City seeks CUP for wetland complex to treat waste water

DAYTON–Property near Long's Station west of here, zoned agricultural-residential zone-1 (AR1), will be the subject of an upcoming public hearing to explore establishment of an approximately two- to five-acre wetland complex for treatment of waste water from the City of Dayton. The public hearing will be conducted by the Columbia County Planning and Building Department and will be held at 2 p.m., Wednesday, April 6, via Zoom.

Any person may provide written comments and/or provide testimony. The Zoom link is available at http://columbiaco.com/69/Planning-and-Building.

The City of Dayton seeks to develop a series of wetland cells to provide additional treatment and polishing of the City's treated wastewater effluent.

Each wetland cell would be from six to 24 inches in depth, would include interior and exterior slope with berms from two to 10 feet high, according to the CUP application. The plan intends for treated wastewater to flow through the wetlands and infiltrate into the shallow groundwater adjacent to the Touchet River.

The wetland berms would be developed as public walking paths with signage and benches. A small maintenance building with a restroom and parking is also proposed. It would be fenced and gated, open to the public during daylight hours, the plan proposes.

The present zoning of AR-1 allows a public facility to be conditionally allowed within that zone.

The property is owned by Barker Family Farms, LLC, and Bryan A. Martin, both of Dayton. Both Barkers and Martin agree to the City of Dayton seeking a CUP for siting the wetlands project.

A portion of the Martin property is subject to a Conservation Easement through the Blue Mountain Land Trust, which has agreed to allow the City to perform "site testing and due diligence" for the wetland project. BMLT will also consult with the Snake River Salmon Recovery Board regarding its concurrence on the BMLT's classification of the wetland construction as restoration.