Wednesday,February24,2016The Nugget Newspaper,Sisters,Oregon5
City may increase parks SDC
By Sue Stafford
Correspondent
The Parks Advisory
Board heard from Patrick
D a v e n p o r t , c o m m u n i t y
development director, that
staffisconsideringtheneed
toincreasetheparkssystem
developmentcharges(SDCs).
SDCs are fees paid by
builders per unit built to
covercertainexpensestothe
City created by new dwell-
ingunits.Forexample,with
anewsubdivisiongoingin,
therewillbeimpactsonthe
existing sewer and water
systemsaswellasincreased
use of City parks by new
residents. SDCs pass the
cost of necessary improve-
mentsontothebuildersand
thusthenewhomebuyersor
renters, rather than requir-
ing existing residents to
payforcostsrelatedtonew
developments.
ThecurrentparksSDCin
Sistersis$613perdwelling,
by far the lowest in the
majorCentralOregoncom-
munities. The total SDCs
for all services on a single
1,800-square-foot, three-
bedroom,two-bathhousein
Sisters run about $10,000.
Comparable SDCs in Bend
are$40,000to$60,000.
In some communities,
like Madras, an equivalent
dwelling unit basis is used
indeterminingparksSDCs,
soeveryonepays,including
businesses.Forexample,the
localMcDonald’smaybethe
equivalent of six dwelling
units,andwouldberequired
topaysixtimestheratefor
asingleresidentialdwelling
unit.
InSisters,thecommercial
andindustrialpropertiespay
higherpropertytaxessothey
are not required to pay the
SDC.
The Parks Advisory
Board voted to recommend
to Sisters City Council an
increase in parks SDC fees
to$1,368,alittleoverdou-
blethecurrentfee.Council
willreceivethatrecommen-
dationandconductapublic
hearing, probably in May.
The proposed change also
has to be forwarded to the
Central Oregon Builders
Association for notification
of any builders working in
Sisters.
At their March 3, 8 a.m.
workshop, council will be
reviewingthePAB’srecom-
mended Parks Master Plan
(minustheSDCs)withpos-
sibleadoptionattheMarch
19,7p.m.Councilmeeting.
ThePABalsobegandis-
cussion on establishing a
policy for selecting names
fornewparks.Theylooked
at possible criteria such as
the name being consistent
with the town’s Western
theme, or in memory of a
resident of local signifi-
cance.Theywillsolicitpub-
licinputbeforefinalizingthe
policy.
Child seat safety
program on tap
T h e S i s t e r s - C a m p
ShermanRFPDwasawarded
a reimbursement-based
grant through the Oregon
DepartmentofTransportation
to provide child passenger
seatservicestothecommu-
nity. The grant provides up
to $1,200 over the next 10
monthstoassistinpurchas-
ing supplies needed to con-
ductachildsafetyseatpro-
gramandrequiresanin-kind
matchfromtheDistrictof25
percent.This match will be
metbyvolunteersconducting
child safety seat checks for
the community throughout
theyear.
AccordingtotheCenters
for Disease Control (CDC),
motor vehicle injuries are
theleadingcauseofprevent-
able deaths and injuries to
childrenintheUnitedStates.
Correctly used, child safety
seats can reduce the risk of
deathbyasmuchas71per-
cent.Mostcarseatsareeither
installed incorrectly, or do
not fit the child properly.
Providingeducationtocare-
giversabouthowtoproperly
buckletheirchildrenisasim-
pleandhighlyeffectiveway
tomakeadifference.
Thenextcarseatcheckup
event will be held on
Saturday,March5,from10
a.m.to1p.m.attheSisters
firestation,locatedat301S.
ElmSt.inSisters.Seatswill
becheckedbynationallycer-
tifiedcarseattechniciansfor
properinstallationandrecall
information. Caregivers
will then be assisted in
installing their child’s seat
properly.
For more information,
contact Heather Miller,
S i s t e r s - C a m p S h e r m a n
fire district volunteer at
541-729-5791.