News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Developer Ted Eady has won a zone change that will allow him to construct an inn on his Barclay Ranch property at the north end of Sisters.
Sisters voters approved the annexation of the property in an election in March.
The Sisters Urban Area Planning Commission approved changing the zoning on 13.6 acres of the property from UAR-10 to 7.31 acres of light industrial and 6.29 acres of general commercial at their April 16 meeting.
The commissioners found that, with the industrial park nearing capacity, adding 7.31 acres adjacent to the current park would help meet comprehensive plan goals of enhancing employment opportunities in Sisters.
Planners also found that allowing commercial development, such as Eady's proposed inn, on the property along Camp Polk Road is consistent with comprehensive plan goals of enhancing tourism and converting urban reserve land to urban uses.
Land-use watchdog Howard Paine challenged the commission's action, arguing that the city had not followed proper procedures for public notice, and that the staff report was based on outdated ordinances.
Paine also believes that the zone change is inappropriate.
"I have some reservations about it," Paine told The Nugget. "I think it's creating some islands of commercial (zoning) that are contrary to what's in the comp plan."
Paine considers the zone change "spot zoning."
According to city planner Neil Thompson, those who drafted the current comprehensive plan sought to stop the creep of strip development along the east-west axis of Highway 20.
"Instead, they wanted a 'thickening' along the north-south axis," Thompson said.
Thompson believes that the Barclay Ranch zone change is consistent with that goal.
Thompson also said the zone change serves the "highest need," since residential uses are av
ailable on the rest of the property.
Paine argues that there is plenty of commercial-zoned land left in the core area of Sisters. Paine said that owners of residences along Main Avenue could sell their property, for example, which could then be used for commercial purposes
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
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