Sisters plan goes before county

City Planner Neil Thompson brought the Sisters Comprehensive Plan before the Deschutes County Planning Commission in a public hearing on Thursday, February 12.

Thompson opened the meeting by saying that the Planning Department had addressed issues raised by William Boyer, head of Friends of Deschutes County, in a letter sent by Boyer.

Thompson disagreed with Boyer's contention that a population forecast has to be adopted prior to the planning department continuing with long-range planning efforts.

Deschutes County Planning Commissioner Keith Cyrus had concerns about traffic and the availability of power in Sisters.

"We can't get through Sisters now. I would like to see Sisters deal with their traffic issue before we bring any more people into this situation," Cyrus said.

Thompson responded, "I respectfully disagree that Sisters has a transportation problem. We have periods of time in Sisters where there's a transportation problem. We have other times when you could throw a bowling ball down the street and not hit a car. Sisters has a traffic problem maybe 13 times a year."

Cyrus also raised concerns about Sisters' power capacity.

He said that Central Electric Cooperative wants to put 80-foot towers through his farm because they can't supply enough power right now to the city.

The commission acknowledged that 134 acres are to be added to Sisters in the UGB expansion.

It had been established that there was a 90-acre deficit according to a 20-year supply analysis based on current population projections.

Paul Dewey, representing the Sisters Forest Planning Committee, spoke to the commission about the population forecasts used by the City of Sisters to determine the UGB Comprehensive Plan.

"We wanted a concrete population forecast done in order to assess what is needed," he said. "Bend and Redmond are holding off on their UGB expansions until they get their work done or until the county approves their population forecasts. This isn't good planning. You should know exactly what you need before you decide what should come into the UGB."

Sisters resident Christian Noteboom questioned Sisters' growth rate.

"Pine Meadow is a good example of the growth rate in Sisters and it's been painfully slow (development)," she said. "There are commercial buildings there that have been vacant since the beginning."

Noteboom also was concerned that the public hasn't been sufficiently notified about the UGB expansion.

(Editor's note: Noteboom is the wife of reporter Jeff McCaulou).

Commission member Everett Turner responded, "A lot of people do not read the printed word. Unless it's happening right next door they don't care and that's why this hall is empty."

Three people were in the audience that evening.

Thompson said that on February 26 the Comprehensive Plan will go before the Sisters City Council.

The planning commission approved the plan and sent it on to the Deschutes County Commissioners.

Cyrus abstained from voting due to a conflict of interest as he is a developer.