Neighbors seek landscape buffer

Home for geese and deer now, home for Multnomah Publishers soon. Photo by Jim Cornelius

Residents of the Trapper Point subdivision at the north edge of Sisters are asking for berms and landscape plantings to screen their view of Multnomah Publishers' proposed new headquarters.

The site plan for the 55,039-square-foot, two-story office building on the 35-acre site met mostly smooth sailing before the Sisters Urban Area Planning Commission at its Thursday, January 16 meeting.

However, the planners continued the hearing to February 20 to give the applicant time to meet with neighbors to devise a landscape buffer plan that will satisfy their concerns about their view.

The neighbors -- who fought a long, hard legal battle against zoning the property for industrial development -- are actually happy that Multnomah Publishers purchased the site for a relatively low-intensity, campus-like development.

"I think Multnomah is the best thing that could have happened to this property, since we fought (development) for a couple of years," said Jerry Forster, one of the most ardent foes of development on the property.

Still, neighbors sought assurances from the planning commission that their views will be protected.

"Are you going to take it upon yourselves to help the homeowners along that property line?" asked Denny Ebner. "A six-foot berm with extensive vegetation and some trees would be an ideal thing."

Commissioners were reluctant to impose specific landscaping solutions as a condition of approval. Commissioner Bill Merrill proposed that Multnomah representatives and the four property owners along the boundary of the development craft their own plan and submit it to the planning commission for possible inclusion in the conditions.

Neighbors had some other concerns, including the height of parking light standards and whether there are any restrictions on how late the lights can be left on at night.

According to city planner Neil Thompson, there are no restrictions on height -- in this case, 27 feet -- or on hours of operation. The lights have to meet "Dark Skies" requirements that they be shielded so as to not spill off the property.

Marilyn Ebner also expressed concern about the access road from Camp Polk Road into the development. She argued that it was too far north, too close to a curve obscured by trees and dangerous due to speedy traffic.

Multnomah will also have to perform a traffic study to determine if a left turn lane is needed at the access point.

The intersection could be moved about 50 feet south, but cannot intrude into the Runway Protection Zone of the nearby Sisters Airport.

Multnomah is bound by a development agreement reached between the original property owners and the City of Sisters that requires them to pay $152,295 toward a traffic signal at Locust Street and Highway 20.

The agreement also restricts the number of car trips at peak hours and imposes deeper setbacks from adjoining properties than those required by city code.

Author Bio

Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief

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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