News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
The bulldozers are idle and the chainsaws are quiet. City of Sisters officials halted construction work at the Creekside development at the east edge of Sisters earlier this month.
According to city planning director Neil Thompson, the developer had started work on roads, water systems and sewer before a development agreement with the city was signed.
The city has yet to accept dedication of roads from Creekside.
Developer Rob Orton told The Nugget that he thought he had clearance to do the work.
"I thought I had it all nailed down for them," Orton said. "Neil sat right there and said, 'Hey, it's your property.'"
Thompson acknowledged that there might have been some "ambiguity" in discussions with the developer about what work could be done.
"We can't tell them not to work on their own property," Thompson said.
"But facilities that are going to become city property... we have to inspect them and certify them. Technically, we don't have an approved set of plans," he said.
Orton has developed several subdivisions in Central Oregon, including Mountain View Park in Bend.
Thompson indicated that the developer might have to uncover buried water and sewer piping in the road right-of-way at Creekside to allow the city to inspect and sign off on it. Orton said that was not how he understands the procedure.
Orton noted that the city required a different kind of coupling on water pipes from the one he had installed and that he made the change.
Creekside can start work again once an agreement is in place, Thompson said.
That requires certified plans, bonding and the dedication of streets and utility easements
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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