City snapshot

The Sisters City Council adopted amendments to the City's master fees in order to recover the actual costs of providing services in the City. Some fees are increased, others decreased, and some eliminated. Fees for wastewater dumping at Creekside Campground will increase from $5 to $10 per dump. Some of the fee revisions are to reflect appropriate review costs associated with certain land-use applications. The fees become effective on July1, 2016, except for the dump fee, which becomes effective immediately. The overall net affect to the community development department budget should be minimal.

• The May 25 public hearing and consideration of a Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA) remand regarding the McKenzie Meadow Village assisted-living facility was continued until June 23. The continuance came as a result of the change in City legal counsel following the firing of Steve Bryant. David Allen, Madras attorney, will be handling all matters regarding the LUBA appeals and needs time to familiarize himself with all the issues regarding the appeals.

• City Manager Rick Allen has secured the services of Bend legal firm Bryant, Lovelin and Jarvis as new general legal counsel. Because of previous dealings with Mark Adolf and Pinnacle Alliance Group, BL&J are not able to represent the City in the pending LUBA appeals due to conflict of interest. Therefore, Madras attorney Dave Allen was approved by Council to represent the City in all matters regarding LUBA and McKenzie Meadow Village. Allen specializes in real estate and land-use law.

Jeremy Green is a partner at BL&J and will be lead counsel for the City. He will be assisted by his associate Alan Dale, a 2004 graduate of Sisters High School. Dale is currently doing extensive research into the occupation in Harney County of the Malheur Wildlife Refuge. Green specializes in real estate, employment, and municipal law. He currently works with 10 different municipal jurisdictions and a specialized practice for the City of Redmond.

• Representatives of the Deschutes County building department, Central Oregon Builders Association, and the Central Oregon Association of Realtors were all in attendance at last week's Council workshop to show their support for the transitioning of all Sisters building code administration to the County building department.

Following Council approval on June 9, starting on July 1, 2016, City of Sisters building permit applicants can be served personally by a County permit technician one day a week at Sisters City Hall as well at other times in La Pine, the County's satellite office in Redmond, and at the County's main office in Bend. The tech will provide personal service, and permit intake and issuance for City and County customers. The City's permit technician, Carol Jenkins, will have her job responsibilities and duties transitioned to other community development department program support functions.

• On Thursday, June 23, City Council and Planning Commission will have a joint session workshop at 5:30 p.m. to review proposed development code amendments regarding vacation rentals and cottage housing.