Doesn’t this project have to comply with the National Scenic Area Management Plan like everyone else?
Yes. The owners of the Broughton site are required to comply with the Management Plan. As the only industrial site in the National Scenic Area zoned Commercial Recreation, the Broughton site’s uniqueness presents a special challenge for the Gorge Commission which the Commission address through a Plan Amendment. One of the reasons the Plan Amendment process was created was to address unique situations not anticipated when the Management Plan was originally approved such as changing economic conditions. Even with the amended management Plan, the site’s owners will still be required to comply with the numerous stringent provisions of the Management Plan. It is worth noting that the Gorge Commission’s Plan Amendment created far more onerous requirements on this site than any other parcel in the National Scenic Area. Specific examples of additional analysis and planning requirements required for Recreations Resorts can be found here and here respectively.
