City planning department changes leadership

Senior Planner Pauline Hardie has taken over as the Community Development Department Director for the City of Sisters.

The previous director, Eric Porter, will stay on in the role of principal planner.

"It is with great regret that due to ongoing vision problems, I have decided to step down from my role as community development director and will be taking a position in a more conventional planning role with the City of Sisters," Porter said in a statement released by the city. "I look forward to continue to serve the city into the future. Thank you for all of your support."

Porter was hired in September 2007. Under his leadership, the department completed several major planning and community development projects that will have lasting impacts on the City of Sisters, including the adoption of the 2010 Sisters Development Code, 2010 Transportation System Plan (TSP), 2010 Housing Plan, and the Whychus Creek Restoration and Management Plan.

Porter also conducted the City of Sisters Endangered Species Act (ESA) Risk Analysis, managed planning for the Greater Redmond Area Enterprise Zone, the annexations of the McKenzie Meadow Village property and property for a new fire training facility, and oversaw repeated designations of Tree City USA status for the City of Sisters.

Hardie was the lead planner on the TSP adoption and the development code update. She is credited with writing numerous grants the department has received including safe routes to school improvements, a park master plan update, and a planning grant for the redevelopment of the Sisters Ranger District property and Cascade Avenue streetscape

improvements.

"Eric has made lasting contributions to the department, and I'm pleased he will be able to stay on with the department in his new capacity," said Eileen Stein, Sisters city manager. "Although the department has lost some capacity with the recent resignation of Associate Planner Laura Lehman, given the continued slow economic recovery, I am confident that between Pauline, Eric and Planning Technician Carol Jenkins, the department has the capacity to provide the same level and quality of service as it is known for. We will also realize some budget savings."

Lehman's position will remain vacant for now.