Council to consider fast food plan

The public will have the chance to weigh in on the adoption of proposed restrictions on formula food in Sisters before the city council on Thursday, June 9, at 7 p.m.

The Sisters Urban Area Planning Commission has drafted ordinance number 355 to add policy to the Comprehensive Plan that would limit formula food restaurants within the city.

The commissioners approved the draft ordinance last month to acclaim from a packed house that turned out to support the restrictions. The ordinance is now before the city council for approval.

The proposed ordinance places restrictions and a cap on the number of "formula food" restaurants located within Sisters' city limits. The cap is set at the current four establishments.

The four formula food restaurants in Sisters are Subway, Figaro's Pizza, Bad Ass Coffee Company, and the soon to be McDonald's.

The definition of formula food in the ordinance is restaurants that are "are virtually identical to restaurants in other communities as a result of standardized menus, ingredients, food preparation, décor, uniforms, and trademarks."

At the Thursday, June 2, city council workshop, Senior Planning Director Bill Adams fielded questions from council members. There was some concern on the part of council members Brad Boyd and Sharlene Weed, that the existing formula food restaurants would not be able to expand or move under the proposed ordinance.

Adams explained that if one formula operation left, another could come in and occupy the existing location.

Weed and Boyd expressed a need for a rotation process to be in place to guide one formula food out and replace it with a new operation. Council member Lon Kellstrom generated a discussion about the existing ordinance in the highway commercial zone that restricts drive-thru's. Adams agreed that the language in the ordinance restricting drive-thru establishments should be tightened up at some point.

Adams explained a sense of urgency in setting policy.

"I know that we (Sisters) are on their (formula food franchises') radar screen. It's just a matter of time. When McDonald's goes in … you know that the competitors like to locate nearby," Adams said.

So far there have been no other applications by fast food restaurants.