Sisters questioning role of 'formula food'

The Sisters community will continue a discussion about the role of "formula food" establishments in a second town hall meeting on the subject set for Thursday, March 6, at 5:30 p.m. at Sisters City Hall.

The city planning department is exploring possible changes to the definition of a "Formula Food Establishment" in order to allow more local and regional restaurants to be established in Sisters in the Highway Commercial (HC) District. Planners are also considering whether to regulate such uses in the Downtown Commercial (DC) District.

A town hall meeting earlier this month yielded a consensus among citizens that they would like to see the city keep the restrictions that currently exist in the HC zone and extend those restrictions downtown, where formula food establishments are currently unregulated.

A "Formula Food Establishment" is defined in the code as: "An eating or drinking establishment that: (a) is required by contractual or other arrangements to offer standardized menus, ingredients, food preparation, employee uniforms, interior decor, signage or exterior design; or (b) adopts a name, appearance or food presentation format that causes it to be substantially identical to three or more other establishments regardless of ownership or location."

The city is considering:

• Change the number of required "substantially identical" facilities from three to 10; or,

• Exempt restaurants that have substantially identical facilities in two (or one) states from being categorized as a formula food establishment; or,

• Exempt restaurants that are headquartered in Central Oregon; or,

• Put a cap on the total number of formula food establishments in the Highway Commercial zone.

Planners indicate that they are also looking for additional suggestions.

Opinion at the previous town hall was clearly in favor of maintaining and tightening restrictions, with an eye to maintaining unique food establishments as part of Sisters' appeal and "draw."

Planners noted that tight restrictions could have an effect on some already-established Sisters businesses.

Community Development Director Pauline Hardie cautioned: "One thing we need to be cautious about, let's say we start restricting the downtown commercial. Sisters Coffee already has two shops (in the state). So if they go to four, (they) will be a non-conforming use in the downtown commercial. (They) could not expand or do anything to that building. Cuppa Yo is in the same situation."

For more information contact Eric Porter at 541-323-5219 or [email protected]