Sisters residents put pressure on city

Mel Bryan of Sisters complained about the appearance of homes in Sisters. Photo by Shane Simonsen

Sisters residents demanded a change in the residential zoning of Sisters at a city council meeting Thursday night, January 23.

The issue was not on the council's agenda, but citizens turned out to voice their outrage over the changing character of their neighborhoods anyway.

"There's not much else we can do," said resident Merlin Monroe. "We'll just keep putting the pressure on."

Council members appealed to the audience, stating that they themselves could not change the model code, or development practices in Sisters. The ball, they say, is in the hands of the Sisters Planning Commission.

"We are planning a joint meeting between the City Council and the Planning Commission," said Sisters Mayor David Elliott.

Resident Mel Bryan complained that his appeal to a recent partition was not received by the city. According to City Planner Neil Thompson, the appeal was not filed correctly.

Some residents are calling for a moratorium on patrons and building.

However, the city's position is that, under state law, it must be demonstrated that public facilities such as water, sewage or transportation are at or exceed their limits in order to declare a moratorium.

After the meeting, City Administrator Eileen Stein pointed out provisions that allow for a moratorium based on "a demonstration of compelling need." A city must also demonstrate that the application of existing ordinances, regulations and applicable law is inadequate "to prevent irrevocable public harm."

The declaration of moratorium is of statewide concern, in that it may create a negative effect on the goals and policies of other local governments, as well as landowners.

A main concern in December's city council meeting was a 25 percent land credit allowed to affordable housing. Under Sisters' Model Code, the minimum lot size in Sisters is 6,000 square feet. With the land credit, affordable housing may be built on a 4,500-square-foot lot.

This allowance caught many residents off guard, including former mayor Steve Wilson and former city council member Tim Clasen, both of whom voted for the Model Code, not fully realizing its implications.

As a solution to this problem, area resident Bill Willitts suggested that the city "immediately create the City of Sisters Housing Trust Fund... to acquire appropriate land for affordable housing."

According to Willitts, the funds could be acquired from sources such as "grant funding, community service organizations, memorial gifts from the community, a percentage of our existing room tax or a stamp tax on real estate transactions."

Residents also offered testimony about renters and property appearance.

Mel Bryan held up pictures of several homes in the City of Sisters. He complained of their undesirable appearance; of the multiple cars, bikes and other items left in driveways or yards. He asked that the city look into cleaning up such properties.

Attributing such "lack of pride" to non-homeowners, Bryan expressed a strong concern that Sisters not turn into a "...ghetto of rental units..." degrading existing property values.

"The guys with deep pockets are gonna be out of here," said Bryan.

Bryan said he does not know where to draw the line in regulating the appearance of houses.

"It's like pornography," he said. "You know it when you see it."

Developer Bruce Forbes defended the existence of rental units, arguing that not all rentals are in such a state as Bryan described. Forbes provided an example of a unit he thought was done well.

"Not everyone can afford to buy," said Forbes. "Providing a nice place to live is something we can do. It does work if it's done properly."