8 — THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS
FRIDAY, MAY 6, 2016
Local
Planning Commission
approves Idaho
Power permit
BY TODD ARRIOLA
Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com
The Baker County Plan-
ning Commission held a
public hearing on Thurs-
day, April 28, 2016, 6 p.m.,
in the matter of Condi-
tional Use Permit CU-16-
004, for the development
of three duplexes, and a
recreational vehicle storage
area, in the Hells Canyon
area, from applicant Idaho
Power Company.
Present from the Com-
mission were Chair Alice
Trindle, and members Jim
Grove, Randy Joseph,
Thomas Van Diepen, and
Kasey Wright.
Present Baker County
Planning Department staff
included Planning Direc-
tor Holly Kerns, Planners
Kara Harris and Carson
Quam, and Planning As-
sistant Kevin Berryman.
Attendance also included
representatives for the ap-
plicant, Idaho Power Com-
pany Real Estate Portfolio
Manager Laura Bishop,
and Project Manager/Engi-
neer Tim Ferguson.
Trindle called the meet-
ing to order, followed by
roll call, with the noted
absence of Commission
Vice Chair Lauri Hoopes,
Commission member Su-
zan Ellis Jones, and Senior
Planner Eva Ceder.
The minutes from the
Thursday, March 24, 2016
meeting were reviewed,
and approved, with a mo-
tion from Van Diepen, and
a second from Wright.
Trindle opened the hear-
ing, followed by recitation
of the standard hearing
statement. She asked
if there were any chal-
lenges to the jurisdiction
of the Commission to hear
the matter; if there were
any conflicts of interest,
or personal biases to be
declared by a Commission
member; and if there have
been any ex-parte contacts,
regarding the matter, to be
declared by a Commission
member, and each answer
was singly answered in the
negative.
Harris presented the
staff report for CU-16-004,
using the County’s Smart
Board interactive display,
to aid in the explanation.
Idaho Power Company,
Inc. (the applicant) has
requested approval for a
Planned Unit Development
(PUD), which includes
three duplex units (six
residential dwellings),
intended to be used for em-
ployee housing, and a 28-
unit capacity recreational
vehicle (RV) storage area,
on property owned by the
applicant, located in the
Eagle Island Loop area, in
Hells Canyon, eight miles
south of Copperfield Park.
The proposal is in support
of ongoing hydro-power
operations (Idaho Power
currently operates the
Brownlee, Oxbow, and
Hells Canyon Dams).
The properties are identi-
fied as Tax Lots 200 and
300, in Township 8 South,
Range 48 East, W.M. (Wil-
lamette Meridian), Baker
County, OR (References
14772, 12373, 900584,
and 900799). Tax Lot
200, parcel 1, around 29
acres (Reference 14772),
is zoned RR-5 (Rural Resi-
dential), and Tax Lot 300,
parcel 2, around 125 acres
(Reference 12373, 900584,
and 900799), is split-zoned
RR-5, and EFU (Exclusive
Farm Use). The PUD will
be located on Tax Lot 200,
and the RV storage area
will be located on Tax Lot
300.
Joseph interjected with a
question about whether the
applicant could sub-divide,
and sell some of parcel 2
at some point in the future,
which he said is a conflict
with the idea of a PUD
(The PUD is proposed
for parcel 1). Parcel 2
includes four, double-wide
manufactured homes, each
with an outbuilding; one,
single family residential
home, with a detached
garage, and an outbuild-
ing; and, two manufactured
homes, with accessory
storage buildings. Harris
responded that the appli-
cant would need to reapply
for anything like that,
and be heard again by the
Commission, and she also
stated later during her pre-
sentation, that Idaho Power
intends to remain the sole
property owner.
Trindle asked whether
the RV storage area would
be for employee storage
use, and Harris responded
that it would be, and that
there is no intended com-
mercial use, or intention to
use it for residential stay.
Trindle called upon the
applicant to testify, and
Bishop spoke solo first,
with the Commission.
She said that Harris had
covered the subject very
well so far, and Bishop
elaborated on the proposed
residences, facilitating em-
ployee travel from and to
Boise, and the landscaping,
speaking about the concept
of the Wildland Urban In-
terface, which is where de-
veloped areas intermingle
with undeveloped areas,
and it includes actions
taken to prevent damage,
or loss from wildfire. She
said that Idaho Power is
interested in reducing fuel
Todd Arriola / The Baker County Press
L-R: Tim Ferguson, Laura Bishop, Randy Joseph, Jim Grove, Alice Trindle, Tom
Van Diepen and Kasey Wright.
loads for potential wild-
fires, and in maintaining
the scenic quality.
Joseph asked how the
term “landscape” was de-
fined, and Bishop respond-
ed that it would include
preserving the natural
state, including maintain-
ing (or replacing) native
grasses, and not installing
any additional potential
fuels, such as shrubs, for
wildfire.
The discussion contin-
ued, including Ferguson,
during which, Bishop men-
tioned that Idaho Power
is celebrating its 100-year
anniversary this year, and
she emphasized the impor-
tance of the hydro-power
operational efforts.
After speaking about
other details, Trindle
closed the hearing, and
the Commission members
began a discussion regard-
ing the proposal. Joseph
voiced concerns about the
lack of deed restrictions
mentioned in the condi-
tions of approval, and he
said the zoning ordinance
requires them, whether
they’re included or not,
and this topic caused some
confusion, and significant
further discussion, first be-
tween Joseph, and Grove,
who went over details of
future expansion potential,
what percentage of area
exactly is developed, and
what is undeveloped, open
space, etc.
Kerns read statements by
Idaho Power, that the ap-
plicant acknowledges that
the Planning Commission
could require open space,
and Joseph said that, ac-
cording to the zoning ordi-
nance, it’s required, there’s
no choice, and the amount
of that space should
already be specified, and
be part of the deed restric-
tions, rather than the ap-
plicant reapplying later, to
address this issue. Joseph
said he was confused, be-
cause the applicant stated
there would be no issue
with the deed restrictions,
including minimum open
space standards, and he
didn’t understand why the
Commission may not even
include those requirements,
since they would be easily
met.
The Commission and
Kerns discussed includ-
ing these details in the
conditions of approval,
and Trindle reopened the
hearing, in order to speak
with Bishop and Fergu-
son. Trindle asked for
more clarity, and Bishop
elaborated, and stated she
has no issue with the deed
restrictions.
Trindle once again
closed the hearing, and
Kerns suggested some lan-
guage, to be added to the
Conditions of Approval.
She read the suggested
addition, which included
meeting open space
requirements. CU-16-004
was approved, noting the
addition as Conditions
of Approval #12, with a
motion from Grove, and a
second from Van Diepen.
Trindle read a hearing
process statement, and
then, Kerns provided the
Commission with a Direc-
tor’s Report.
During the report, Grove
asked whether the Com-
mission will conclude
efforts regarding Goal #5
issues soon, voicing his
frustration, along with
Joseph (Goal #5 is one of
the Statewide Planning
Goals & Guidelines, “To
protect natural resources,
and conserve scenic, and
historic areas, and open
spaces”).
Trindle said she wants to
get something completed,
and something to the
Commission, and Joseph
said that he didn’t get that
impression, during the last
discussion on the topic.
Grove said he’s willing to
discuss it at one more work
session, Joseph said that
there needs to be improved
criteria, and Trindle said
she intends to discuss it
at the next work session,
scheduled for Monday,
May 9, 2016, 5 p.m. The
next regular meeting is
scheduled for Thursday,
May 26, 2016, 6 p.m.
OTEC places first for NWPPA safety award
Oregon Trail Electric
Cooperative placed 1st in
the 2016 Northwest Public
Power Administration
(NWPPA) Safety Awards
competition held at the En-
gineering and Operations
Conference in Spokane,
Wash., on April 14, 2016.
“It is a great honor to be
recognized,” said Jeff An-
derson, OTEC’s Manager
of Safety and Loss Control.
“This award acknowledges
that OTEC’s safety record
is well above average and
that is attributed to the
culture of care we have for
one another and a healthy
respect we have for the
incredible power of elec-
tricity. We are committed
to safety. It is constantly
at the forefront of all of
our operations - whether
our crews are working
out in the field on top of a
power pole or processing
documents in the district
offices.”
Utilities from across the
Pacific Northwest, Alaska
and California compete in
this annual safety contest.
NWPPA safety contest
awards are based upon a
review of each utility’s
number of recordable
injury/illness cases (the
incident rate) and the lost
work days (the severity
rate).
In 2015, between the
150,001-500,000 hour
category, OTEC had no
lost time accidents. This
paired with the lack of
injury cases is what put
OTEC in the lead for the
recognition.
“Electricity is great
stuff – but, it is easy to
forget how dangerous
it can be,” said OTEC’s
Board President George
Galloway. “Our employees
are not only consistently
dealing with high-voltage
electricity, they are operat-
ing heavy equipment and
often working high in
the air, around the clock,
in less than favorable
weather conditions. This
past summer, they also
found themselves dealing
with wildfires of historic
proportion. This award ac-
knowledges our continued
perseverance and commit-
ment to safety.”
Galloway added,
“OTEC’s safety record
is the result of having
extraordinary employees
who make safety a priority.
The icing on the cake is
that our strong safety re-
cord substantially reduces
insurance premiums, helps
us control our rates to our
members and allow us to
remain in good standing
with the Occupational
Safety and Health Admin-
istration. All good things.”