City of White Salmon Welcomes Brendan Conboy, Land Use Planner

Brendan Conboy joins the City of White Salmon today as the city’s first full-time land use planner. A 2015 graduate of UMass-Amherst with a Masters degree in Regional Planning, Conboy most recently worked in Park City, Utah, as a Senior Planner, and prior to that spent time as an Associate Planner in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

With a focus on anthropology during his undergraduate studies, Conboy’s interest in planning resulted from time spent traveling the west and observing how new development often encroached on open spaces, threatening the sense of place that made many of the west’s mountain towns unique in the first place. Those observations continue to inform his approach to planning, with an emphasis on how economic development and cultural heritage intersect to create a shared sense of place that makes communities more economically resilient, equitable, and livable.

“I am thrilled by the opportunities and challenges that come with this position during this critical juncture in White Salmon’s trajectory. White Salmon is a truly unique and special place, however the challenges facing the community such as housing, transportation, and growth pressures are not unique. My goal is to identify and implement land use interventions where appropriate that promote the health, happiness, and prosperity of all residents and visitors to White Salmon. To that end I will work with absolutely anybody who shares this vision of protecting what makes White Salmon unique while fostering an economically resilient, equitable, and vibrant community”

The full-time Land Use Planner position was something requested by Mayor Keethler in her 2021 budget proposal, which was adopted by the City Council. At the time, the Mayor’s message to the council emphasized a viewpoint that such a position was critical to protecting White Salmon’s small-town community identity in a way that was proactive and asserting the desires of the community: “The effects of years without intentional - and consistent - focus on land-use planning are being felt most on the issue of affordable housing. It is my fervent belief that intentional planning is what will set White Salmon on the right course to achieve long-term resiliency as a small-town that is affordable for residents, appealing to tourists, welcoming of entrepreneurs, and supportive of right-sized economic development. We can no longer continue on a path of investing in strategies and planning documents without committed stewardship that ensures implementation of those visions and goals.”

The selection process for this position was a national search that culminated in a two-round interview process with participation from City Council and staff. With the draft Comprehensive Plan anticipated to be adopted by City Council this summer, an initial near-term focus of Conboy’s work will be to work with the Planning Commission and the administration in enacting zoning and code updates that reflect the updated goals and policies from the plan.

“I am excited to welcome Brendan to our city and to have him join our team at City Hall at such a critical time in our city’s growth and development. I think his passion for protecting a community’s identity and seeing the ways planning can be a positive vehicle for driving the interests of our residents is a perfect fit for how we are navigating the future,” said Mayor Keethler.