By Dispatch Squatch in White Salmon City Council — 28 May 2025

🏛️ White Salmon City Council - May 2025 Meeting Recap

Council welcomes new member, honors Jewish Heritage Month, and debates a new housing ordinance that could change how smaller homes are built and owned in White Salmon. Here’s what happened at the May 21 meeting.

Date: May 21, 2025
Location: City Hall & Zoom

👋 New Councilmember Sworn In

Morella Mora officially joined the Council, taking her oath of office at the top of the meeting.

📜 Opening Ceremonies

The meeting opened with a land acknowledgement honoring Columbia River treaty tribes and a recognition of Jewish American Heritage Month, including a video about the U.S. response to Jewish refugees in 1939.

🛠️ Agenda Adjustments

Two items were postponed for future discussion:

A transportation funding agreement with Klickitat County.
Review and approval of city vouchers.

👩‍💼 Staff & Community Presentations

New City Planner Introduced: Rowan Fairfield was welcomed as the new city planner.
Community Cleanup Recognition: Rotary Club and Chamber representatives thanked the city and volunteers for a successful event that drew over 140 participants and hundreds of service hours.

Council approved the following:

Committee Appointments to the Tree Board, Personnel & Finance Committee, Planning Commission, and City Ops.
Contract Amendment with Aspect Consulting, extending their work on city water rights through 2025.

🏘️ Major Discussion: Unit Lot Subdivisions

A proposed ordinance to allow Unit Lot Subdivisions (ULS) received a public hearing. This planning tool allows multiple small homes to be sold individually on shared lots, supporting infill development and more diverse housing.

🔍 Key Takeaways:

ULS supports smaller, fee-simple homes like cottages, ADUs, and townhomes.
Concerns included unclear language, potential conflicts with current zoning, utility costs, and whether ULS should apply to rural residential areas.
Council discussed options to refine the ordinance for clarity and equity. A final vote was not taken.

Resident feedback was largely supportive, especially for enabling more flexible housing options, but emphasized the importance of clear, accessible implementation.

📂 Meeting Materials & Next Steps

📄 Full Agenda & Documents:
You can view the full meeting agenda, staff reports, and ordinance text from the May 21 meeting here:
👉 White Salmon City Council Meeting Packet – May 21, 2025

🗓️ Next Council Meeting:
The next regular City Council meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 5, 2025, at 6:00 PM.
Attend in person at White Salmon City Hall or join via Zoom:
🔗 Join Zoom Meeting

Stay informed, get involved, and help shape the future of White Salmon!