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About Appeal tribune. (Silverton, Or.) 1999-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 21, 2016)
S ERVING THE S ILVERTON A REA S INCE 1880 50 C ENTS ● A U NIQUE E DITION OF THE S TATESMAN J OURNAL V OL . 135, N O . 40 W EDNESDAY , S EPTEMBER 21, 2016 SILVERTONAPPEAL.COM Debate over annexation engulfs city CHRISTENA BROOKS SPECIAL TO THE STATESMAN JOURNAL SILVERTON - Three proper- ty owners capitalized on a five- month window of opportunity to come into the city limits before the window essentially closed again at this month’s city coun- cil meeting on Sept. 12. Two properties — 4.87 and 9.5 acres — have been annexed by the city council in the past three months, and a third 24- acre parcel is partway through the application process. All three have used a streamlined mechanism resulting from a new state law requiring that a city’s council, rather than its voting public, decide annex- ations. In Silverton, where voters have denied all annexation re- quests during the past decade by a 2-to-1 margin, outlying property owners had a poor chance of coming into the city if they wished to. That was until March, when the Oregon State Legislature passed Senate Bill 1573. Locally, putting the annexation question back into the city council’s lap resulted in a flurry of action. “Voters aren’t required to “I think the market does a better job of deciding these kinds of things than a governmental agency.” GENE OSTER DEVELOPER have criteria or policies to de- termine whether they will ap- prove an annexation,” City Manager Bob Willoughby said. “Since an annexation decision by councilors is a land use deci- sion, they are required to have criteria upon which they must make their decision.” So, Silverton’s councilors an- nexed two properties in July and September, respectively, when their landowners satis- fied 12 criteria, including being inside the urban growth bound- ary, having access to utilities, and fitting into the city’s com- prehensive plan. In discussion at the Septem- ber meeting, Councilors Laurie Carter and Kyle Palmer chafing at the limitations imposed upon them by existing development code. Regarding the 9.5-acre prop- erty belonging to developer Gene Oster, there was a lengthy debate over the poor condition of the surrounding streets as the pair floated the idea of deny- ing his application based on transportation concerns. The See DEBATE, Page 2A Body found of Sublimity teen ZACH URNESS AND WHITNEY M WOODWORTH STATESMAN JOURNAL A Marion County teen who had been missing since Sept. 11 was found dead Thursday evening in the Three Sisters Wil- derness, according to the Lane County Sheriff’s Of- fice. Trevor Mitchell, 18, of Sublimity was discov- ered by hikers near Sep- aration Lake, in the wil- derness backcountry south of McKenzie Pass. The death will be in- vestigated by the Lane County Medical Examin- er’s Office, but the initial investigation indicates apparent suicide, the Sheriff’s Office said. Mitchell was last seen at noon Sunday, Sept. 11, in Stayton. He was re- ported missing later that evening. His black, four- door Toyota Corolla was found Sept. 13 at the Sep- aration Lake Trail- head east of Eugene. Lane County Sheriff’s Trevor Office Mitchell Search and Rescue personnel began searching the surround- ing wilderness and trails on foot and horseback starting Tuesday, said Ja- son Bowman, assistant search and rescue coor- dinator. A K-9 team joined the search Sept. 14, and crews continued their efforts Thursday. Family members said his sudden disappear- ance was “extremely un- characteristic” of Mitch- ell, an international bac- calaureate honors stu- dent at South Salem High School. Email wmwoodwort@ statesmanjournal.com, call 503-399-6884 or fol- low on Twitter @wmwood worth. John Gooley gets SEDCOR award PHOTOS BY DANIELLE PETERSON/STATESMAN JOURNAL Festivalgoers brave the rain during the 51st Mount Angel Oktoberfest on Saturday. The annual four-day festival celebrates the harvest with live music, Bavarian-style food and beer. OKTOBERFEST DRAWS CROWDS LAUREN E HERNANDEZ STATESMAN JOURNAL Heavy rain showers didn’t stop hundreds of visitors from flocking Saturday to Mount An- gel’s 51st annual Oktoberfest. Men and women dressed in dirndls and lederhosen to ring in the harvest season in traditional Bavarian style. Portland resident Petra Bar- don, who came dressed in a dirndl straight from her visit to Salz- burg, Austria, said she’s attended Oktoberfest events in Portland, but the Mount Angel celebration is more authentic. “It’s much more authentic and nicer because it’s less crowded,” Bardon said. More than 52 organizations of- See OKTOBERFEST, Page 3A John Gooley of Mt. An- gel, the vice president of sales at Sil- verton’s Withers Lumber, was hon- ored as Strategic Economic John Gooley Develop- ment Corporation’s (SEDCOR) “Construc- tion Alliance Member,” the economic develop- ment group announced recently. SEDCOR’s award win- ners were announced during its “Annual Hon- ors Luncheon,” held at Salem Convention Cen- ter with more than 300 SEDCOR members, civic and government officials were in attendance. Other awardees in- cluded: Key Bank, Com- munity Service; Sher- man, Sherman, Johnnie & Hoyt, Business Partner of the Year; Make it in the Willamette Valley pro- ject, Outstanding Public/ Private Partnership; Boshart Trucking, Agri- Business of the Year Award; CabDoor of Sa- lem, Manufacturer of the Year. “These awards honor local businesses and or- ganizations who create new jobs or economic op- portunities,” said SED- COR President Chad Freeman. “The event gives us an opportunity to step back and recog- nize the importance of vi- sion, creativity and stra- tegic partnerships in growing healthy busi- nesses and communi- ties.” Freeman also ac- knowledged SEDCOR’s board of directors, staff, and members for their collective role in stimu- lating $60 million of new investment this past year that added or retain near- ly 400 new jobs in the re- gion, Oregon’s Mid-Wil- lamette Valley. — Justin Much Market Stats Comparison Silverton, OR Through August 31st, 2015-2016 Men and women dressed in dirndls and lederhosen to ring in the harvest season in traditional Bavarian style at Oktoberfest, which continues Sunday. Online at SilvertonAppeal.com NEWS UPDATES PHOTOS » Breaking news » Get updates from the Silverton area » Photo galleries INSIDE Births, Marriages.................3B Calendar ...............................2A Classifieds..............................3B Life..........................................4A Obituaries .............................3B Sports......................................1B ©2016 Residential 2015 2016 % Change All Listings 381 296 ▼22% Residential Sold 297 231 ▼22% Average Sold Price $280,361 $280,814 ▲.009% Average Days on Market 131 104 ▼20.62% Average List Price to Sold Price Ratio 97.71% 98.60% ▲.89% Printed on recycled paper 119 N. Water St. Silverton, Or 97381 • 503.873.8600 • Harcourtsnworg.com 25