🏕️ Skamania Lodge Pushes Back on Hop-Farm Campground - Stevenson March '26 Update

Enjoy the audio edition.

🏛 March 2026 Municipal Round-Up

Agencies Covered: Stevenson City Council, Stevenson Planning Commission

The Bottom Line: Infrastructure and land use dominated March as officials grappled with a failing municipal water intake, deeply unpopular mandatory sewer connection costs, and a controversial campground proposal testing the limits of suburban zoning.

The Vibe: Tense but transitional. Residents are actively pushing back on out-of-pocket utility costs and neighborhood zoning changes, while both civic bodies navigate significant membership shifts.

Executive Summaries:

🔎 What Changed

• City Council Vacancy Filled: Jeff Breckel was appointed to City Council Position #4.
• Water Infrastructure Funded: A $256,651 contract was approved to begin emergency rehabilitation on the Rock Creek water intake.
• Tourism Transit Approved: The CAT Dog Mountain Shuttle received $10,000 in municipal tourism funding.
• Driveway Rules: City Council officially adopted updated driveway standards.
• Sanctuary City Defeated: A resolution to make Stevenson a Sanctuary City for Gender Diverse Peoples failed to receive a second.
• Council Resignation: Councilmember Lucy Lauser announced her resignation effective March 31, following the dismissal of two recall petitions against her.

⚠ What Escalated

• Sewer Ordinance Pushback: Residents with functioning septic tanks are escalating their protests against the financial burden of mandatory municipal sewer connections.
• Skamania Lodge vs. Hop-Farm: Terrapins Owner LLC (Skamania Lodge) escalated their opposition to the Hop-Farm Campground, submitting formal legal arguments regarding zoning incompatibility and missing impact studies.

🧭 What’s Next

• April 2026 (Planning Commission): The Commission will elect a new Chair to replace Jeff Breckel and will continue the hearing for the Hop-Farm Campground (CUP-2025-003).
• April 16, 2026 (City Council): The Council is expected to interview candidates and appoint a replacement for Lucy Lauser's vacant seat. Applications will be available on the city website.
• Spring/Summer 2026 (Public Works): CAT weekend shuttle operations begin at the Fairgrounds, and diver inspections/construction will commence on the Rock Creek intake.
• May 2026 (City Council): The city is expected to appoint a new Planning Commissioner to fill the current vacancy.
• August 31, 2026 (City Council): The six-month moratorium on the enforcement of the controversial Sewer Ordinance officially expires.

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Stevenson City Council

💧 Utilities & Infrastructure

Sewer Ordinance Moratorium & Connection Backlash

• Property owners are protesting the current sewer ordinance, which mandates expensive connections to the city system.
• Multiple residents with fully functioning, private septic systems testified against the forced transition.
• Residents are asking the council to waive connection fees, hold dedicated town halls, or make connections voluntary during the current enforcement moratorium.

The friction over Stevenson's wastewater system is a classic clash between long-term municipal planning and immediate citizen financial burden. The city's wastewater treatment plant currently has more capacity than it has paying contributors, which drives up the baseline cost of operations. To stabilize the utility's finances, the city needs more homes connected to the system. However, for residents who have already invested heavily in private, functioning septic systems, a mandatory connection represents an unfunded mandate that provides them with no immediate practical benefit, resulting in fierce political pushback.

In this case, the city has temporarily paused the enforcement of the rule that forces residents to connect to the sewer, giving officials time to figure out a solution before the pause expires on August 31, 2026.

Emergency Rock Creek Water Intake Rehabilitation

• The Council approved a contract with Grayling Engineering for up to $256,651 to rehabilitate the Rock Creek Intake.
• The city is rushing to perform emergency maintenance and potential replacement (estimated at $500,000 total) of the failing water intake system.
• During public comment, some residents suggested the city should abandon the failing creek intake and instead drill deeper wells to diversify the water supply.

The Rock Creek intake is a primary artery for the city's water, and its failure forces the council into reactive, expensive emergency contracting rather than proactive budgeting. While residents are asking for supply diversification (like deep wells) for long-term resiliency, the immediate regulatory and physical reality requires the city to repair what is broken right now before summer demand peaks.

🏛 Governance & Social Policy

"Sanctuary City for Gender Diverse Peoples" Resolution

• Councilmember Lucy Lauser proposed a resolution to declare Stevenson a "Sanctuary City for Gender Diverse Peoples."
• The resolution officially died during the March 5 meeting due to a lack of a second from any other council member.
• Public commenters, including Sam Knistead and Karen Pettyjohn, testified against the resolution, arguing that municipal government should focus on equal treatment for all residents rather than carving out special recognition or protections for individual groups.

Lauser Resignation

At the conclusion of the March 19 meeting, Councilmember Lucy Lauser officially announced her resignation, effective March 31, 2026. This decision follows a highly publicized year of protests, two subsequent recall petitions which were dismissed by the State Supreme Court, affirming Ms. Lauser's First Amendment right to free speech. The City Council now has 90 days to appoint a replacement for her seat, with interviews and a selection expected at the April 16 meeting.

Council Leadership Changes

• The Council officially appointed Jeff Breckel to City Council Position #4.
• Breckel will transition out of his current role as the Chair of the Stevenson Planning Commission.

🚌 Transportation & Economic Development

• The Council approved $10,000 in Tourism Advisory Committee (TAC) funding to support the Columbia Area Transit (CAT) Dog Mountain Shuttle for the spring and summer seasons.
• The Council approved a $29,731 Contracted Services Agreement with the Skamania Economic Development Council.
• The Council adopted a resolution officially updating the City's driveway standards.

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Stevenson Planning Commission

🏕️ Land Use & Zoning

• Applicant Wesley Huston presented updated plans for a hop-farm campground, adding an oversized septic system, a fire apparatus turnaround, and a communal gas fire pit.
• Skamania Lodge (owned by Terrapins Owner LLC) submitted a formal legal letter heavily objecting to the permit.
• The Lodge's management argues the campground is incompatible with the "Suburban Residential" zone, lacks required traffic and environmental impact studies, and poses significant noise and fire risks.
• The Commission closed public comment but continued the hearing to April to demand more information.

This permit application is testing the boundaries of Stevenson's zoning code. The applicant is attempting to blend agricultural use (a hop farm) with commercial hospitality (a campground) inside a zone designated as Suburban Residential (SR). Skamania Lodge's aggressive legal posturing highlights the risk of "use creep," where approving a single non-conforming project could set a precedent that introduces long term change to the neighborhood. The Commission is caught between encouraging local agritourism and defending the strict legal definitions of its zoning map.

A Conditional Use Permit allows a city to consider special uses that aren't normally allowed in a specific zone. However, to approve a CUP, a Planning Commission must legally prove that the new project will not be "materially detrimental" to the surrounding neighbors. If an applicant can provide substantial evidence (like traffic or sanitation studies) proving the neighborhood won't be harmed, the Commission can approve the permit.

🚰 Environmental Health

• The Hop-Farm Campground proposal sparked a larger policy debate among commissioners regarding wastewater infrastructure.
• Commissioners debated the wisdom of approving new, high-capacity commercial septic systems on the edge of town.

The Planning Commission's debate mirrors the City Council's struggles, but from a different angle. The city's official long-term "Comprehensive Plan" aims to expand municipal sewer infrastructure and eventually eliminate septic use within city limits. Approving a brand-new, massive commercial septic system for a campground may appear to contradict that long-term goal. The Commission is struggling to balance the immediate needs of developers against the long-term vision of a fully sewered, environmentally secure municipality.

🏘️ Housing & Pedestrian Equity

• A resident highlighted that recent housing developments on Lasher Street feature short driveways and minimal setbacks.
• These tight property boundaries physically prevent the future installation of public sidewalks.
• The Commission was urged to prioritize pedestrian equity and adjust future development rules so new neighborhoods aren't locked out of safe, walkable infrastructure.

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How to Join & Learn More:

• City of Stevenson: View full agendas, packets, and Zoom links for upcoming City Council and Planning Commission meetings at ci.stevenson.wa.us.
• Meeting Recordings: Watch full unedited recordings of these meetings on the City of Stevenson YouTube Channel.