Page 71 - Rural Tourism Report Washington County
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CHAPTER 3: THE WASHINGTON COUNTY RURAL TOURISM SECTOR
• Some interviewees mentioned the need Most felt that many people have never spent
to expand and enhance the County’s time on a real working farm. Many interview-
nature trail and waterway system and ees reported they enjoyed having visitors come
to accommodate waterway access for to learn about their farm family’s heritage or
tourists. This was recommended to improve about their rural tourism attraction, grow a
opportunities for bicycling, bird watching, positive impression of farming, and discover
hiking, and kayaking and canoeing in and what really happens on a farm. One noted,
along the Tualatin River and in other natural however, that health and sanitation restrictions
areas of rural Washington County. on dairy operations make it difficult to receive
• Most interviewees said that rural tourism visitors. Some interviewees mentioned that
should be allowed and encouraged as a home people are looking for non-church gathering
occupation on private farmland in Washington places and mentioned that it is getting harder
County, as they suggested is done in and more expensive to use community build-
Clackamas County. These interviewees ings such as schools. Most felt that farm facili-
expressed interest in education on how ties should be allowed to host unlimited 4-H
to establish home-based businesses that club meetings and cooking classes. Some felt
will support farm stays and farm product/ that celebratory gatherings such as weddings
experience sales. In Chapter 4 of this report, and funerals should be allowed. Most said they
Tables 4.1 and 4.3 outline how some rural did not wish to host weddings, but supported
tourism uses, including overnight stays, are the idea that farms wanting to do so should
currently allowed by the Washington County have the opportunity if they meet certain crite-
Community Development Code. ria, including:
• Most interviewees indicated they would like » neighbor permission,
to have County regulations that would allow » adequate on-site parking,
them to hold events on farmland in suffi- » traffic control,
cient numbers to afford a profit. No one had a
suggestion as to the ideal number. Most had » compatibility with their agricultural operation,
the perception that, while state law permits » noise restrictions, and
a limited number of events, the County does » provision of a quality guest experience.
not have written rules that allow them to hold • Interviewees who host events encouraged:
events at all. They felt that County and state
regulators should not just consider a set num- » open communications with neighbors,
ber of events, but what is needed to make a » maintaining distance from neighbors’
successful enterprise. residences, and
» stopping music at a reasonable hour.
WASHINGTON COUNTY RURAL TOURISM STUDY 67
