History

Hood River Valley Residents Committee was formed in 1977 around the need to protect the fertile farmland that first enticed settlers to this region in the mid 19th century. A few residents gathered to discuss the counties impending attempt to rezone the upper valley into one-acre home-sites. They understood the importance of maintaining high water quality, the beauty of our valley and maintaining viable farmland. Through grassroots organizing by citizens, the proposal was turned down. HRVRC was formed.

Today, Hood River's number one revenue generator remains agriculture – largely due to Oregon's land use planning and strong citizen action. HRVRC has evolved from souly working to protect our farmland to increasingly working to conserve wilderness, promote livable communities, and balance the desire to grow with the need to protect our water and proactively fight global warming.

1977 HRVRC organized over County Commission's proposal to rezone to allow most of the rural areas to divide down to 1 acre minimum lot sizes.

1980-82 On January 27, 1982 The Hood River Planning Commission voted 4 to 3 to deny Mt. Hood Meadows request for a 450-unit destination resort next to farmland. Five years of work, untold citizen hours in research and testimony, and a $22,000 legal defense bill culminated in this vital victory for continued preservation of our best farmlands. This resulted in the final chapter on Valley citizens' efforts to stop Meadow's from creating this colossal resort and establish recreational land values in the Upper Valley.

1983 HRVRC sponsored Bill Macht to undertake a study looking into 'mixed-use' on the Port waterfront property. Bill's masterful report called for developing the area slowly as an extension of the downtown with a mix of small industry, commercial spaces and housing, including affordable housing, as well as useable public areas.

Though not initially received with enthusiasm by the Port, the following year, Bill was elected as a Port Commissioner where he continued to lobby for this vision. We continue to lobby for it to this today.

1986 HRVRC intervened before the Federal Regulatory Commission opposing most of 13 proposed small hydroelectric projects in the Hood River Basin. Many were proposed for prime salmon and steelhead rearing tributaries to the west fork of the Hood River. Ultimately none were built.

1987 In conjunction with the City of Hood River and Hood River Port Commission, HRVRC testified in support of the City Urban Renewal Project.

1989 HRVRC supported the Von Lubken Family in their 'right to farm' appeal of the County's approval for building Brookside Golf Course. The final outcome included concessions reducing the burden of farming next to a golf course.

HRVRC became an affiliate of 1000 Friends of Oregon as a partner organization thus qualifying us legal support.

1990-91 Mount Hood Meadows planned for a 500-unit destination resort complex at the ski area itself.
Issues were:
• Dedication of public lands for greatly expanded private use.
• Summertime use of fragile alpine areas.
• Destruction of the Springer Meadows wetland area.

Ultimately HRVRC partnered with Friends of Mt. Hood and stopped this proposal. HRVRC also first suggested MHM look to Government Camp or Welches for private property on which to proceed with development.

Mid 1990s HRVRC sponsored a well-attended forum on the pros and cons of the proposed Warm Springs Casino in Hood River.

2001-6
• We blew the whistle in 2001 on a 620-acre land exchange by the County to provide Meadows an expanded base for their next proposed destination resort. This time their proposal included over 400 units including hotel space, town home timeshares and single family homes, golf course and more on the north side of the mountain. This would spread over 800 acres of private land and 4,000 acres of Mt. Hood national forest lands.
• We initiated the Cooper Spur Wild & Free Coalition with 15 other non-profit groups to protect the Crystal Springs watershed and the north side of the mountain.
• Our coalition was so effective that we were able to propose additional acreage to the Mt. Hood Wilderness and help draft legislation that includes preserving the north side of Mt. Hood. We agreed not to contest moving the Meadows project to Government Camp where it would be compatible with existing development. This legislation known as the Mt. Hood Wilderness bill now has the support of the entire Oregon congressional delegation and is currently pending congressional approval of the house/senate compromise.

2007 This year we took the big step of hiring our first executive director, Jonathan Graca. HRVRC worked primarily on proactively 'fixing' Measure 37 through hosting four Measure 37 forums, leading a strong legal challenge and working with the Measure 49 campaign to pass this critical ballot measure in all eleven Hood River County precints.