Creekside Campground project on hold

Public discussion of the contentious Creekside Campground renovation originally planned for the Sisters planning commission meeting on Thursday, March 20 has been cancelled until further notice in the face of a jurisdictional question that cropped up in the midst of controversy over the plan.

Former Mayor Dave Moyer informed the city that there is deed covering the park property recorded in 1985 by the former owner, the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, which was then a division of the Oregon Department of Transportation.

The agencies have since split and there is a question over which agency has jurisdiction in the park. City Manager Andrew Gorayeb reports that both have expressed support for the campground project, but the City is reluctant to move ahead with project until the state's jurisdictional question is resolved.

The deed requires that improvements or alterations to the park, including removal of trees, be in accordance with a master plan approved by the grantor, ODOT. Any tree work and upgrades to the park outside of that plan would have to be reviewed and approved. Gorayeb told The Nugget that the City believes the plan was submitted and approved by OPRD around 1990.

"Now we need to know which (agency) is responsible for enforcing the easement," Gorayeb said. "Once we make that determination, we will review all work that has occurred in the campground since 1990 so that we can get caught up. After that, we will determine if any upgrades can be made to the campground."