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County hearings
review trails code,
ambulance districts
File photo by Sue Ryan
Medics train at Parkdale Fire station on Aug. 16.
From left: David Cunningham, Elliot Arens, and Brian McNair. |
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By RAELYNN RICARTE
News staff writer
March 3, 2007
Hood River County is gearing up to create two new outdoor opportunities by
fine-tuning its Forest Recreation Trails Ordinance.
Changes to the code will be brought before the public at 7 p.m. on Monday.
The hearing takes place in the first floor conference room at the county
administration building, 601 State St.
Also on the agenda that evening is the introduction of an ordinance that
lays out the boundaries for ambulance service districts. The proposed
regulations also set up a replacement process in case one of the three
providers ceases operations.
County Forestry Technician Henry Buckalew said the trails code is
primarily being modified to better delineate responsibilities.
For example, the title of one oversight individual has been updated — from
forestry department director to county forest manager.
“We just had some inconsistencies that needed to be cleared up,” said
Buckalew.
He wants everything in order since the county is in good standing to score
$55,628 in state grant funds. That money is slated to be used this summer
to sign and organize 62 miles of trails for motorized vehicles on county
land just west of Hood River.
He said negotiations are also underway with private landowners to create a
contiguous trail throughout all 30,000 of the county’s woodlands. Buckalew
said the National Park Service is lending assistance to meet the growing
public demand for more outdoor recreation.
The goal of the county and advisory body, as stated in the ordinance, is
to accommodate human activity without harming natural resources and/or
wildlife.
“Our challenge is to coordinate all of these recreation activities with
our timber harvests and forest management,” he said. “And we’ve gotten a
ton of cooperation from the recreational community.
The original code for trail use was adopted in 2003 and crafted by a
committee made up of representatives from recreation groups, forestry
officials and citizens. Buckalew said the need for regulation followed the
discovery that bikers had constructed a series of “rails” high up in trees
by nailing loose branches to the trunks.
“We inherited a poorly designed trail system with no rules or
regulations,” he said.
Not only did the county face liability issues but the metal embedded in
the trees created safety and forest health issues. Buckalew said the
county generates about $4 million each year in revenue from timber
receipts on its properties.
By working with joggers, bikers, off-road vehicle owners, equestrians and
cross country skiers, he said the county has been able to come up with a
plan that blends both sets of needs. Buckalew said developing a management
plan — also under review with some changes on March 5 — has provided
direction for future projects.
David Meriwether, county administrator, said the proposed ambulance
district ordinance sets up a governance system for service delivery.
He said the plan is state mandated to ensure that emergency transports are
done efficiently and effectively. The code incorporates the three
communities already providing ambulance service: the City of Hood River,
Parkdale and Cascade Locks.
“It’s not as though this is creating something out of nothing; these
districts are already there,” said Meriwether.
He said the code establishes a uniform set of duties for each provider. It
also lays the framework for formation of an Ambulance Service Area
Advisory Committee. The seven members of that group are tasked with
reviewing and making recommendations for how a new franchise should be
established in the event that one of the providers goes out of business. |
