Activists appeal Sisters land decision

A land use watchdog group has filed notice that it will appeal a decision bringing some 60 acres of land into the Sisters Urban Growth Boundary for new industrial parks.

The Alliance for Responsible Land Use in Deschutes County (ARLU DeCo) will appeal Deschutes County Board of Commissioners decisions expanding the UGB and changing zoning on land owned by the Sisters School District and by Barclay Meadows Business Park at the north end of Sisters.

The matter now goes to the state Land Use Board of Appeals.

Howard Paine of ARLU DeCo said his organization sees many problems with the proposed developments, including negative impact on the Trapper Point subdivision to the north and on traffic, particularly on Camp Polk Road/Locust Street.

"There's impact on a residential subdivision," Paine said. "Under state law, you have to mitigate that before you convert resource land."

The land in question was previously zoned for agricultural use.

The school district and the Barclay Meadows partners crafted a development agreement with input from the county and from the City of Sisters restricting types of development, providing setbacks and paying for street improvements.

Opponents were not satisfied.

"How can you mitigate by having a 50 foot setback (from residential lots) so you have a bunch of ugly metal sided buildings facing the residential neighborhood?" Paine said.

Paine believes the properties in question should be left in their original zoning to act as a buffer between residences and the existing Sisters Industrial Park.

Attorney Tia Lewis, who represents Barclay Meadows and has also worked on behalf of the school district said her clients are committed to moving forward with the development and she does not expect the appeal to stop it.

"A lot of work went into those decisions to make sure they were done right," she said. "We expect to prevail. We wish it didn't have to go that far.

"We'd rather that the money went into the development."