News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

Planners mull food stand options

In his ongoing quest to gain a more permanent status for his Wild Mountain jerky and mushroom stand, Ky Karnecki of Sisters presented his responses to the concerns raised by the planning commissioners after his last presentation to the group. The commission will take up Karnecki's requests as part of the planned mini development code review planned for the March 16 meeting.

Karnecki's ultimate goal is to win approval for a year-round license for his "agricultural stand" business without having to make the improvements required for a permanent structure on the site. He readily acknowledges that approval of his operation at that level presents significant challenges to the city.

Several of Karnecki's supporters addressed the commission during the community comment portion of the planning commission meeting Thursday. Karnecki concluded the community comments session with a point-by-point discussion of the commissioners concerns.

"I heard a lot of questions regarding whether my business model fit within the theme of Sisters in and of itself," said Karnecki. "Commissioner Layne and myself spent several hours last week discussing some of the...objections commissioners had regarding temporary use, and what is temporary use. In particular we addressed some of the concerns regarding unregulated proliferation of stands such as mine."

Karnecki would like to challenge the current requirement that temporary structures must be removed from their site during the off-season. Enforcement of this ordinance would also affect Richard's Produce, located behind the Space Age gas station on the west end of Cascade Ave.

Working with Commissioner Darren Layne and Community Development Director Pauline Hardie,

Karnecki proposed to limit temporary structures to lots of at least 20,000 square feet. This would eliminate all but very few lots in Sisters. It would allow for both Wild Mountain and Richard's Produce, and it would address the commissioners concern about unregulated proliferation of temporary structures.

It was also suggested that temporary use be limited to one per lot per calendar year, and that temporary use may not be adjacent to another tax lot with a temporary use.

To avoid any undue expense to the city in the event of an owner simply abandoning his structure, it was suggested that a bond be required as part of the permitting process to cover the estimated cost of removal of temporary structure.

Finally, it was suggested that the code for permanent "agricultural stands" include the requirement that all temporary signs be removed during the off-season, but that permanently affixed signs be left to avoid giving the look of an abandoned building.

Last month the city council enacted a special ordinance to grant Wild Mountain a 90-day emergency license that will allow the stand to stay open until its 120-day temporary use permit kicks in.

 

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