october19 2017
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VERNONIA’S
volume11 issue20
www.vernoniasvoice.com
reflecting the spirit of our community
City and Developer Remain Deadlocked on Nickerson Ridge Estates Issues
Homeowners left waiting for questions to be answered
By Scott Laird
The City of Vernonia
and the developer at Nickerson
Ridge Estates, a subdivision of
homes and lots located off of
Knott Street, have been unable
to resolve questions about who
is responsible for inadequate
infrastructure that was installed
when the development was
originally constructed in 1998-
2000. The lack of any progress
towards resolving the issues has
left eight current homeowners,
builders, and real estate agents
unable to sell any property or
secure any new building per-
mits from the City. The situ-
ation now looks like it will be
decided in court.
During the last two
winters several residents in the
development have had to deal
with storm water run-off and
poor drainage, and some have
had several instances of minor,
localized flooding.
Terry Lindauer and his
wife Gretchen are one of the
homeowners in the Nickerson
Ridge Estates development that
have been caught in the middle
as the two sides have tried to
resolve who is responsible for
fixing the drainage and storm
water problems. In addition
to the localized flooding, the
Lindauers have been unable to
secure a building permit to con-
struct a workshop they planned
to build on the adjacent lot they
purchased when they bought
their home in the subdivision in
October of 2015.
“I truly believe that
there are issues in this situa-
tion that both parties, the City
of Vernonia and the
developer, are respon-
sible for,” says Terry
Lindauer.
“I don’t
think the developer
completed things like
he should have, and/
or missed things that
should have been
caught. And certainly
the City has a respon-
sibility because they
let eight houses be
built and now they’re
not allowing any
building permits, so
obviously the things
that are preventing
me from building my
shop should have pre-
vented these houses
from being put here.
Somehow all of that
stuff got overlooked.
Both parties are at fault.”
cerns in 2015 about
the
development.
While investigating
the original develop-
ment permits and ap-
provals that took place
from 1998 to 2000,
Schrader uncovered
documents that ap-
peared to require the
developer to make
improvements.
He
also uncovered a lack
of documentation that
shows whether or not
those improvements
ever occurred. In ad-
dition to water run-off
issues, he has raised
concerns about a lack
Terry and Gretchen Lindauer’s home in Nickerson Ridge Estates has experienced
of adequate water
flooding due to insuffient drainage. In addition, the Lindauers have been unable
pressure to fire hy-
to obtain a permit to build their shop on the adjoining lot.
drants in the develop-
ert and David, and Doug Wolf. did not begin until 2012. The
ment, street improve-
The initial infrastructure for the owners of the lots in the sub- ments that never occurred, an
development, including streets, division were not contacted or undersized culvert, and viola-
sidewalks, electricity, water, interviewed for this article.
An uncertain history
tions of Department of State
Tony Schrader, who Lands laws, including rerouting
The story of what has sewer, and storm water drain-
happened at Nickerson Ridge age was installed in 1998-2000 lives adjacent to the subdivision of Knickerson Creek.
continued on page 3
Estates during the last 20 years but construction of any homes on Knott Street, first raised con-
is complex and confusing. A
gap of almost 12 years, from
the time the development re-
ceived final approval to when
any construction took place,
created a lack of a paper trail
and institutional knowledge on
how or why certain issues were
never dealt with. Uncovering
the truth, and in the end who is
responsible for the problems,
has been difficult.
The Nickerson Ridge
Estates housing development
was initially constructed by
James Smejkal and the un-
developed lots are currently
owned by Smejkal’s sons Rob-
inside
8
10
winterizing
the garden
meet the
exchange students
11
vhs fall sports
19
salmon festival
Council Hears Results of Smoking Survey
The Vernonia City Council received
the results at their October 16, 2017 City Coun-
cil Meeting from the Smoking Survey the City
sent out with the last utility bill.
The Survey asked whether citizens ap-
proved of smoking restrictions in City Parks
(YES vote), or were against the smoking re-
strictions (NO vote). Details of the restrictions
are contained in City Ordinance 914 which
is currently under consideration by the City
Council.
153 (7.25%) individuals responded to
the survey, with 67 (45.76%) saying they ap-
proved of restricting smoking in parks, 3 say-
ing they approved of restrictions but wanted to
see changes in the ordinance, and 83 (54.24%)
saying they disagreed with the proposed re-
strictions.
Council had tabled a vote on the ordi-
nance at their September 18 City Council meet-
ing and asked for staff to send out the survey
in order to gather more community input. The
Council said they would decide the matter at
their November 6, 2017 meeting.
Skate Park Advocates Pack City Council
Citizen group
asks Council
to support
construction of
new facility in
Spencer Park
Advocates for
the construction of a
new skate park facility
in Vernonia filled City
Hall to standing room
only at the City Council meeting on
October 16, 2017 in support of the citi-
zen led effort.
Council heard a presentation by
Wendy Sears, a citizen who started the
grassroots effort. Jeremy Simmons also
addressed the Council and told them he
had 82 signatures on petitions that had
been circulated in the community in the
previous few days.
The crowd was made up mostly
of students, youths, younger adults, and
parents. At least 60 people were in at-
tendance to hear the presentation and
show support for the project.
Sears addressed the Council
and told them the City has an area of
about 6,000 square feet in the southeast
corner of Spencer Park, near the site of
the old School District office and main-
tenance shed, that is designated in the
Parks Master Plan to be used as a skate
park.
Sears said the group is cur-
rently working with the Tony Hawk
Foundation and will be applying for a
$25,000 grant; they are receiving tech-
nical assistance from the foundation
continued on page 5