From Dallesport Council with edits from Joshuah Albert:
Dallesport, Wash., Nov. 10, 2026 — The future of Dallesport and Murdock will be in the hands of local residents Tuesday, Nov. 17, when Klickitat County hosts a community meeting to gather input on how the area should grow and develop over the next 20 years.
The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. at the Dallesport Community Center as part of Phase II of the county's Comprehensive Plan update, an effort to guide future land use, housing, economic development and infrastructure improvements.
The county's comprehensive plan was last fully updated in 1979, according to the Klickitat County Planning Department.
Unlike a traditional public hearing, the meeting will feature interactive exercises allowing residents to identify specific areas of the community and discuss what types of development, if any, should occur in those locations.
County planners will use maps and small-group discussions to help participants develop a vision for different portions of the Dallesport/Murdock area.
The goal is to incorporate local priorities into the comprehensive plan, which will eventually help guide future zoning decisions.
Growth pressures bring new attention to Dallesport
The planning effort comes as Dallesport faces increasing interest in development, including potential airport expansion, industrial projects and new residential construction.
According to the November edition of The Dallesport/Murdock News, the Columbia Gorge Regional Airport is developing a new 20-year master plan that could include nearly $63 million in improvements.
Preliminary concepts presented during an Oct. 29 airport open house included runway upgrades, a new terminal, business park development and possible changes to Dallesport Road.
The projects remain exploratory, with funding and construction schedules yet to be determined.
The community newsletter also identified seven potential data center projects or related power requests across Klickitat County. Whether those proposals will move forward remains uncertain, but the newsletter raised concerns about potential demands on electricity, water, land and public infrastructure.
Another development drawing attention is the proposed Chinook Hills project near Highway 197 and Tidyman Road, north of the log cabin and RV park.
Lyle School District Superintendent Ann Varkados recently attended a pre-submission meeting involving county and state agencies, fire officials and emergency medical services representatives to discuss the proposal, according to the newsletter.
The district is monitoring the project because of its potential impact on local schools.
Residents will identify where growth belongs
During the Nov. 17 meeting, participants will first work in small groups to identify distinct geographical areas within the Dallesport/Murdock community.
Using maps and notes, residents will discuss the characteristics of those areas before combining their findings into a larger community map.
A second exercise will ask participants to imagine what those locations should look like 20 years from now.
Discussions will focus on local lifestyle and culture, the economy, development and the natural environment.
Residents will also be asked to classify areas according to their growth potential, including places that are stagnating, locations where no additional growth is desired and areas that may be appropriate for future development.
For locations identified as suitable for growth, participants can recommend priorities such as additional housing, agriculture, commercial businesses, manufacturing jobs or infrastructure improvements.
The county says different portions of the community have different development needs, making neighborhood-level input an important part of the planning process.
Balancing development and community character
The meeting also falls on the 40th anniversary of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area Act, signed Nov. 17, 1986.
Dallesport is one of 13 designated urban areas within the National Scenic Area, a distinction that allows opportunities for economic development while the surrounding Gorge landscape remains subject to federal protections.
The Dallesport/Murdock Community Council's November newsletter emphasizes the importance of balancing economic opportunities with the interests of existing residents.
The newsletter notes that nearly 80% of Dallesport households live in owner-occupied homes, citing census data, and argues that future development should benefit the people already living in the community.
It also calls for greater coordination among Klickitat County, the Columbia Gorge Regional Airport, the Dallesport Water District, Klickitat Public Utility District and the Port of Klickitat.
Each organization manages resources or infrastructure that could influence the community's future, but their planning processes often occur independently.
The council suggests bringing those organizations together with residents, businesses and property owners to discuss how their plans could complement one another.
How to participate
The Nov. 17 meeting is open to residents interested in helping shape the community's future. Participation will be in person only because of the interactive format.
The meeting follows an earlier community survey that asked residents to describe their vision for Dallesport and Murdock over the next two decades.
The county previously used community input during Phase I of the comprehensive planning process to develop goals, objectives and strategies covering 10 elements of the countywide plan.
Residents can review those materials and provide additional comments through the Klickitat County Planning Department.
For more information, visit www.klickitatcounty.org/272/Planning-Department or email planning2@klickitatcounty.org.
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