Commissioners to study heritage proposal, concerns

If constituents have their way, Wahkiakum County commissioners will draft a letter opposing the formation of a national heritage area around the mouth of the Columbia River.

The commissioners and about 30 persons spent over 30 minutes discussing a proposed national heritage area, with constituents saying the proposal is a thinly veiled effort for proponents of the proposal to take control of land use in the region.

Commissioners said they shared concerns of the constituents. They said they would study the proposal, which is currently the subject of a feasibility study, this week and put the matter on their April 27 agenda for more discussion.

The US National Park Service and ShoreBank Cascadia are conducting the feasibility study; the deadline for public comment is early next month. Over the past two weeks, they've taken the proposal to communities for public hearings; one was held in Cathlamet April 13.

Proponents say the national heritage area designation can be used to promote tourism and funnel funds into traditional business and industry in a region to preserve and promote them.

Opponents, however, say that with the money come strings and conditions that lead to land use controls.

"I'm very concerned about these national heritage areas," said Cathlamet resident Lilly Kolditz. "They're much larger in scope than most of us can imagine.

"If you contact people who live in these areas, they say there are many problems . . . severe restrictions on their own land.

"Once you accept this, neither you nor any of us will have any control; land use will be controlled by unelected people.

"It's the epitome of taxation without representation. We fought a war over that issue alone."

She said one could find much information about national heritage areas at the website http://www.americanpolicy.com.

"From my perspective, it's a land grab," said Cathlamet resident Charles Smith. He urged the commissioners to be proactive and keep the county out of the national heritage area.

The danger, said Grays River land owner Casper Schmand, is that by accepting federal money for heritage projects, "to continue receiving the money, you automatically go under federal land use controls."

And so it went. Commissioners said they would consider the group's comments.

"We are very cautious and leery," said commission Chair Blair Brady.

"They told me it was for economic development," said Commissioner Lisa Marsyla. "I'll do my homework.

"I would not vote either way till we have more public meetings."

"When the federal government has come in before, we've always lost," said Commissioner Dan Cothren. "You could get a different board in here, and it's scary. I'm just real skeptical."