Lake Creek Lodge project appealed

The approval of an expansion plan for Camp Sherman's Lake Creek Lodge has been appealed to the Jeffer- son County Board of Commissioners.

Eugene attorney Bill Kloos filed the appeal on behalf of Friends of the Metolius and Toni Foster.

Lake Creek Lodge, established in 1935, currently has 17 cabins and a lodge in operation. Brothers Gordon and Jeff Jones have proposed an expansion project that would add 24 additional cabins, a new meeting hall and a new septic sewage system.

They brought the project up for discussion at an LAC (Local Area Council) meeting held at the Camp Sherman Community Hall in June (The Nugget, June 11).

Several local residents raised concerns over the size of the project, traffic, impact on the community, lights and noise.

The proposal next went before the Jefferson County Planning Commissioners in two separate meetings (The Nugget, June 18 and July 16).

Again there were concerns raised by local residents over many aspects of the project.

The Planning Commission voted 6-0 to approve the project. The Jefferson County Planning Department had previously approved the project.

The 12-page appeal states as its general grounds, "The county's decision fails to adequately address the requirements of the Jefferson County Zoning Ordinance (JCZO), fails to make individualized findings and conclusions supported by evidence in the record and improperly conditions the approval. In addition, the record is insufficient to support the county's decision. Furthermore, the applicant has failed to meet its burden of proof of establishing compliance with the approval criteria of the JCZO."

The appeal argues that the decision fails to sufficiently address the requirements concerning flood plain, site plan review, riparian corridor buffer combining zone, grading, drainage and erosion control, Camp Sherman vacation rental, nonconforming uses, wildlife overlay, lighting, signs, usage, sewage/septic and traffic.

This is a full de novo appeal (new testimony will be allowed) for the Jefferson County Commissioners to hear at their Thursday, September 4, meeting.

The meeting will be held at the Commission Meeting Room, 66 S.E. "D" St., Madras.