Neighbors weigh in on campground

Sisters City Council chambers were packed with concerned neighbors of Creekside Campground for the December 3 meeting of the Parks Advisory Board (PAB) to discuss the future of the campground.

The consensus of those citizens in attendance was that they don't want to see the campground become larger or more visible, or more accessible to large RVs.

Their suggestions ranged from tearing it out to leaving it the way it is. The overarching emphasis was on the need for public input by the taxpayers of Sisters before any decisions are made regarding the future of the campground.

Pauline Hardie, community development manager, gave a review of the process to date for development of a draft master plan for the campground as well as a list of possible solutions to concerns raised by citizens in previous meetings.

Hardie concluded her overview by recommending that the next step be to discuss the purpose of and vision for the campground before going any further with a draft master plan and asked that more direction be provided to staff.

When the floor was opened for public comment, it became apparent there are several major themes of concern from the surrounding neighbors. Some indicated that they are feeling disregarded by and distrustful of the City. They pointed to the major upgrades made to the campground between 2008 and 2010 making it more of an RV park, with no notification of the public beforehand. The changes proposed last winter to cut down trees and create many more full RV hookups, also with no community outreach or hearings beforehand, added to their frustration.

They want to see determination of the purpose of the campground before any more development is planned. To some who spoke, it appears that the main driver is revenue generation for the City's general fund at the expense of the surrounding neighborhoods.

They requested that other aspects be considered including: Do we want the campground to reflect the character of Sisters? Do we want it to improve the quality of life for local residents or maximize the camping experience for users of the campground? Do we want it to stay the way it is, take it out and create open space, return it to its more rustic character prior to 2008, or upgrade facilities to better accommodate RVs?

Jennifer McCrystal, who purchased her home in 2005 before the campground became more of an RV park, said she has seen big changes made with no notifications or public input. She is concerned about the impact of the campground on property values and home sales.

Lynn Baker, who lives on South Locust Street, sees the campground being used as a revenue stream at the expense of residents. He sees, "no upside to the residents of Buck Run."

A long-time resident of South Locust Street, former fire chief Tay Robertson, sees it as "a question of where do we go from here." He is happy with the quality of park maintenance but does not want to see an increase in the number of full RV hookups.

"I like it the way it is. I think you need to listen closely to the neighbors," he said.

Robertson believes that if the campground becomes more of an RV park, it will change the rural character of Sisters.

"It shouldn't be about money. It's more about people being able to come to Sisters and stay affordably," he said.

Ed Protas, of South Oak Street, pointed out that in the improvements outlined in the 2011 Parks Master Plan (for all City parks) and in the City Council's capital improvements lists, the campground has not been identified as a desired project or priority, and there has been nothing in the budget earmarked for changes to the campground.

"Why is a large improvement project being considered?" he asked.

PAB members cautioned that in any discussions regarding the campground, positives must also be considered. It does, in fact, produce revenue for the City. The proximity to downtown makes it unique and a real asset to the businesses in town. And it does provide additional affordable lodging for big events like rodeo, quilt show, and folk festival.

City Council representative to the PAB, Wendy Holzman, reminded everyone present that this process is still just in draft form. The City Council is "attempting to do things differently and they are looking for solutions."

Liam Hughes, PAB chairman, proposed that before the board can go any further, they need additional guidance from the City Council. Hardie suggested that a joint workshop be held with the PAB and the Council, during which the PAB could share the community input they have heard. The workshop will probably occur sometime after the first of the year, when the new post-election council is seated.

At their workshop the next day, City Council agreed to the joint workshop, but decided there will be no public comment taken, relying instead on input from the PAB about what they have heard from the public over the past 10 months. The public is invited to attend. Letters will go out to residents of the adjoining neighborhoods informing them of the meeting.

There is one "in-city" volunteer position available on the Sisters City Parks Advisory Board, with a term that will end on August 1, 2015.

The new member will serve out the term of Jackie Wright, who recently tendered her resignation. If you have an interest in our parks and trails and would like to be involved in the decisions regarding them, you are urged to apply.

The board advises the city council on matters related to the acquisition, development, maintenance and preservation of public parks, trails and open space within the city limits. They typically meet once a month, although currently they have been very involved with the development of a new master plan for Creekside Campground. More information about the general functions and specific responsibilities of board members can be found on the Parks Advisory Board page of the City website at http://www.ci.sisters.us.

The board consists of seven members, who make application and are appointed by the mayor, with the consent of the Council. Current Board members are: Liam Hughes, chair; Phyllis Lewis, vice chair; Peggy Houge, David Magaret and Dixie Eckford; student representative Rory Petterson; and Council representative Wendy Holzman.

Applications are available on the City website at http://www.ci.sisters.us or at Sisters City Hall located at 520 E. Cascade Ave. Applications will be accepted until 5 p.m. on Friday, January 2, 2015. For more information contact Pauline Hardie, community development director, at 541-323-5208 or at [email protected]