FRIDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2017
THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 5
Local
City Planning discusses zoning Arrests
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BY GINA K. SWARTZ
Gina@TheBakerCountyPress.com
On Wednesday De-
cember 20, 2017 the City
Planning Commission held
a public work session to
discuss potential re-zoning
of properties and devel-
opment of a Residential-
Professional zone.
The work session agenda
called for an election of
officers and a review of
minutes from the No-
vember 29,2017 meeting,
however Chair Alan Blair,
Tim Collins, Shem Carlson
and Brandy Bruce were not
present.
With only Vice Chair
Ken Rockwell, Don
Herman and Aaron Still
present a quorum was not
met and therefore official
business could not be ad-
dressed.
Those present did hear
from Planning Director
Holly Kerns and Senior
Planner Eva Henes about
the proposed changes that
included the creation of a
Residential-Business zone.
Kerns said that in her
opinion, such a zone was
needed as more and more
people were requesting
conditional use permits to
operate businesses out of
residential homes.
She explained that due
to the increase, she and
her staff felt that perhaps
it was time for the City to
look at re-zoning certain
areas and creating a resi-
dential -business zone to
meet the changing needs
Gina K. Swartz/ The Baker County Press
Planning Commissioners L-R Ken Rockwell, Don Herman and Aaron Still.
of the community and be
more attractive to new
prospective businesses
looking to relocate and live
in the home that they oper-
ate business. Kerns told the
Commission that she felt it
was time to “embrace the
changes.”
One area of concern was
the area of North Main
Street, where there is
already a mix of residential
homes and businesses.
That area currently has
an accounting office build-
ing, a dental office building
and an attorney’s office as
well as several homes.
Proposed changes would
also include buildings
downtown that had the
potential to be occupied by
a business on the ground
floor and a home on the
second floor.
Kerns noted that there
are several buildings
downtown that are taking a
long time to sell. Potential
buyers it seems are more
interested in buildings that
can provide more than one
use.
There are several build-
ings downtown currently
that have a business on the
ground floor and a resi-
dence on the second, but a
conditional use permit is
required.
That is a process that is
deterring buyers.
If changes were made
allowing the area to be-
come residential-business
zoned buyers might be
more likely to consider the
property.
Don Herman asked if
due to the Historical aspect
these downtown buildings
that would be allowed and
was advised that it would
because the structure
would not be changed just
the overall use.
Vice Chair Ken Rock-
well brought up the fact
that it really didn’t happen
often enough, he felt, to
warrant creating an actual
residential-business zone.
He cited a business on
the corner of Main and
Campbell Street that was
operating with a condi-
tional use permit.
He recounted all the work
done by planners to get
that accomplished for the
business but said it worked
quite well.
He believed the process
worked well and felt it
should stay in place rather
than re-zoning.
It was noted that once
zoning is changed it is
difficult to go back and
often there are unforeseen
consequences.
SEE PLANNING
PAGE 9
However, Payne
continued to move behind
Officer Smith until Baker
County Sheriff’s Deputy
Gabe Maldonado arrived
on scene and stopped
Payne. Payne resisted
arrest and a Taser was de-
ployed by Officer Smith.
Deputy Maldonado was
then able to take Payne
Photo courtesy of the BCSO.
into custody.
Officer Shannon Regan
Aaron Hansen.
arrived on scene and was
able to take the driver,
identified as Aaron Ray Hansen (12/04/75) into custody
for Attempting to Elude a Police Officer and Felon in
Possession of a Restricted Weapon.
Sergeant Chastain arrived on scene and using Drug
Detection Dog “Capa,” conducted an open air sniff on a
backpack that Payne had dropped on the ground when he
walked away from the car. Capa alerted on the backpack
and a search warrant was written. A subsequent search
revealed approximately 50 grams of methamphetamine
and other drug paraphernalia. In addition to the charge of
failing to obey Officer Smith (Interfering with a Police
Officer), Payne was also charged with: Possession of a
Controlled Substance (Meth), Delivery of a Controlled
Substance (Meth), Resisting Arrest, Escape III, and As-
saulting a Public Safety Officer.
Colton
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The horses bolted with one passenger in the carriage,
which ran over Colton’s leg in the process. The car-
riage is light, and Colton’s injuries were very minor. He
“walked away from the incident,” said Chastain.
The horses continued until one slipped on the icy
intersection of 10th and Campbell. The horse suffered
some abrasions, said Chief Wyn Lohner. The passenger
was able to exit the carriage, and a bystander who knew
his way around horse tack freed the fallen horse from the
carriage. The animal stood of his own accord.