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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (May 16, 2018)
6 Wednesday, May 16, 2018 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon City snapshot By Sue Stafford Correspondent • On Thursday, May 17, at 5:30 p.m., the Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on the Transportation Safety Plan update. Public comment is invited or written comment can be submitted prior to the meeting to Kerry Prosser, city recorder. • The City Budget Committee approved the City budget for fiscal year 2018- 19. The budget, at $15.2 mil- lion, is $2 million larger than the 2017-18 fiscal year bud- get. A figure of 2.6417 percent of assessed property value was approved for the per- manent tax rate the City will receive. The fund balances are reportedly all healthy and all of the City Council goals were funded. The Urban Renewal Agency budget was approved with $80,000 approved for the streetscape design of Adams Avenue, which will include sidewalks, lighting, and landscaping. • During the month of June, Public Works will be doing slurry sealing on Main Avenue between Locust and Pine streets. One side of Main will be sealed at a time. All businesses on Main Avenue will receive a three-step noti- fication of the work to be done. Slurry seal is an asphalt emulsion with aggregate in it, like a smooth chip seal. • For the first four months of 2018, 35 building permits have been issued, 34 for sin- gle-family residences, and one for the 48-unit Village Meadows apartments for a total of 82 housing units. • Verizon has approached the City about the possibil- ity of establishing a series of small cell sites around town Dancers serve up free performance Dancers from Sisters Dance Academy will host a free Spotlight Showcase at Sisters High School on Friday, May 18, at 7 p.m. Team dancers will offer several special group numbers as well as feature their soloists and duets that will be compet- ing at the Turn it Up Dance Competition June 2. This performance is in addition to their end-of-the- year performance that will be held on Saturday, June 16. For more information visit www.danceinsisters.com. that can be mounted on build- ings, light standards, and flag- poles. The sites would allow Verizon to offer increased bandwidth. • City staff is preparing a business survey to be dis- tributed with the business license renewals. The survey will provide an opportunity for local business-owners to express their opinions regard- ing issues of importance to them. • Building projects are underway all over town, with more coming on line. The Lodge at Sisters assisted-living facility is in the framing stage. Construction projects have begun in North Sisters Industrial Park and Sun Ranch Business Park. Site work is underway on the future home of the Grandstay Hotel on Railway. The Village Meadows apartments are progressing rapidly. Habitat for Humanity is continu- ing construction at their McKinney Butte Road site and Hayden Homes is pounding away on the southwest side of town. Grand Peaks hous- ing development on Camp Polk Road is also underway. CROSSROADS AT A CROSSROADS Today, the Crossroads subdivision west of Sisters is facing a common challenge which is present all across the state and beyond. It is an issue of Private Property Rights. According to the CC&Rs of this devel- opment, Crossroads is a private property community. Th at means that all of the property within the development bound- aries is private property. Th e lots, the roads, the park, the bulletin board, and all of the common area are private property. Most of the people who live in Crossroads have moved here because of the seclu- sion. Crossroads is surrounded by the Deschutes National Forest, making it a heaven on earth for all sorts of people that love the outdoors. Th e solitude, the peace and quiet, the security, and the one-acre lots have aff orded a privacy that is trea- sured by those who live here. All of this could change, and quite soon, if some people that want to open Crossroads up to all outsiders succeed with their agenda. Th ey are advocating for allowing the general public to come into Crossroads, using our roads and our park for their enjoyment. Th e property owners in Crossroads pay for their lots, their property tax and their Crossroads Annual Assessment which is intended for the sole purpose of maintain- ing the roads, park and other upkeep. Th is Annual Assessment is not to be used for the entertainment of any outside interests. But that is exactly what will happen if the general public is invited into our commu- nity. Our park, which is currently a plain, dry three-acre lot, would need to have bathrooms, electricity, and water in order to handle the needs of the excess traffi c. Th ere is a law which can turn our private roads into public roads if this complete permission to trespass is not stopped at once. “Any established path or trail will trump private property rights” is the common expression that explains the legal concept of Adverse Possession by Prescription. Simply put, if we knowingly allow people to trespass on our private property, over time, that private property will become public property. Th ere are many legal cases that show that this com- mon law will usually win in court. Th ere are several cases of this law prevailing in the Bend/Sisters area. Th e Crossroads Board of Directors Annual Election is happening now. If you live in Crossroads, please vote for our Private Property Rights. Please vote for: ܂ Amber Barton – Position 3 ܂ Ron Tennant – Position 4 ܂ Geneieve Mackenzie – Position 5 Let’s keep ALL of Crossroads Private Property!
