Concerning annexation

The Sisters City Council is moving forward as quickly and quietly as they can to annex the Sisters Airport.

The airport was and is zoned as Rural Residential by Deschutes County; this zoning restricted growth of the number and types of buildings, thus limiting the number of flights and types of activity by default. The county wisely chose this because this airport is unusual, being located in the immediate vicinity of hundreds of homes, less than 1 mile from an elementary school, a public library and the center of downtown. Most airports are located outside of town, not in it.

The council wants to annex the property and change the zoning to include additional industrial and commercial development. This will allow a dramatic increase in air traffic over our city and represents not only a severe safety risk, but increased noise that will impact the quality of life that we all enjoy here. The airport owner (Mr. Benson), has predicted as many as 120 flights on a weekend.

Currently there are maybe 3-5 flights per day. Even a fraction of 120 is a lot of flights over our beautiful city. There is talk of a flight school - including one for high school students - representing a severe safety issue with the airport's location.

Recently a small plane crashed near the airport. Luckily, no injuries or damage. With a little less fuel it could have easily crashed into the elementary school, a home or in the middle of downtown. Significantly increasing this air traffic creates a huge safety risk.

The council is focusing on expanding industrial and commercial in this town.

Not that it is a large portion of what the town is about, not because there aren't an abundance of empty and available buildings and lots already zoned and appropriate for this need, but because a developer wants to change the zoning to make it more convenient for him and his company and future expansion.

Not just any expansion; but only companies that add to the concerns already addressed by adding additional aircraft. Other than input from Mr. Benson, which proved to be incorrect, little information has been taken into consideration.

Citizens who had become aware of the details were basically ignored at council and planning commission hearings.

Despite the council's good intentions, there are always unintended consequences to every action (how about the back-in parking that we all enjoy).

When you add additional industry it always comes with some degree of noise, safety, traffic, emissions and quality-of-life issues.

Throw in lots of new plane flights and it is an even bigger issue.

I know the council is excited about this possibility.

Mr. Benson talks about pilots coming here that are wealthy and have discretionary income to spend.

Don't forget about the folks that are already here that support this community now and deserve a good quality of life.

Sisters has industrial property available for any pilot-type folks now and it is only a few feet from the airport. There is also housing available now - some with attached hangars and runway access.

There has been no safety study, no environmental impact study, no noise study, consideration to impact of home values. Nothing.

The lawyers for the owner told The Nugget (8-21-12) that all the adjacent homeowners were in favor when in fact most of them don't even know what is being planned, and most of those that have found out object. The local ballot didn't address the real issues nor include any arguments against it.

Mr. Benson's attorneys are attempting to get the council, the county and the State to move on this on an emergency basis, shortening the time needed to accomplish the re-zoning. It is important to remember that zoning changes are permanent and have long-term consequences. They live on long after an initial current owner's business plan and efforts may be gone.

I urge you to contact Allan Unger our county commissioner (541-388-6569) and John Huffman our State Representative (541-298-5959) and demand that this project not proceed until proper input from the area residents has been heard and appropriate studies have been done. It's not too late, but it will be shortly.