Metolius resort ban takes on new life

Depending upon your point of view, Senate Bill 30 (SB30) - which would prohibit the construction of destination resorts in or near the Metolius Basin - is either a noble Phoenix that is arising from the ashes of defeat or a Frankenstein that just won't stay dead.

The Sisters City Council passed a resolution in support of SB30 on May 24, which added even more fuel to the emotional controversy. The council passed the resolution over the dissenting vote of councilman Lon Kellstrom.

"Fundamentally, I don't believe that the City of Sisters should be meddling in another county's land use decisions. We certainly wouldn't want them (Jefferson County Commissioners) meddling with our city planning or policies," said Kellstrom.

Bill Merrill, president of the Sisters City Council, was a proponent of the resolution in support of SB30.

"What they do there will have an effect on Sisters. Most people who would go to the proposed destination resorts would drive through Sisters and could stress our infrastructure. If it affects us, we have an obligation to do what is best for our city," said Merrill. "That being said, I am also a fly fisherman and would hate to see the pristine river degraded."

Shane Lundgren, the President of Dutch Pacific Resources, a development company that owns acreage that received approval from Jefferson County for development of a destination resort but would be blocked by the passage of SB30, agrees that there could be affects. He thinks they would be positive.

"Sisters certainly benefited from Black Butte Ranch. That destination resort allowed for very positive economic growth in Sisters," said Lundgren.

SB30 has experienced more ups and downs than most yo-yos experience in the hands of a grade school student. The latest controversy erupted over another failure to disclose personal interest by Senator Betsy Johnson (D). She has lobbied heavily in favor of SB30 on the heels of her failure to disclose personal interest in a property that she sold adjacent to the Scapoose airport while at the same time sponsoring a bill to allow special airport access that would have added considerably to the value of the property.

Senator Johnson filed appeals against the land use decisions by Jefferson County, initially indicating that the appeals were in the name of her deceased mother; however, the appeals were in her name. Johnson continues to deny that her interest in SB30 has anything to do with the economic windfall the bill's passage would bring to her family should they elect to sell the property they own that surrounds the headwaters of the Metolius.

Senator Ben Westlund (D), who represents Deschutes County, is the sponsor of SB30 which effectively closes the door for neighboring Jefferson County to develop its own destination resorts and enhance its economy similar to Deschutes County. The amount of land that will be declared off limits to resort development will be nearly 10 percent of Jefferson County's total acreage.

"Some House members are attempting to weaken the bill by allowing resorts in the (Metolious) Basin. Resort proponents want us to believe that constructing a few resorts will have few side effects. One of the resorts touts its 'eco-friendly' label yet would practically sit on top of the headwaters" said Senator Westlund.

The "eco-friendly" resort referred to by Senator Westlund is the proposed Dutch Pacific development which actually is located farther away from the Metolius headwaters than is Black Butte Ranch in neighboring Deschutes County. Black Butte Ranch is considering an expansion of nearly identical size to the Dutch Pacific development.

Congressman John Dallum (R), an original sponsor of the bill, is now lobbying against it.

"It is bad public policy," he said.

Kellstrom shares Dallum's sentiment.

"It is not our business. We don't belong in that arena, and I don't think the state has any business doing it either. There are state land use guidelines that have been in place for a long time, and it is being usurped because there are a few people who just don't like the idea. Helping trample the property rights of the people up there (in Camp Sherman) is a dangerous precedent," Kellstrom said.

"The City of Sisters is not the land use watchdog for Central Oregon. It (The Metolius River) is not even in our county much less in our city. The city council should be paying attention to the city business." he added.