City facing second thoughts about zoning

In a city where just five years ago a duplex was considered impractical and the minimum size for a buildable lot was 10,000 square feet, residents and city council members are facing the gremlins of a model code that was adopted less than two years ago.

Former Sisters Mayor Steve Wilson and former Sisters City Council member Tim Clasen say they erred in their vote for the Model Code in Sisters, which was adopted in June of 2001.

At the heart of their error, they say, is a change in the way Sisters' residential districts are zoned.

"We might as well chuck the zoning map out the window," said Wilson. "It's all residential."

Formerly, there were two residential districts: Standard and High Density. In the new Model Code there is only one residential district, which is referred to as Low Density/Standard. Four sub districts are allowed within this district.

"I thought that we were using the existing zoning map," said Clasen, who stated his vote was based on retaining a high-density zone.

No definition is provided for Low Density or Standard zoning. However, duplexes and triplexes are allowed in the Low Density/Standard district at a minimum of 3,000 square feet of land per dwelling.

Also allowed is a 25 percent land credit for affordable housing, which makes it possible for individuals and groups like Habitat for Humanity to build single-family homes on a minimum lot size of 4,500 square feet.

Such land use throughout the city is what upsets Clasen and Wilson, both of whom left the city council after moving beyond the city limits.

"My frustration is that I tried to bring this forward," said Wilson. "It leaves a real sour taste in my mouth as I leave six years of volunteer public service."

As early as March of 2002, Wilson and the city council had been speaking of the potential "cultural shock" the newly adopted Model Code would create in Sisters.

According to Wilson, the council looked at the issue in May and June of 2002, but due to lack of interest by the community and city council, the matter was left unsettled.

Less than eight months later, several members of the community, including Wilson and Clasen, are up in arms regarding the new zoning.

The uprising of public opinion was prompted by two proposed partitions: a 12,945 square foot lot on South Pine and St. Helens to be divided into three lots (with a duplex), and a 16,770 square foot lot between Maple Lane and Tamarack Lane, which is to be partitioned into three lots.

Both partitions involve the creation of lots smaller than the 6,000 square foot minimum that Clasen and Wilson believed they had voted to ensure.

According to Wilson, many people chose to live in the City of Sisters based on the livability and density of their given neighborhood. Wilson argues that in many cases such purchases were carefully calculated by individuals who may not have the resources to make another move.

"It is wrong to drastically change that community," said Wilson, who believes that any changes or "experiments" should be made in new developments, where people know what they are buying into.

Prior to the sewer being installed, space for a septic system was required in order to build. Therefore the smallest buildable lot in Sisters, without special allowances, was 20,000 square feet. Duplexes were allowed at that time but were highly impractical and therefore not built.

With the sewer system in place, developers are now weighing their options and some have decided to build duplexes. Since duplexes and triplexes are not limited to a certain subdistrict, they may be built throughout any established community in the City of Sisters.

"Personally I'd be upset if there were duplexes near my property," said Clasen.

Both Clasen and Wilson believe the city should recreate a high-density district, in which duplexes would be allowed. They believe duplexes and other such housing units should not be allowed in the Low Density/Standard residential zone.

Wilson believes that 6,000 square feet should be the minimum lot size across the board. He says that he supports affordable housing, having served on the affordable housing committee for over a year, but believes affordable housing should not be put in a position where it degrades a community.

The 25 percent land credit does this, he believes, by allowing three home sites to exist where formally only two are allowed.

Neighbors of the disputed partitions agree with Wilson. This was made evident at the December 12 city council meeting at which many residents stated their displeasure with the increased density of their neighborhood.

Wilson foresees this issue "marching" across town as more and more landowners begin to partition or build duplexes. He believes the city council needs to solve the issue before it is inundated with more appeals and disaffection from the community.

"The city council has the duty and responsibility to halt the brakes and hold a number of public hearings to understand what the citizens that elected them want from their community" said Wilson. "There should be an absolute moratorium (on development applications), until this can be solved to the satisfaction of the greater community, including ones that are pending."

Clasen agrees that a moratorium is needed.

He fears a "rash of partitioning" as landowners scramble to partition their lots before any changes are made to the Model Code.

The Model Code and zoning map may be viewed at the City of Sisters web site, which is at http://www.ci.sisters.or.us.