Farms and Forests
Hood River County is a resource land gem with rich volcanic soils, pure glacier water, cool nights and warm growing days. Hood River is the second smallest county in Oregon and most of the land is zoned for Forest or Exclusive Farm Use.
Local agriculture is one of our county’s biggest economic drivers bringing in $200,000,000 in farm sales annually. What’s more, the high percentage of perennial crop farming combined with our county’s 200,000 plus acres of forest land creates significant carbon capturing capacity that mitigates fossil fuel emissions and helps fight global warming. Yet threats to subdivide, pollute and mismanage our farm and forest lands have been constant for over four decades and persist today.
Sustaining this critical piece of our local “land use puzzle” takes careful monitoring of land use applications and staying the course so that our working landscapes stay productive.
Protecting Farm Land
Small in size but mighty in output, the Hood River Valley has some best and deepest soils in the world, ideal for crops like orchards, vineyards and berries. The passing of Senate Bill 100 in 1973 gave working lands a fighting chance of survival, but not without constant monitoring. Protecting farm land for farming has been a core mission since our founding.
Short Term Rentals
Hood River is at a tipping point, quickly changing from a vibrant rural county to an exclusive resort community where it’s hard for working folks to find an affordable place to live. One factor is the roaring growth in short term rentals which impact housing affordability and neighborhood livability. The County’s new rules on STRs protect Hood River’s housing supply and quality of life.
Deetour Concert Venue
Since it reared its head in 2013, the mega-development proposed by Apollo Land Holdings LLC at the site of the old Dee mill has sparked controversy and near universal opposition from neighbors and area farmers who fear the complex of concert venue, 4-story hotel and 430+ space parking lot will utterly transform this quiet rural corner of the county.