Why the Gorge Management Plan Needs Urgent Reform

The GMP shapes our lives, but no longer works for the people Who Live here

The Gorge Management Plan (GMP) decides what can be built in the National Scenic Area, from home repairs and rebuilds, to small businesses, to how families can use long-held property. But with each revision, the Plan has grown longer, more complex, and filled with new tripwires. What was once meant to guide balanced growth now makes it increasingly difficult for rural communities to meet basic needs or sustain a healthy tax base.

But after nearly 40 years, the systems built around the GMP have become increasingly complex, inconsistent, and difficult for residents to navigate. People of the Gorge hosts regular NSA resident town halls to gather information on how neighbors are experiencing these regulations. In recent community discussions across Skamania, Klickitat, and neighboring counties, residents have shared strikingly similar experiences of confusion, delay, and hardship.

These themes point to a broader structural problem, and are not just isolated incidents.

What Residents Across the Gorge Are Experiencing

1. A Maze of Agencies With No Clear Point of Accountability

Residents consistently describe situations where multiple agencies are involved in routine applications, yet no single entity can give a definitive answer. This leads to:

  • long delays,

  • conflicting guidance,

  • and difficulty getting clarity on next steps.

Most people attempting to follow the rules have no clear pathway to resolution.

2. Inconsistent or Unpredictable Decision-Making

People described different interpretations of the same rules, shifting requirements mid-process, or sudden new conditions added late in an application. These patterns make the process feel:

  • unpredictable,

  • unevenly enforced,

  • and overwhelming for those without legal or technical expertise.

This inconsistency undermines trust even among those trying to comply fully.

3. Regular Life Needs Becoming Extraordinary Burdens

Residents spoke about challenges with:

  • repairing long-standing homes,

  • making safety or accessibility improvements,

  • supporting family caregiving needs,

  • or using existing structures for small-scale economic activity.

Many encountered multi-year processes, significant unexpected expenses, or requirements that felt disconnected from the actual impact of their plans.

For some, the system itself became a source of financial or emotional distress.

4. Impacts on Multi-Generational Families

Families who have lived in the Gorge for decades reported that allowed uses of their property have narrowed over time, making it increasingly difficult to:

  • pass land on to the next generation,

  • create space for adult children or aging parents,

  • or make modest adjustments to meet changing family needs like disability and accessibility upgrades.

What was once assumed to be stable, long-term family property has become less predictable.

5. Barriers to Small Rural Economic Activity

Residents described how even low-impact, small-scale uses, including operations that use existing buildings, can trigger extensive review processes. These barriers make it difficult for ordinary rural businesses to operate or expand, even when no visible or environmental impact is at stake.

6. Rising Costs and Logistical Burdens

People regularly described:

  • significant unexpected fees,

  • requirements for specialized surveys or reports,

  • the need for legal assistance,

  • and timelines that stretch into years.

For many working families, these costs are prohibitive and can halt a project entirely.

7. Concern From Local Officials

Local elected and appointed officials who attended community meetings expressed concern about the cumulative effect these processes are having on residents. They noted that the complexity of the system, combined with its economic impacts, is creating unintended hardship for the very communities the Scenic Area was meant to support.

It is clear that leaders charged with implementing the Scenic Act recognize that the current framework is not functioning as intended and needs meaningful review. We hope to provide more opportunities for electeds and residents to collaborate on reforms.

Why Reform Is Needed Now

Taken together, these themes point to a system that is:

  • Too complex for ordinary residents to navigate

  • Too inconsistent to be trusted

  • Too slow to meet basic family or safety needs

  • Too expensive for many working households

  • Too disconnected from the realities of rural life

  • Too difficult for local counties to implement effectively

These issues do not reflect a failure of individuals. They reflect structural problems in how the current management system is set up, interpreted, and enforced.

And they are affecting real families in significant ways.

The 2026 Gorge Management Plan Update Is the Chance to Fix This

The Gorge Management Plan is only updated once a decade. The next update begins in 2026. This is the moment for residents to help shape a system that:

  • protects the scenic beauty of the Gorge,

  • supports rural communities,

  • respects long-time residents,

  • offers clear, consistent guidance,

  • and provides a fair and humane process for everyone.

People of the Gorge is committed to ensuring that community voices, including those who have struggled within the system, are heard and represented in this critical update.