County hears school UGB request

Deschutes County will decide in January whether to bring 98.2 acres into the City of Sisters urban growth boundary for a new high school.

Even with county approval of a required zone change and comprehensive plan amendment, annexation will depend on a vote by citizens of the City of Sisters next March.

The board of County Commissioners held a hearing on December 17 to review a decision by the county hearings officer that approved the proposed UGB and comprehensive plan amendments.

Mel Bryan of Sisters spoke against the proposal. Bryan said the school district growth numbers did not justify a new high school.

Bryan suggested the commissioners should approve the application but for a new middle school instead.

Commission Chair Tom DeWolf asked if that was an issue for the county board of commissioners. DeWolf suggested that a change from a high school to a middle school would be an issue for the Sisters School Board.

DeWolf had the same question for Jim Mackey of Sage Meadow. Mackey had concerns that the small job base and high housing costs in Sisters would keep out families with school age children. He also suggested that school plans were getting ahead of transportation solutions.

School District lawyer Nancy Craven countered that if the new schools caused early failure of a transportation system, the school district would be required to provide a solution under the conditions of approval.

Population data supporting the need for a new school cover an area more than just the city, Cravens said.

The commissioners continued the hearing to January 9 to give district and county lawyers an opportunity to review procedures. The record will remain open for written comments until that time.