Concerns raised over event site

A number of local merchants shared their concerns with the Sisters City Council Thursday regarding Celia Hung's temporary use permit (TUP) application for the old Chevron gas-station site directly across Cascade Avenue from Stichin' Post.

The City has received numerous letters expressing concerns about the visual aesthetics and the parking. The TUP application has been approved by staff, but will be called up for further review by the planning commission. Hung, owner of Bend/Sisters Garden RV Resort, has a long-term lease from property owner Nick Veroske on the former Chevron gas-station site, which has been vacant for the past nine years. She plans a variety of projects, from food-pairing events to a motorcycle show to promoter Richard Esterman's Sisters Artists Marketplace on the weekend of the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show.

Several downtown business owners spoke at Thursday's meeting, including John Keenan, whose position was representative. Keenan is a long-time businessman in Sisters and former co-owner of Bronco Billy's Ranch Grill & Saloon.

Keenan said, "We are opposing that this site be used for a vendor area for numerous reasons. The number-one reason is impact that it has on all of the local businesses in town. The vendors come in and capitalize on the busy weekends that we have promoted throughout the year. They actually take business away from the locals that have been here all year-around, and are trying to pay the rent. When we allow vendors of this type to come in we are hurting our base merchants that are here year-around, paying property taxes and providing jobs on a yearly basis.

"The impact on this community is severe," continued Keenan. "Seventy-five percent of my business is in the six summer months. A (transient) vendor comes in for two days and capitalizes on the Quilt Show, the Rodeo, etc. This special permit process has been abused."

Chris Wilder of Sisters Log Furniture & Home Décor was the outspoken downtown merchants' representative in working with ODOT and the City to negotiate a business-friendly Cascade Avenue rebuild project. Wilder said, "I understood that a TUP was for one owner, one business.

"It seems like this one has gotten off track, now we have 91 vendors coming for any time in a six-month period. I don't think this is good for the community at all.

"I would think that you would want to have black-out dates on certain dates where individual(s) have spent 40-plus years developing a program that is known nationwide to have people come to see us," said Wilder. "I've had personal talks with Mr. Esterman. I said, 'You are really riding coattails.' I suggested that he come the next weekend (after the Quilt Show) and he said, 'No, I'm really not interested in that.'"

Longtime business owner Kathryn Leavitt said, "I can't imagine all the time and effort this town has put in to beautifying this city, and the first thing that you see when you come into town is tent city. What I read was that they were doing this to help bring people to town. I see this a piggy-backing on all the big events that people have established for years to bring in people."

The business owners also complained that the City has consistently said, "We will work on this later," in reference to the transient vendor issue, but nothing ever gets done. On the spot the council arranged for a workshop on special permits for Thursday, June 19, at 8 a.m. Visitor communication is not allowed but the public is welcome to attend.

City attorney Steven D. Bryant explained to the council and the audience that, since it would serve as an appeals body, the council could not comment on the issue until after the TUP had been reviewed by the planning commission. He urged the speakers to make themselves heard at the planning commission's review of this issue.

Current city code provides for a 180-day Temporary Use Permit (TUP) for businesses that are not going to operate year-round. The City currently offers a transient merchant license for businesses that want to operate on a day-to-day basis on private property.

The $500 TUP is used for more permanent facilities that will only be open a portion of the year. The holder of a TUP is allowed to be open 180 days out of any 360-day period.

The holder of a transient merchant license must pay $100 per day of operation. A key provision of the transient license is that all sales transactions covered under that specific license must transact through a single "cash register."

A transient merchant license is required for each vendor accepting payment, regardless of the TUP status.

In lieu of the planning commission review of Hung's TUP, Esterman, Hung's business and marketing director, has applied for a single temporary merchant license on the site in question. His plan is for 91 tent-booths on the property during Quilt Show weekend.

As discussed in the council workshop and in the council meeting, each of Esterman's vendors will be required to have their own temporary merchant license on display, and each vendor will be liable for the $100-per-day fee.

If the on-site vendors do not have their own license, they cannot directly accept any form of payment for their goods or services. All cash, check or credit-card transactions must physically go through Esterman's licensed single tent-booth.

City staff will be checking for licenses and paid fees at each booth during the event set-up and again at the opening of the event. Licenses and fees can be obtained on the spot. Booths without proper licensure will be asked to shut down by City staff. Law enforcement can help to ensure compliance if needed.