Don't Bend Walla Walla: The Port and Pennbrook

A case study in environmental protection, urban planning, and successful advocacy by a community group in the face of a major developer's corrupting influence on longstanding community policies. In 2003, a developer from one of the fastest growing areas in the country proposed to build a new golf course and upscale housing project on 380 acres of prime farmland adjacent to the Walla Walla airport, and leading toward the beautiful Blue Mountains. In response, the local agency in charge of the airport abandoned its policies against housing near its runways in the hope of generating revenue by selling water to the development, despite locally-falling water levels for decades. This study documents the length to which public agencies and private developers will go to pursue short-term gain over longstanding principles, including defrauding federal and state agencies. The book also shows the successful impact a committed citizens group can have in vigorously defending those principles.