Major development planned for Sisters

Hayden Homes of Redmond has revealed plans for development of a 40-acre, 400-unit community of mixed housing types in the northwest corner of the City of Sisters, northwest of Three Wind Shopping Center. The site, known as Village at Cold Springs, is bounded on the south by McKinney Butte Road and on the west by McKinney Ranch Road.

A street will connect on the east with Railway Street, through the adjoining Relco development, and on to Highway 20.

The development plan calls for three lot sizes: estate lots, standard lots, and cameo lots. The first five of seven phases will be single-family homes. The last two phases will be multi-family housing at higher densities (10-24 units per net acre) and may include apartments, condominiums, or townhouses.

Hayden Homes is a Central Oregon company with their main office in Redmond. In 1989, Robert Watson and his son, Hayden, moved to Redmond, then a town of 7,000. They saw a need for affordable housing and Hayden Homes was born. In 2000, Hayden Watson became CEO of the company.

Hayden Homes now has communities in 15 cities throughout the Pacific Northwest, including Stonehedge, Hayden Square, and Hayden Ranch Estates in Redmond and Deschutes River Crossing and River Rim in Bend.

Dave Cady, Hayden Director of Land Development, led a presentation held Thursday evening, November 11, introducing Chad Houchin, Hayden Land Development Project Manager and Eileen Obermiller, landscape architect with Otek, Inc. in Bend.

The 40 acres is zoned Multi-Family Residential, allowing a density of 10-24 units per net acre. Hayden settled on the lower density figure as a more desirable goal, thus creating 391 housing units. At the higher figure of 24, over 900 units could be built.

Cady said that Hayden Homes is not trying to maximize the opportunity for profit. Rather they are trying to bring "diversity of housing" and "sustainability" to the City of Sisters.

Lots will be 40, 50, and 60 feet in width. Housing styles will vary, as will prices, yet to be set. Single-family dwelling sizes will range from 1,200 to 3,000 square feet.

Hayden will sell each lot and house as a unit.

"We are not at this time considering selling lots," Cady said. "We are developers, builders, and sales."

As to the ownership of the multi-family housing, Cady said that would be decided at the time those units are being built.

Space is set aside for circulation of pedestrian and non-motorized traffic throughout the development. A three-acre park will be central to the development. The final design and function of the park is yet to be determined.

Overall, the development includes 30 percent open space, the minimum required by code. Hayden plans to preserve as many of the large ponderosa pine trees as possible.

Hayden is looking at building 45-50 units per year. Committed to one phase per year, they do have the opportunity to do a mix of single- and multi-family units. Full development is planned within five to seven years.

Hayden plans to submit a Master Plan Application and Detailed Plan in December, 2004. Assuming the approval process hits no snags, they will break ground on Phase 1 in mid to late summer of 2005. They expect first occupancy in the summer of 2006.