Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area: Visual Policy Impact Study
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Date
2021-06-13
Authors
Kuebler, Jeffrey
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Abstract
The Columbia River Gorge separates Oregon and Washington along a 75 mile stretch of poignant beauty
became a drivable destination in the 1920’s [Willis]. There are key view areas on this route of elevated
aesthetic quality. The conservation of intact scenic landscape beauty from these key view areas is informed by
strata of local and regional land use policy, as well as conservation trust land banking.
The Gorge Commission, given its duties through the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area Act in 1986,
enforces the landscape conservation policies [gorgecommission]. A brief history of the legal framework and
controversy of the Act is offered.
This project looks into identifying land use policy mechanisms in place for preservation of scenic beauty, across
public and private properties visible from three exceptional viewpoints in the Columbia River Gorge that
represent some of the most scenic and most visited scenic points. Scenic quality in the Gorge is generally
preserved through limiting housing development, with the assumption that unnatural objects in scenery detract
from scenic beauty.
Representation of spatial data is projected on viewshed scale, and differentiated at a tax parcel basis. Data was
extracted from publicly available GIS sources, and projected onto map views and panoramic scenes. Site
photography of the represented key view areas is joined for better visual comparison between what is seen and
visual stewardship policies.
This project is a visual document intended to represent of some of the most visited and publicly valued places in
the Gorge. This document is intended for a general audience to better understand why the landscape looks the
way it does in the Columbia River Gorge. Through offering a better understanding of how policy shapes the
landscape we see in the Gorge, more informed public discussions about the Gorge’s visual future can be held.
The document and visuals are also intended to be a platform from which further modeling and public preference
surveys, including alternative visual future scenarios, may be developed for Commission and community
review.
Description
53 pages. Committee chair: Rob Ribe
Keywords
Columbia Gorge, Visual Policy Impact, Scenic Beauty, Land Use policy, GIS