Council delays density decision

A controversial ordinance that would require developers to build four to eight housing units per gross acre in new residential zones in Sisters -- instead of six to seven units -- made it to the table again at last Thursday's Sisters City Council meeting. Once again, though, a decision was delayed indefinitely.

The proposed amendment to Ordinance 324 of the Sisters Development Code received sharp criticism at a March city council meeting. The visitors at that meeting said they wanted the council to approve a density of two to seven units per gross acre, as was recommended by the planning commission. At that time, the councilors agreed to hold a decision until they discussed it with the planning commission.

The Sisters Development Code was originally approved on June 28, 2001, with a required density of six to seven units per gross acre for residential housing and 10 to 24 units for multi-family housing.

Neil Thompson, the former city planner, recommended the four to eight houses per gross acre to accommodate the rapid population growth and allow for more affordable housing.

After a meeting with planning commissioners earlier this month, councilors planned to approve the proposed ordinance -- except for the paragraph which requires a four to eight unit density. They planned to pull that paragraph and fall back on the existing six to seven unit density pending a future decision.

But at Thursday's meeting, interim city planner Bryan Rankin told the council that the new lot size requirements in the proposed ordinance will work with its intended four to eight unit density, but not with a density of six to seven.

Rankin also told the council that if they want to approve a density different from the proposed four to eight units, the city must mail individual notices to affected residents 45 days in advance.

The councilors reluctantly agreed to delay approving any portion of the ordinance, but said they want the reevaluation process to move speedily.

Some councilors said they do not want to wait for a new city planner to be hired to make the decision. Thompson resigned last month.

"I don't agree with waiting till we get a new city planner to make this decision," said Councilor Judy Trego. "It's not the city planner who is making this decision; it's the council. I'm also concerned about waiting 45 days. If we have to go look at an acre of land and see what it would look like with the lot sizes, let's do it and move forward with this. And, we're looking at another six months, when we've been working on it for one-and-a-half years already."

Councilor John Rahm agreed that he doesn't want to wait for a new city planner, but said he is not sure he wants to change the proposed four to eight units per acre to two to seven.

Rahm referred to a chalk board drawing that Thompson had made of four residential development scenarios, which would meet the four to eight units per gross acre zoning. Thompson pointed out with the four scenarios that a developer could build houses with a density as low as two houses per gross acre, as long as the entire zone averaged at four to eight.

"For the sake of the concerned residents, I agree we need to look at this again," Rahm said. "I think what Neil did with the chalk board, I think that shows a lot of flexibility in the comprehensive plan. I put the question to the group, what outcome are you afraid of and I hear the answer 'there will be no Coyote Springs.'

"But, it looks to me like you can have lots bigger than a third and a half acre, if you average the lots according to the system available. I realize there is a lot of concern, but I've not heard anyone articulate a scenario that looks wrong to me."

The delay came as a relief to Sharlene Weed, executive director for Habitat for Humanity, who attended the meeting.