Or. Admin. Code § 350-082-0600

Current through Register Vol. 63, No. 12, December 1, 2024

Section 350-082-0600 - General Management Area Scenic Resources Review Criteria

The following scenic review guidelines shall apply to all Review Uses in the GMA of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area:

(1) All review uses. The guidelines in this section apply to all review uses in the National Scenic Area.

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

(b) New buildings and expansion of existing development shall be compatible with the general scale of existing nearby development. New buildings that are 1,500 square feet or less are exempt from this guideline. Findings addressing this guideline shall include, but are not limited to:

(A) Application of the landscape setting design guidelines, if applicable.

(B) 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.

(C) Individual evaluations of scale for each separate proposed building in the application and each separate building in the study area, including:

(i) All finished above ground square footage;

(ii) Total area of covered decks and porches;

(iii) Attached garages;

(iv) Daylight basements;

(v) Breezeways, if the breezeway shares a wall with an adjacent building; and

(vi) Dimensions, based on information from the application or in Assessor's records.

(D) An overall evaluation demonstrating the compatibility of proposed development' with surrounding existing development and development approved but not yet constructed. 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) Landowners shall be responsible for the proper maintenance and survival of any planted vegetation required by 350082-0600.

(2) Key Viewing Areas. The guidelines in this section shall apply to all review uses proposed on sites topographically visible from key viewing areas.

(a) Each development shall be visually subordinate to its landscape 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 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.

(b) Determination of potential visual effects and compliance with the visual subordinance standard in subsection (a) above 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:

(A) The amount of area of the building site exposed to key viewing areas;

(B) The degree of existing vegetation providing screening;

(C) The distance from the building site to the key viewing areas from which it is visible;

(D) The number of key viewing areas from which it is visible;

(E) The linear distance along the key viewing areas from which the building site is visible (for linear key viewing areas, such as roads); and

(F) Other factors the reviewing agency determines relevant in consideration of the potential visual impact.

(c) 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 order of priority, with (A) being the first condition to require and (F) being the last condition to require if the prior conditions do not achieve visual subordinance:

(A) Screening by existing topography.

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

(C) Retention of existing vegetation on the applicant's property.

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

(E) New landscaping on the applicant's property.

(F) New berms or other recontouring on the applicant's property, where consistent with other applicable provisions.

(d) New development shall be sited using existing topography and existing vegetation as needed to achieve visual subordinance from key viewing areas. The following guidelines shall apply to new landscaping used to screen development from key viewing areas:

(A) New landscaping (including new earth berms) shall be required only when application of all other available guidelines in 350-082-0600 is 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.

(B) 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 guideline 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 Executive Director may require additional screening to make the development visually subordinate.

(C) Unless as specified otherwise by provisions in 350-082-0600, landscaping shall be installed as soon as practicable, and prior to project completion.

(D) 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.

(E) The Scenic Resources Implementation Handbook includes recommended species for each landscape setting consistent with 350-082-0600(3) and minimum recommended sizes of new trees planted (based on average growth rates expected for recommended species).

(e) Existing tree cover screening proposed development from key viewing areas shall be retained as specified in 350082-0600(3).

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

(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 guidelines and defensible space requirements in 350-082-0270(5)(a).

(h) Unless expressly exempted by other provisions in 350-082-0600, 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 colors approved by the reviewing agency shall be included as a condition of approval.

(i) The exterior of buildings on lands visible from key viewing areas shall be composed of non-reflective materials or materials with low reflectivity. Continuous surfaces of glass shall be limited to ensure visual subordinance. The Scenic Resources Implementation Handbook includes a list of recommended exterior materials and screening methods.

(j) Any exterior lighting shall be sited, 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 in square feet than the existing building may be the same color as the existing building. Additions larger than the existing building shall be of dark earth-tone colors found at the specific site or in the surrounding landscape. The specific colors approved by the reviewing agency shall be included as a condition of approval.

(l) Rehabilitation of 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 such regulations. Rehabilitation of or modifications to structures meeting this guideline shall be consistent with National Park Service regulations for such structures.

(m) 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 can be demonstrated to be impracticable.

(n) New communication facilities (antennae, dishes, etc.) 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.

(o) New communications facilities may protrude above a skyline visible from a key viewing area only upon demonstration that:

(A) The facility is necessary for public service;

(B) The break in the skyline is visible only in the background; and

(C) The break in the skyline is the minimum necessary to provide the service.

(p) 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:

(A) The facility is necessary for public service, and

(B) The break in the skyline is the minimum necessary to provide the service.

(q) New buildings shall not be permitted on lands visible from key viewing areas with slopes in excess of 30 percent. Variances to this guideline may be authorized if the guideline's application would render a property unbuildable. In determining the slope, the average percent slope of the proposed building footprint shall be used.

(r) Driveways and buildings shall be designed and sited to minimize visibility of cut banks and fill slopes from key viewing areas.

(3) Landscape Settings. All review uses within the following landscape settings shall comply with the following applicable guidelines:

(a) Pastoral

(A) 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.

(B) In portions of this setting visible from key viewing areas, the following guidelines shall be employed to achieve visual subordinance for new development and expansion of existing development:

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

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

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

(iv) 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 (see Scenic Implementation Handbook for guidance), and tree species ultimately selected for winter screening are natives characteristic to that setting.

(C) Compatible Recreation Use Guideline: Resource-based recreation uses of a very low-intensity or low-intensity nature (350-082-0700(1) and (2)), occurring infrequently in the landscape, are compatible with this setting.

(b) Coniferous Woodland

(A) Structure height shall remain below the forest canopy level.

(i) 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.

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

(iii) At least half of any trees planted for screening purposes shall be coniferous to provide winter screening.

(C) Compatible Recreation Use Guideline: Resource-based recreation uses of varying intensities may be compatible with this setting. Typically, outdoor recreation uses in Coniferous Woodlands 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.

(c) Oak-Pine Woodland

(A) Structure height shall remain below the tree canopy level of the dominant vegetation types of this setting.

(i) At least half of any tree species planted for screening purposes shall be species native to the setting. Examples of native species are identified in the Scenic Implementation Handbook as appropriate to the area.

(ii) At least half of any trees planted for screening purposes shall be coniferous to provide winter screening.

(iii) For substantially wooded portions: 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.

(iv) For treeless portions or portions with scattered tree cover:

(I) Structures shall be sited on portions of the property that provide maximum screening from key viewing areas, using existing topographic features.

(II) Patterns of plantings for screening vegetation shall be in character with the surroundings. Residences in grassy, open areas or savannahs shall be partly screened with trees in small groupings and openings between groupings.

(III) 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.

(C) Compatible Recreation Use Guideline: Resource-based recreation uses of varying intensities may be compatible with this setting, although most are of a low-intensity nature (such as trails or small scenic outlooks). More intensive recreation uses may be compatible where allowed by the "Recreation Intensity Classes" map and standards in 350-0820700 although they are generally rare in this setting. As with Woodland settings, intensive recreation uses in Oak-Pine Woodlands may be compatible if widely scattered and not in large concentrations.

(d) Grassland

(A) Accessory structures, outbuildings, and access ways shall be clustered together as much as possible. Exceptions to this guideline are permitted where necessary for farming operations.

(i) Structures shall be sited on portions of the property that provide maximum screening from key viewing areas, using existing topographic features.

(ii) Lower structures that emphasize horizontal lines and blend with this sweeping landscape should be encouraged rather than very tall structures.

(iii) Planting of trees for screening shall not be extensive, in character with the openness of this setting. Where used, screening vegetation shall either tie in with nearby riparian vegetation in seasonal drainages or emulate windows. At least half of any trees planted for screening purposes shall be species native to the setting. Examples of native species are identified in the Scenic Implementation Handbook as appropriate to the area.

(C) Compatible Recreation Use Guideline: Resource-based recreation uses of a very low-intensity or low-intensity nature (350-082-0700(1) and (2)) that occur infrequently are compatible with this setting, and include hiking, hunting, and wildlife viewing.

(e) Rural Residential

(A) 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.

(B) In portions of this setting visible from key viewing areas, and not exempt from visual subordinance guidelines (see 350-082-0600(3)(k)), the following guidelines shall be employed to achieve visual subordinance for new development and expansion of existing development:

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

(ii) At least half of any trees planted for screening purposes shall be species native to the setting (see Scenic Implementation Handbook for guidance).

(iii) At least half of any trees planted for screening purposes shall be coniferous to provide winter screening.

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

(f) Rural Residential/Pastoral, Rural Residential/Coniferous Woodland, and Rural Residential/Oak-Pine Woodland

(A) New development in this setting shall meet the design guidelines described for both the Rural Residential setting and the more rural setting with which it is combined (either Pastoral, Coniferous Woodland or Oak-Pine Woodland), unless the applicant demonstrates that compliance with the guidelines for the more rural setting is impracticable. Expansion of existing development shall comply with this guideline to the maximum extent practicable.

(B) In the event of a possible conflict between the two sets of guidelines, the guidelines for the more rural setting (Coniferous Woodland, Oak-Pine Woodland or Pastoral) shall apply, unless the applicant demonstrates that application of such guidelines would not be practicable.

(C) Compatible Recreation Use Guideline: Very low-intensity and low-intensity resource-based recreation uses (350082-0700(1) and (2)), scattered infrequently in the landscape, may be compatible with this setting.

(g) Residential

(A) In portions of this setting visible from key viewing areas (except those areas described in 350-082-0600(3)(k)), the following guidelines shall be employed to achieve visual subordinance for new development and expansion of existing development:

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

(ii) The exteriors of structures shall be non-reflective unless fully screened from key viewing areas with existing vegetation and topography.

(iii) At least 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 to the area.

(iv) At least half of any trees planted for screening purposes shall be coniferous to provide winter screening.

(B) Compatible Recreation Use Guideline: Compatible recreation uses are essentially limited to community park facilities.

(h) Village

(A) New commercial buildings shall be limited in size to a total floor area of 5,000 square feet or less, and shall be limited in height to 2 1/2 stories or less.

(B) For new commercial, institutional (churches, schools, government buildings), or multifamily residential uses on parcels fronting a scenic travel corridor (Washington State Route 14 or the Historic Columbia River Highway) and expansion of existing development for such uses, parking shall be limited to rear or side yards of buildings to the maximum extent practicable.

(C) New vehicular access points to the scenic travel corridors shall be limited to the maximum extent practicable, and access consolidation shall be required where feasible.

(D) 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.

(E) New commercial, institutional or multifamily residential uses fronting a scenic travel corridor shall comply with the following landscape requirements:

(i) Parking or loading areas for ten or more spaces shall include a landscaped strip at least five feet wide between the new use and the scenic travel corridor roadway.

(ii) The landscape strip required in subsection (E)(i) above, shall include shrubs, vegetative ground cover, and, at minimum, one tree. Trees shall be spaced as appropriate to the species and not to exceed 25 feet apart on the average.

(F) 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.

(G) Architectural styles that are characteristic of the area (such as 1 1/2-story dormer roof styles in Corbett) and that reflect community desires should be encouraged. Entry signs should be consistent with such architectural styles.

(H) 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.

(I) Pedestrian walkways and bicycle paths should be encouraged and integrated into new development wherever feasible.

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

(K) Compatible Recreation Use Guideline: Compatible recreation uses may include community parks serving the recreation needs of local residents, and varying intensities of other recreation uses.

(i) River Bottomlands

(A) In portions of this setting visible from key viewing areas, the following guidelines shall be employed to achieve visual subordinance for new development and expansion of existing development:

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

(ii) At least 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.

(iii) 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 or adjoining a landscape setting where coniferous trees are not common or appropriate (see Scenic Implementation Handbook for guidance), and tree species ultimately selected for winter screening are natives characteristic to that setting.

(B) Compatible Recreation Use Guidelines:

(i) 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 (350-082-0700(1)) that do not impair wetlands or special habitat requirements may be compatible.

(ii) In other River Bottomland areas, nodes of moderate- or high-intensity recreation uses (350-082-0700(3) and (4)) may be compatible, provided that their designs emphasize retention or enhancement of native riparian communities, structures and parking areas are visually subordinate, and they are separated from other areas of concentrated recreation usage by stretches of natural-appearing shoreline and adjacent uplands.

(j) Gorge Walls, Canyons, and Wildlands

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

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

(C) 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 land use designation or for safety purposes.

(D) All buildings shall be limited in height to a maximum of 1 1/2 stories.

(E) The exteriors of structures shall be non-reflective.

(F) 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 highway standards require otherwise.

(G) Compatible Recreation Use Guideline: 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 (such as trails) are generally associated with minimal facility development, if any.

(k) Developed Settings and Visual Subordinance Policies

(A) GMA policies to protect key viewing area viewsheds require that all new development on lands visible from key viewing areas be visually subordinate to its landscape setting, except for "specified developed settings that are not visually sensitive."

(B) Three landscape settings are considered developed settings within this context: Rural Residential, Residential, and Village. Of all GMA lands in these three settings, six particular areas that are not visually sensitive have been identified. New development in these settings shall be compatible with the setting, but not necessarily visually subordinate. New development in these settings is exempt from the color and siting guidelines in 350-082-0600(2). These areas are:

(i) Corbett Rural Center (Village)

(ii) Skamania Rural Center (Village)

(iii) West of Hood River Urban Area, east of Country Club Road (Rural Residential)

(iv) Murray's Addition subdivision, The Dalles (Residential)

(v) Two small areas south of The Dalles in Sections 9 and 10, Township 1N, Range 13E (Residential)

(vi) Portion of Underwood Heights along Cooper Avenue, south of Cook-Underwood Road (Rural Residential)

(4) Scenic Travel Corridors

(a) The immediate foreground of a scenic travel corridor shall include those lands within 1/4 mile of the edge of pavement of the scenic travel corridor roadway.

(b) All review uses within a scenic travel corridor shall comply with the following applicable guidelines:

(A) All new buildings and alterations to existing buildings shall be set back at least 100 feet from the edge of pavement of the scenic travel corridor roadway. This policy shall not apply in Rural Center designations (Village landscape setting). A variance to this setback requirement may be granted pursuant to 350-082-0590(2). All new parking lots and expansions of existing parking lots shall be set back at least 100 feet from the edge of pavement of the scenic travel corridor roadway, to the maximum extent practicable.

(B) Additions to existing buildings or expansion of existing parking lots located within 100 feet of the edge of pavement of a scenic travel corridor roadway shall comply with subsection (A) above to the maximum extent practicable. This guideline shall not apply in Rural Center designations (Village landscape setting).

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

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

(ii) 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 Management Plan guidelines to protect the resources.

(D) When evaluating possible locations for undergrounding of signal wires or powerlines, railroads and utility companies shall prioritize those areas specifically recommended as extreme or high priorities for undergrounding in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area Corridor Visual Inventory (April 1990).

(E) New exploration, development (extraction or excavation), and production of mineral resources proposed within 1/4 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 75 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 100 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 timeframes specified in 350-082-0500.

(F) Expansion of existing quarries may be allowed pursuant to 350-082-0500. Compliance with visual subordinance requirements shall be achieved within timeframes specified in 350-082-0500.

Or. Admin. Code § 350-082-0600

CRGC 1-2022, adopt filed 03/02/2022, effective 5/1/2022

Statutory/Other Authority: ORS 196.150, RCW 43.97.015, 16 USC § 544e(c)

Statutes/Other Implemented: ORS 196.150, RCW 43.97.015, 16 USC § 544e(c)