Letters to the Editor 06/15/2005

To the Editor:

As a concerned resident of Sisters, I urge every homeowner to seriously consider the impact of allowing Hayden Homes to build a proposed 400 home development on about 40 acres on the west end of town.

This proposed development would include about 160 single family residences built on small maximum density lots (nine units to the acre) and about 240 multiple-family units including apartments, condos, and three-story rowhouses.

This in essence creates a “city within a city” that doubles the city’s population when you consider every home would have at least 2-3 people with 1-2 cars per household.

The load that this influx of people would eventually place on the infrastructure of this small city would be tremendous. The costs to provide and maintain adequate electricity, water, sewers, roads and traffic, law enforcement, schools, etc. would be impossible to fund without increasing future property taxes or floating bond issues.

A 400-unit development on 40 acres does not fit Sisters. Most people have moved and live here for the serenity, beauty and quaint atmosphere. They do not want to see “cookie cutter” multi-story structures on “postage stamp” minimum setback lots, and increased traffic on already congested streets.

If the city wants to allow a new development on this 40-acre parcel, then why not consider rezoning the property to allow a more upscale, lower density development, as in Tollgate, or Buck Run, which would better fit the existing city and surrounding area.

If you really care about the future of this community, I urge you to attend the Planning Commission meetings held at City Hall on the third Thursday of each month to listen to Hayden Homes’ proposals.

Holt Ganong

s s s

To the Editor

Re: Hayden Homes — I have a couple of items I would like to express my opinion on: As of Friday, June 3, the information I received is that Hayden Homes does not own the land in question and I feel that the city employees could be doing something more constructive than trying to satisfy the whims of someone who is trying to manipulate the city into a lawsuit under Measure 37.

I think the city should put a moratorium on building until the infrastructure catches up. If this project is allowed to go through, we the taxpayer will be charged again to pay for two new schools, to increase the sewer capacity, to increase the water supply and we will need more police coverage. I will not vote for any more tax increases.

Thank you,

Lee Sorter

s s s

To the Editor:

Many citizens of Sisters and the surrounding area were concerned about the impact that a McDonald’s would have on our town and community.

I don’t think the effect from McDonald’s will be a drop in the bucket compared to the impact that the full implementation of Measure 37 will have on us.

Dick Tipton

s s s

To the Editor:

On Thursday, June 9, I was one of a very large group of people wearing a YES badge at the City Council Meeting. This group was hoping for a Yes vote on the Formula Restaurants Ordinance presented by the Planning Commission. The vote was 3-2 against the ordinance.

We were crestfallen; we want just to keep Sisters from becoming like every other very ordinary town. I am especially sensitive because the town I came from in So. California was a little town with a look a lot like Sisters and the community spirit.

It took about two years, just two years, to change drastically and when I went to visit a few months ago, I hardly recognized the place I had lived for 20 years. A veritable sea of fast foods restaurants, all neon lighted. It was heartbreaking to see.

We just would not like to have this happen to Sisters. I didn’t see any of the privately owned places that we used to frequent. They had been replaced by the franchises. So very sad. My children were born in Van Nuys, California, and it was a little place like Sisters and that transformation was just as drastic.

I am sure when you are driving to LA, you might see off ramp signs for Van Nuys, but you wouldn’t stop there. People still stop and visit Sisters because of the special character of this little city. Our YES badges meant that we were Friends of Sisters.

Elayne Clarke

s s s

To the Editor:

What part of discrimination don’t you understand? If the City Council, the Planning Committee and the supporters of the proposed ordinance want to limit all franchise businesses — not just franchise food businesses in Sisters — I, the owner of The Bad Ass Coffee Company, would not feel discriminated against.

As it is there are 10 other stores and three drive-throughs serving coffee and espresso drinks in Sisters. These stores could change locations and not be limited, as I would be per this proposed ordinance.

What about the other 20-plus franchises and multi-location businesses in town? So why not limit their business and location? Example: gas stations, supermarket, real estate, motels, auto parts, hardware, banks, insurance, salons, moving transportation, electrical supply, mortgage companies, etc. Will the City Council discriminate against these businesses next?

With tight building codes and signage regulations you can control or eliminate businesses from opening in Sisters.

I have talked with our customers about the Bad Ass Coffee Company being part of this community and all have stated they enjoy us being part of the community and want us to continue being here. Why should I ask them to sign a petition that would single them out opposing the proposed ordinance?

Does the community realize the contributions that the franchise food businesses have made to the local schools, sheriff department, fire department, fund raisers, and charities? These dollars come out of our profits; apparently proponents of this ordinance do not consider franchise food contributions a viable source of revenue for these organizations.

The Halvorsen family have invested our retirement savings into a coffee and gift store that specializes in Hawaiian coffee — the only coffee grown in the United States and gift items that support the Sisters name and attracts the tourism business. Please make your choice and voice your opinion to the City Council opposing this discriminating ordinance before they adopt this ordinance.

Frank T. Halvorsen

s s s

To the Editor:

It still blows my mind that we will cave as a society to the fears of the few or the one. Two weeks ago in an article about the “controversial” book “Beloved” I once again witnessed our educational leaders fear of fallout towards the expression of truth.

Mr. Shepherd had a problem with the fact that the book was too “real” in the telling of how cruel we as human beings can be, not only in the past, as it covers the issue of slavery. For this to prompt the pulling of the book once again perpetuates the hiding of the reality of how human beings still treat each other to this day.

This type of thinking is what keeps us from seeing the true images of caskets coming home from Iraq, 1,677 to be exact as of this date. From the human cost of the fighting in the Darfur region of Africa, to watching the high speed chases in our major cities. But once the suspect is shot by police it is standard policy for camera men to pull back and not show the body lying in the street. Why?

I believe that if we allow our children (ninth graders) to see or read the truth of how we as a species, are not as civilized as we pretend to be, they may choose to allow their own hearts to stop the passing down of dehumanizing and destroying others of their own kind.

If we constantly hide the truth of how dark we are we only perpetuate the passing of the torch to another generation.

Michael Valoppi

s s s

To the Editor:

What a great town we live in: great schools, communities and neighborhoods. We have a problem, “yard debris.” As you drive through our beautiful town you can’t help but see piles of yard debris everywhere. I understand the town’s plan is to pick up the yard debris every Thursday, but with the growth in our communities the yard debris could sometimes sit there for two to three weeks before they have the man-hours to pick it up.

The town is in the process of buying a new garbage truck, is it possible they could use the old truck for yard debris? That way everyone that is interested in the service would either be given and/or purchase an extra can for yard pick-up. We would then put our yard debris can out with our garbage to be picked up on garbage day.

Think of the money saved for our town; man hours, equipment usage, gas and a timely process. This would make a more eye-pleasing appearance for our small little town.

Please help make our town beautiful again.

Cynthia Fought