chapter 22.18 SCENIC RESOURCE PROTECTION—GENERAL MANAGEMENT AREAS

Chapter 22.18
SCENIC RESOURCE PROTECTION—GENERAL MANAGEMENT AREAS

Sections:

22.18.010 Standards for all developments.

22.18.020 Standards for developments visible from key viewing areas.

22.18.040 Scenic travel corridors and transportation facilities.

22.18.010 Standards for all developments.

A. New development shall be sited and designed to retain the existing topography and minimize grading activities to the maximum extent practicable.

B. New buildings greater than one thousand five hundred square feet in area and building additions that will result in an existing building being increased to greater than one thousand five hundred square feet shall be compatible with the general scale of existing nearby development of a similar nature. Findings addressing this requirement shall include:

1. Application of the landscape setting design guidelines.

2. A defined study area surrounding the development that includes at least ten existing buildings, not including existing buildings within urban areas or outside the National Scenic Area.

3. Individual evaluations of scale for each separate proposed building in the application and each separate building in the study area, including:

a. All finished above ground square footage;

b. Total area of covered decks and porches;

c. Attached garages;

d. Daylight basements;

e. Breezeways, if the breezeway shares a wall with an adjacent building; and

f. Dimensions, based on information from the application or in assessor’s office records.

4. An overall evaluation demonstrating the proposed development’s compatibility with surrounding development. Buildings in the vicinity of the proposed development that are significantly larger in size than the rest of the buildings in the study area should be removed from this evaluation.

C. Project applicants shall be responsible for the proper maintenance and survival of any planted vegetation required under this chapter.

D. The standards in this chapter shall not apply to agricultural cultivation or forest practices. (Ord. 2021-05 (Att. A), 12-14-21; Ord. 2018-04 (Exh. A), 4-17-18; Ord. 2008-06 (part): Ord. 2006-11 (part): Ord. 2005-07 (part). Formerly 22.18.020)

22.18.020 Standards for developments visible from key viewing areas.

A. The provisions in the section shall apply to proposed developments on sites topographically visible from key viewing areas, except that development within the following areas shall be exempt from this section:

1. Skamania Rural Center (village).

2. That portion of Underwood Heights along Cooper Avenue, south of Cook-Underwood Road (rural residential).

B. Each development shall be visually subordinate to its setting as visible from key viewing areas. New development shall be sited to achieve visual subordinance from key viewing areas, unless the siting would place such development in a buffer specified for protection of wetlands, riparian corridors, rare plants, or priority habitat or sensitive wildlife sites or would conflict with guidelines to protect cultural resources. In such situations, new development siting shall comply with this guideline to the maximum extent practicable.

C. Determination of potential visual effects and compliance with the visual subordinance standard shall include consideration of the cumulative effects of proposed development. A determination of the potential visual impact of a new development shall include written findings addressing the following factors:

1. The amount of area of the building site exposed to key viewing areas,

2. The degree of existing vegetation providing screening,

3. The distance from the building site to the key viewing areas from which it is visible,

4. The number of key viewing areas from which it is visible, and

5. For linear key viewing areas such as roads, the linear distance along the key viewing areas from which the site is visible.

D. The extent and type of conditions applied to a proposed development to achieve visual subordinance to its landscape setting shall be proportionate to its potential visual impacts as visible from key viewing areas. Conditions may include, and shall be applied using the following priorities:

1. Screening by existing topography;

2. Siting (location of development on the subject property, building orientation, and other elements);

3. Retention of existing vegetation on the applicant’s property;

4. Design and building materials (color, reflectivity, size, shape, height, architectural and design details and other elements);

5. New landscaping on the applicant’s property; and

6. New berms or other recontouring on the applicant’s property, where consistent with other applicable provisions.

E. New development shall be sited using existing topography and existing vegetation as needed to achieve visual subordinance from key viewing areas. Existing tree cover screening proposed development from key viewing areas shall be retained as specified in the landscape settings design provisions section of this chapter.

F. The following provisions shall apply to new landscaping used to screen development from key viewing areas:

1. New landscaping (including new earth berms) shall be required only when application of all other available provisions in this chapter are not sufficient to make the development visually subordinate from key viewing areas. Alternate sites shall be considered prior to using new landscaping to achieve visual subordinance. Development shall be sited to avoid the need for new landscaping wherever possible.

2. If new landscaping is required to make a proposed development visually subordinate from key viewing areas, existing on-site vegetative screening and other visibility factors shall be analyzed to determine the extent of new landscaping, and the size of new trees needed to achieve the standard. Any vegetation planted pursuant to this provision shall be sized to provide sufficient screening to make the development visually subordinate within five years or less from the commencement of construction. If after five years the vegetation has not achieved a size sufficient to screen the development, the administrator may require additional screening to make the development visually subordinate.

3. Unless as specified otherwise by provisions in this chapter, landscaping shall be installed as soon as practicable, and prior to project completion. Applicants and successors in interest for the subject parcel are responsible for the proper maintenance and survival of planted vegetation, and replacement of such vegetation that does not survive.

G. Conditions regarding new landscaping or retention of existing vegetation for new development on lands designated GMA commercial forest, large woodland, or small woodland shall meet both scenic provisions and fuel break requirements in Sections 22.14.030(A), 22.14.040(A), and 22.14.050(A).

H. Unless expressly exempted by other provisions in this chapter, colors of structures on sites visible from key viewing areas shall be dark earth-tones found at the specific site or in the surrounding landscape. The specific approved colors shall be included as a condition of approval.

I. The exterior of buildings on lands seen from key viewing areas shall be composed of nonreflective materials or materials with low reflectivity. Continuous surfaces of glass shall be limited to ensure visual subordinance. On building elevations visible from KVAs, no individual or grouping of closely spaced windows shall exceed fifty square feet of unscreened or unshaded glass. Screening or shading must be accomplished by permanent screening or shade structures. The Scenic Resources Implementation Handbook includes a list of recommended exterior materials and screening methods.

J. Any exterior lighting shall be limited in intensity, shielded, or hooded in a manner that prevents lights from being highly visible from key viewing areas and from noticeably contrasting with the surrounding landscape setting, except for road lighting necessary for safety purposes.

K. Additions to existing buildings smaller in total area than the existing building may be the same color as the existing building. Additions larger than the existing building shall be dark earth-tone colors found at the specific site or in the surrounding landscape. The specific approved colors shall be included as a condition of approval.

L. Rehabilitation or modifications to existing significant historic structures shall be exempted from visual subordinance requirements for lands visible from key viewing areas. To be eligible for such exemption, the structure must be included in or eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places, or be in the process of applying for a determination of significance pursuant to appropriate federal regulations. Rehabilitation of or modifications to structures subject to this exemption shall be consistent with National Park Service regulations or appropriate state regulations for such structures.

M. The silhouette of new buildings shall remain below the skyline of a bluff, cliff or ridge as visible from key viewing areas.

N. New main lines on lands visible from key viewing areas for the transmission of electricity, gas, oil, other fuels or communications, except for connections to individual users or small clusters of individual users, shall be built in existing transmission corridors unless it can be demonstrated that use of existing corridors is not practicable. Such new lines shall be underground as a first preference unless it is demonstrated to be impracticable.

O. New communication facilities on lands visible from key viewing areas that require an open and unobstructed site shall be built upon existing facilities unless it can be demonstrated that use of existing facilities is not practicable.

P. New communications facilities may protrude above a skyline visible from a key viewing area only upon demonstration that:

1. The facility is necessary for public service;

2. The break in the skyline is visible only in the background; and

3. The break in the skyline is the minimum necessary to provide the service.

Q. Overpasses, safety and directional signs and other road and highway facilities may protrude above a skyline visible from a key viewing area only upon a demonstration that:

1. The facility is necessary for public service, and

2. The break in the skyline is the minimum necessary to provide the service.

R. New buildings shall not be permitted on lands visible from key viewing areas with slopes in excess of thirty percent. In determining the slope, the average percent slope of the proposed building site shall be used. Variances to this provision may be granted if its application would render a property unbuildable and upon submission of a geotechnical report prepared by a geotechnical engineer.

S. New buildings, driveways and roads shall be designed and sited to minimize visibility of cut banks and fill slopes from key viewing areas. (Ord. 2021-05 (Att. A), 12-14-21; Ord. 2018-04 (Exh. A), 4-17-18; Ord. 2008-06 (part): Ord. 2006-11 (part): Ord. 2005-07 (part). Formerly 22.18.030)

22.18.030 Landscape settings.

A. General Provisions. Landscape settings shall be as designated on the map entitled “Landscape Settings”, adopted on October 15, 1991, as part of the Columbia River Gorge Commission’s comprehensive management plan, and any amendment thereto.

B. Pastoral.

1. Accessory structures, outbuildings and access ways shall be clustered together as much as possible, particularly towards the edges of existing meadows, pastures and farm fields.

2. In portions of this setting visible from key viewing areas, the following provisions shall be used to achieve visual subordinance for new development and expansion of existing development:

a. Except as is necessary for site development or safety purposes, the existing tree cover screening the development from key viewing areas shall be retained.

b. Vegetative landscaping shall, where feasible, retain the open character of existing pastures and fields.

c. At least one-half of any trees planted for screening purposes shall be species native to the setting. Examples of native species are identified in the Scenic Resources Implementation Handbook as appropriate for the area.

d. At least one-quarter of any trees planted for screening shall be coniferous for winter screening. Variances may be granted to this guideline when development is directly adjacent to or adjoining a landscape setting where coniferous trees are not common or appropriate (as identified in the Scenic Resources Implementation Handbook), and tree species ultimately selected for winter screening are natives characteristic to that setting.

3. Compatible Recreation Use. Resource-based recreation uses of a very low intensity or low-intensity nature (as defined in Section 22.24.020), occurring infrequently in the landscape are compatible with this setting.

C. Coniferous Woodland.

1. Structure height shall remain below the forest canopy level.

2. In portions of the setting visible from key viewing areas, the following provisions shall be employed to achieve visual subordinance:

a. Except as is necessary for construction of access roads, building pads, leach fields, etc., the existing tree cover screening the development from key viewing areas shall be retained.

b. At least one-half of any trees planted for screening purposes shall be species native to the setting. Examples of native species are identified in the Scenic Resources Implementation Handbook as appropriate for the area.

c. At least one-half of any trees planted for screening purposes shall be coniferous to provide winter screening.

3. Compatible Recreation Use. Resource-based recreation uses of varying intensities may be compatible with this setting. Typically, outdoor recreation uses are low intensity, and include trails, small picnic areas and scenic viewpoints. Although infrequent, some more intensive recreation uses, such as campgrounds, occur. They tend to be scattered rather than concentrated, interspersed with large areas of undeveloped land and low-intensity uses (Section 22.24.020).

D. Rural Residential.

1. Existing tree cover shall be retained as much as possible, except as is necessary for site development, safety purposes or as part of forest management practices.

2. In portions of this setting visible from key viewing areas (except those areas described in Section 22.18.020(A)), the following provisions shall be employed to achieve visual subordinance for new development and expansion of existing development:

a. Except as is necessary for site development or safety purposes, the existing tree cover screening the development from key viewing areas shall be retained.

b. At least one-half of any trees planted for screening purposes shall be species native to the setting or species identified in the Scenic Resources Implementation Handbook as appropriate for the area.

c. At least one-half of any trees planted for screening purposes shall be coniferous to provide winter screening.

3. Compatible Recreation Use. Compatible recreation uses are usually limited to small community park facilities, but may occasionally include low-intensity resource-based recreation uses (such as scenic overlooks) (Section 22.24.020).

E. Rural Residential/Pastoral or /Coniferous Woodland.

1. New development in these settings shall meet the design provisions for both the rural residential setting and the more rural setting with which it is combined, unless it can be demonstrated that compliance with the provisions for the more rural setting is impracticable. Expansion of existing development shall comply with this standard to the maximum extent practicable.

2. In the event of a conflict between the two sets of provisions, those for the more rural setting shall apply unless it can be demonstrated that application of such provisions would not be practicable.

3. Compatible Recreation Use. Very low-intensity and low-intensity resource-based recreation uses, scattered infrequently in the landscape, may be compatible with this setting (Section 22.24.020).

F. Residential.

1. In portions of this setting visible from key viewing areas (except those areas described in Section 22.18.020(A)), the following shall be employed to achieve visual subordinance for new development and expansion of existing development:

a. Except as is necessary for site development or safety purposes, the existing tree cover screening the development from key viewing areas shall be retained.

b. The exteriors of structures shall be nonreflective unless fully screened from key viewing areas with existing topography.

d. At least one-half of any trees planted for screening purposes shall be coniferous to provide winter screening.

2. Compatible Recreation Use. Compatible recreation uses are limited to community park facilities (Section 22.24.020).

G. Village.

1. For new commercial, institutional or multifamily residential uses on parcels fronting Washington State Route 14 (SR 14) and for expansion of existing development for such uses, parking shall be limited to rear or side yards of buildings to the maximum extent practicable.

2. New vehicular access points to SR 14 shall be limited to the maximum extent practicable, and access consolidation shall be required where feasible.

3. New development proposals and expansion of existing development shall be encouraged to follow planned unit development approaches, featuring consolidated access, commonly shared landscaped open areas, etc.

4. New commercial, institutional or multifamily residential uses fronting SR 14 shall comply with the following landscape requirements:

a. Parking or loading areas for ten or more spaces shall include a landscaped strip at least five feet wide between the new use and SR 14.

b. The landscape strip required in subsection (G)(4)(a) of this section shall include shrubs, vegetative ground cover and, at minimum, one tree. Trees shall be spaced as appropriate to the species and not to exceed twenty-five feet apart on the average.

5. The use of building materials that reinforce the village setting’s character, such as wood, logs or stone and that reflect community desires should be encouraged.

6. Architectural styles that are characteristic of the area and that reflect community desires should be encouraged. Entry signs should be consistent with such architectural style.

7. Design features that create a “pedestrian-friendly” atmosphere, such as large shop windows on the ground floor of commercial buildings, porches along ground floors with street frontage, etc., should be encouraged.

8. Pedestrian walkways and bicycle paths should be encouraged and integrated into new developments where feasible.

9. Where feasible, existing tree cover of species native to the region or species identified in the Scenic Resources Implementation Handbook as appropriate for the area shall be retained when designing new development or expanding existing development.

10. New commercial buildings shall be limited in size to a total floor area of five thousand square feet or less, and shall be limited in height to two-and-one-half stories or less.

11. Compatible Recreation Use. Compatible recreation uses are limited to community park facilities (Section 22.24.020).

H. River Bottomlands.

1. In portions of this setting visible from key viewing areas, the following provisions shall be employed to achieve visual subordinance for new development and expansion of existing development:

a. Except as is necessary for site development or safety purposes, existing tree cover screening the development from key viewing areas shall be retained.

b. At least one-half of any trees planted for screening purposes shall be species native to the river bottomland setting. Public recreation development is encouraged to maximize the percentage of planted screening vegetation native to this setting.

c. At least one-quarter of any trees planted for screening purposes shall be coniferous for winter screening. Variances may be granted to this guideline when development is directly adjacent to or adjoining a landscape setting where coniferous trees are not common or appropriate (as identified in the Scenic Resources Implementation Handbook), and tree species ultimately selected for winter screening are natives characteristic to that setting.

2. Compatible Recreation Use. Compatible recreation uses in this setting depend on the degree of natural resource sensitivity of a particular site. In the most critically sensitive river bottomlands, very low-intensity uses that do not impair wetlands or special habitat requirements may be compatible.

3. In other river bottomland areas, nodes of moderate or high-intensity recreation uses may be compatible, provided that:

a. Their designs emphasize retention or enhancement of native riparian communities;

b. Structures and parking areas are visually subordinate; and

c. They are separated from other areas of concentrated recreation usage by stretches of natural-appearing shoreline and adjacent uplands.

I. Gorge Walls, Canyonlands and Wildlands.

1. New development and expansion of existing development shall be screened so it is not visible from key viewing areas, to the maximum extent practicable.

2. All trees planted to screen permitted development and uses from key viewing areas shall be native to the area.

3. Existing tree cover shall be retained to the maximum extent practicable except for the minimum removal necessary to accommodate facilities otherwise permitted in the underlying zoning classification or for safety purposes.

4. All buildings shall be limited in height to a maximum of one-and-one-half stories.

5. The exteriors of structures shall be nonreflective.

6. Signage shall be limited to natural materials such as wood or stone, with natural or earth-tone colors found in the surrounding landscape, unless public safety concerns or federal or state highways standards require otherwise.

7. Compatible Recreation Use. Because of the fragility, steepness and undeveloped nature of these lands, compatible recreation uses are usually limited to very low-intensity or low-intensity resource-based activities that focus on enjoyment and appreciation of sensitive resources. Such uses are generally associated with minimal facility development, if any. (Ord. 2021-05 (Att. A), 12-14-21; Ord. 2018-04 (Exh. A), 4-17-18; Ord. 2008-06 (part): Ord. 2006-11 (part): Ord. 2005-07 (part). Formerly 22.18.040)

22.18.040 Scenic travel corridors and transportation facilities.

A. The following provisions apply to that portion of State Road 14 (SR14) lying within the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area and to lands lying within one-quarter mile of the edge of the pavement thereof:

1. Additions to existing buildings or expansion of existing parking lots located within one hundred feet of the edge of pavement of a scenic travel corridor roadway shall comply with subsection (A)(2) of this section to the maximum extent practicable. This subsection shall not apply in rural center designations (village landscape settings.)

2. All new buildings, alterations and additions to existing buildings, new parking lots and expansions of existing parking lots shall be set back at least one hundred feet from the edge of pavement to the extent practicable, except in rural center zone (village landscape setting) which are exempt from this subsection. Variances from this setback requirement may be granted pursuant to Section 22.06.040.

3. All proposed vegetation management projects in public rights-of-way to provide or improve views shall include the following:

a. An evaluation of potential visual impacts of the proposed project as visible from any key viewing area.

b. An inventory of any rare plants, sensitive wildlife habitat, wetlands or riparian areas on the project site. If such resources are determined to be present, the project shall comply with applicable provisions of Chapter 22.20 protecting resources.

4. When evaluating possible locations for underground signal wires or powerlines, railroads and utility companies shall prioritize those areas specifically recommended as extreme or high priorities for underground placement in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area Corridor visual inventory (April, 1990).

5. New exploration, development (extraction or excavation), and production of mineral resources proposed within one-quarter mile of the edge of pavement of a scenic travel corridor may be allowed upon a demonstration that full visual screening of the site from the scenic travel corridor can be achieved by use of existing topographic features or existing vegetation designed to be retained through the planned duration of the proposed project. An exception to this may be granted if planting of new vegetation in the vicinity of the access road to the mining area would achieve full screening. If existing vegetation is partly or fully employed to achieve visual screening, over seventy-five percent of the tree canopy area shall be coniferous species providing adequate winter screening. Mining and associated primary processing of mineral resources is prohibited within one hundred feet of a scenic travel corridor, as measured from the edge of pavement, except for access roads. Compliance with full screening requirements shall be achieved within time frames specified in Section 22.06.100.

6. Expansion of existing quarries may be allowed pursuant to Section 22.06.100. Compliance with visual subordinance requirements shall be achieved within time frames specified in Section 22.06.100. (Ord. 2021-05 (Att. A), 12-14-21; Ord. 2018-04 (Exh. A), 4-17-18; Ord. 2008-06 (part): Ord. 2006-11 (part): Ord. 2005-07 (part). Formerly 22.18.050)