Section
SANDY, O REG O N
THURSDAY FEBRUARY 18 1982
The Srfntiy Post
Area News
Hearing set Feb. 22 on mobile home park
by MICHAEL P. JONES
Pont Correspondent
An appeal set for Feb 22 at 9 a m
before the Clackamas County Com
missioners will decide the fate of a
mobile home subdivision planned in
the Brightwood area
The 192-unit subdivision is being
proposed by Hoodland residents Paul
Rice, a partner in Merit Properties in
W elches; fo rm e r in d ep en d en t
engineer Bruce Erickson, who is cur
rently working for Clackamas Coun
ty; paving contractor Jim Turin;
plumbing contractor Claude Gudge;
Torn Monstis of Merit Properties;
and attorney Lowell Njust. who is
representing the six partners as legal
counsel
On Dec 9 of last year Hearings Of ings officer. Cnst wrote that the pro
ficer Richard Crist issued a decision
posed subdivision was in further con
denying a conditional use permit for
flict with the specifications of both
the 48 acre development, which was the Mt. Hood Community Plan and
proposed in an area zoned for “ urban
the Clackamas County Plan as they
densities ”
include provisions to protect wildlife
His denial overruled a planning
habitats
staff recommendation to approve the
"The proposal conflicts with provi
development, subject to conditions
sions relating to wildlife habitats and
The hearings officer's ruling was distinctive resource areas with the
based on decisions that ranged from
Clackamas County Plan which call
the developer's decision to construct
for minimizing adverse wildlife im
private roads rather than roads built
pacts in sensitive habitat areas in
according to county specifications, cluding deer and elk winter range
failure to satisfy the Clackamas
below 3,000 feet elevation." wrote
County Comprehensive Plan, and Crist
failure “ to satisfy criteria set forth
"Again, the record does not in
within the Zoning and Development
dicate that the designated winter
Plan "
range area within the subject proper
In a wntten decision by the hear ty can be adequately replaced by
omer land ana that adequate m itiga
tion factors can be employed.” he
wrote
“ The hearings officer notes that
deer winter range areas are 3,000 feet
elevation and below as set forth
lin ), the Clackamas County Com
prehensive Plan A significant por
tion of that land below 3,000 feet
elevation within the Mt. Hood Cor
ridor area is designated for develop
m ent fo r o th e r th an n a tu ra l
resources
"The record does not indicate that
there is adequate land which can and
will be protected for deer winter
range to preserve the project and an
ticipated resource ”
The proposed development was
also found to be in violation of
Must fight bureaucracy
I lydro developer jumps through hoops
by MICHAEL P. JONES
Post Correspondent
The developer of a proposed micro-
hydroelectric plant on Henry Creek
has offered to sit down and talk with
opponents of the project.
Douglas Pegar, one of the partners
in the energy development firm of
D o u g las W a te r C o m p a n y , of
Gladstone, has extended an invita
tion to members of the Rhododen
dron Neighborhood Association and
the board of the area's water com
pany, the Rhododendron Summer
Home Association, to sit down and
discuss the project
The hydro-electric project is plann
ed for Henry Creek, on U S. Forest
Service land, above the area's
domestic water source.
Pegar said that the fears that his
hydro-electric project will be install
ed overnight are unfounded due to all
the regulations the project must
meet.
He said another micro-hydro pro
je c t on Canyon Creek in the
Clackamas River drainage has taken
two and a half years so far, and there
is still much work to be done before it
will be producing energy
It ’s going to take a couple of years
to get everything worked out. Pegar
said “We’re not in any hurry to
ramrod the thing through ”
Pf ¿ar blames the number of coun
ty, state and federal agencies, which
he and other hydro developers must
deal with, fcr h ing
created a
bureaucratic confusion that has
resulted in delays.
He said these government agencies
are making him “jump through the
hoops’* only to make him “jump
through some more”
He estimates that there are at least
three agencies that look at a project
to make sure that the site, as well as
the hydro’s operation, will not
disturb property downstream.
“ It seems as soon as you go
through one set of agencies,“ said
Pegar, “ you have to go through
another set that has different re
quirements.
CPO elects officers
The new Mt Hood Corridor's
Citizen Planning Organization has
completed election of the board
members.
An estimated 100 persons attended
the CPO’s Feb 4 meeting at Welches
Grade School and elected John
McMahan. Brightwood, chairperson
Tom Morrison, Zigzag, was elected
v ic e
c h a irp e rs o n ;
L in d a
Fredrickson. Zigzag, was elected
s e c r e ta r y , and T e r r y K e n t,
Brightwood, was elected treasurer.
The a t-la r g e re p re s e n ta tiv e s
elected were Wes Post, George
Walker and Bob Doorman.
Cal Bertram and M arilyn Hill were
chosen as representatives for the
Wildcat-Sleepy Hollow area.
Dick Taylor was elected to replace
Guy Thornberg as Brightwood’s
representative.
“ Eventually, you’ll get through all
of them and end up with some accep
table goals for each,” he said”
The area’s neighborhood associa
tion is attempting to stop the Forest
Service from issuing a permit to
Pegar’s company, which would allow
them to study the stream further for
hydroelectric development. The
organization fears that if a study per
mit is issued, a construction permit
could also be issued, and they claim
such a project would destroy the
purity of the drinking water.
In a letter dated Oct. 12, 1981. to
Senator Robert W. Packwood of
Oregon, the group’s chairperson.
Wendell Tobey, warned that pure
water, like Henry Creek’s, is rapidly
becoming a scarce natural resource
in the area and that Pegar’s project
permit should be denied
“ We unanimously agree that any
such installation would be entirely
undesirable,” wrote Tobey. “ It
would require road building, which in
turn would cause erosion and silta-
tion; installation of a dam that would
distrub anadromous fish (salmon
and steelhead) migration as well as
excessive turbidity and in turn cause
tremendous amounts of impurities to
enter the catch basin of the local
water system
“ Once a stream bed is disturbed, a
long period of time is required before
the stream can re-establish itself."
Pegar said that the neighborhood
group and the area's water company
have preconceived ideas of what the
impact on the environment will be.
He claims it would be minimal.
“ They are totally unaware of how a
small hydro system operates and
what it takes to build one," said
Update planned by
Community School classes to be
held this evening are: "Ballet for All
Ages." with leader Bethany Dalton,
at 6 p m in Welches school gym;
“ Snowshoe Outings” group meeting
at 7 p m
in Welches lib ra ry ;
“ Wrestling for Kids" in Welches
Room 15 beginning at 7 p m .; and
“ Recreation Basketball" in Welches
gym beginning at 7 30 For further
information on any of these classes
call Community School Coordinator
Reva Cox at 622 3397
W y’East Artisan’s Guild will be
sponsoring a class in "Pattern Knit
ting" by Patsy Perkins, beginning
this evening at 6 p m TH E STRAN
D IN G AND W EAVING "pattern
knitting" techniques will be taught.
Learn to read and follow existing pat
terns and to design your own pattern
For more information and meeting
location call Carol Unkefer, 622 3077
The Mt. Hood PreSchool Co-Op
w ill hold its monthly parent's
meeting this evening beginning at 7
p m in the Hoodland Women’s Club
on
S alm on
R iv e r
Road
Refreshments will be served
Tonight at 7.30 the five-year up
date of the Mt. Hood Community
Plan begins This first meeting for
citizens to review resource maps and
inventory data of the Mt Hood Com
munity Plan will be held a the
Hoodland Women’s Club These
meetings are in response to and as a
result of the LCDC Continuance
Order that requires attention to
wetlands and to rural development
outside the Hoodland Sewer District,
and also because the 1976 community
plan is now due ror a five-year up
date This is an opportunity for
Mount Hood residents an the
Clackamas County Board of Com
missioners to jointly discuss and
study proposed revisions suggested
to update the Mount Hood Communi
ty Plan. Future update meetings will
also be held at the Women’s Club, on
March 18, April 5, April 20, and May
10. Finally on May 26 a Board of
County Commissioners public hear
ing on the proposed plan update will
be held at the Hoodland Women’s
Club
A Forest Service Community Pro
gram will be presented this evening
at Welches School cafeteria beginn
ing at 7:30. Slide shows will include
“ Activities at W y’East," which ex
plores the new Day Lodge at
Timberline and the sevices that they
offer there and “ Winter on the Moun
tain,” which captures spectacular
winter scenes of the Mt. Hood area
Special guest speaker will be Zig Zag
District Ranger Chuck Smay. Tom
Iraci, USFS, will moderate the pro
gram
Please turn to Page 3.
Welches Community School class
by GWEN BOGH
asked, “ What are the affects of drop
ping out of these programs?"
In other business, the board last
week recognized a communications
problem between themselves and
assisting committees.
A projected deficit of $40,000 at Bor
ing has been cut almost in half, ac
cording to school board members.
Money collected from late property
taxes, and savings from a teacher be
ing layed off, caused the sharp
decline in the deficit.
Nothing is put in writing as to how
the board and the committees should
in te ra c t. Board M e m b e r C a rl
Aschoff said, “ My main interest is to
tie the groups together."
A written policy may be drafted to
“clearly define" responsibilities of
committees and how they should in
teract with the board.
Originally the board viewed the
elimination of the prim ary bus run as
one of the best ways to save money
But, at the board meeting last week,
that view changed
The budget committee had sug
gested the idea at a recent meeting
as a way to save money.
In other business, the Boring
Neighborhood Advisory Committee
contacted Joe Taylor, superinten
dent, regarding $30,000 of available
federal funds earmarked for park
improvements.
The money is part of a $180,000
federal grant allocated to Boring for
community improvements.
Board Chairman Gale Meier said,
“ It was moved and seconded (at the
budget committee meeting) not to
eliminate the 2 p m . bus run this year
but to look at it next year if we are
having budget problems before the
year starts ”
Hoodland Rural Fire Lt. Richard
Curtis will teach CPR beginning this
evening at 7 p.m , at the Hoodland
Fire Hall. Learn the life saving
techniques of CPR and what you
should do when a person has a heart
attack. A second class on February
25 will conclude this Community
School sponsored program This pro
gram is free
With the budget deficit on the
decline, the board is looking op
timistically toward the end of the
school year in hopes that a zero
balance can be achieved
“Greek Cooking" will be the sub
ject of this evening’s Community
School cooking program at Welches
School kitchen Group leader Kim
Schroeder will demonstrate how to
prepare several authentic Greek
dishes Class starts at 7 p m
If incoming property taxes don’t
decrease the deficit, other program
cutbacks will be pursued, specifical
ly, the spring sports program and the
Talented and Gifted Program
Concern was voiced by M eier’s at
the budget committee meeting He
Utilizing the $30,000 by construc
ting a park on the Boring School
grounds is the neighborhood commit
tee's recommendation to the board.
If the construction of the park is ap
proved, certain park regulations
would follow.
A c c o rd in g to H e le n L e a r e ,
C lac ka m as County co m m u n ity
development specialist, the park
could not be used by the school more
than four hours a day.
Also, school administrators would
be responsible for the operation and
maintenance of the park, but the
county would handle the contracting
and developing of it
Connie Reynolds, PTA president,
SATURDAY, FEB. 29
“ Weaving on the Back Strap
Loom" will be the subject of a class
taught by W y'East Artisian Guild
president Phid Simmons from 10
a m to 3 p m. Learn to construct a
backstrap loom, set up the warp and
other basics of weaving on a loom
Call Carol Unkefer at 822-3077 for
meeting location and further infor
mation
SUNDAY. FEB. 21
The Wy’East Artisan's Guild spon
sored workshop on “ Weaving on the
Back Strap Loom" continues today
from io a m. to 3 p m
MONDAY. FEB. 22
A senior citizens lunch, sponsored
by Loaves and Fishes, will be served
at 11:30 a m in the Welches School
library.
TUESDAY. FEB . 23
This morning beginning at 9:30 in
the house of Marge Wicks, learn to
sew a simple front pack baby carrier.
Step-by-step instructions will be pro
vided Call 622-5382 for directions to
the instructor's home. This is a
uur information on deer popula
tions and use of the area come from
several inventories and many per
sonal observations were made during
the harsh w inter months when
animals are forced to low elevations.
The existing deer population of
the corridor is depressed because of
the limited available habitat," wrote
Donaldsn “ Careful management of
the remaining habitat in the drainage
is required to maintain a viable deer
population."
D o n aldson
a c k n o w le d g e d ,
however, that “ not all the land is of
equal value to deer," and that some
“ have a greater need for protection
than others because of existing
developments, slopes, roads and
available forage "
Conflicts between big game and
envelopments can only be resolved
once a suitable growth plan is
adopted that “ protects adequate big
game habitat."
In the ap p eal file d by the
developers, it is argued that since the
ruling by the hearings officer the Mt.
Hood Community Plan has been ac
cepted by LCDC and therefore the
plan meets the state’s land use goals.
The Mt Hood Plan would allow the
development of this land They will
argue this point before the county
commissioners that “ the hearings of
ficer’s ruling should be rendered
moot since the approval of the Mt.
Hood Plan by LCDC."
The hearing for the Alderwood ap
peal is scheduled for 9 a m Monday
in the Courthouse Annex, 906 Main
Street, in Oregon City. The hearing
will be held in the commissioners’
chambers on the second floor.
Projected $40,000 deficit
is cut in half at Boring
Though an estimated $2,701 might
be saved through the remaining year
by doing away with the run, the
board members agreed that the sav
ings isn’t worth the disruption it
would cause to classes and students.
Hoodland Happenings
THURSDAY, FEB. 18
A senior citizens lunch, sponsored
by Loaves and Fishes, will be served
at 11:30 a m at the Welches School
library. Transportation and further
information is available by calling
Maxine Worley at the Senior Center,
622 3331.
Pegar. “They think you’re going to
take a bulldozer up there and rape
the land, which wouldn't be the case
at a ll."
Pegar said that he would not be
constructing any roads to the project
sit .
The project’s five-foot, ten inch
dam which would be constructed on
the creek, would also reduce turbidi
ty, according to Pegar, because it
would reduce the surges of water that
plunge down the creek during the
Oregon s Land Conservatin and
Development Commission (LCDC)
goals
The hearings officer ruled that by
failing to conserve open space and
protect natural and scenic resources
“ including w ild life areas and
habitats,” that they were in violation
of goals two and five.
In a letter written to Njust on Jan.
27, from John R Donaldson, the
director of the Department of Fish
and Wildlife, he wrote it was not his
agency's intent “ to single out your
Alderwood Mobile Home Subdivision
as having a greater or lesser impact
to w ild lif e th an o th e r la rg e
developments proposed in that
area."
Rather it is “ the cumulative effect
of such development on wildlife
populations dependent on habitat in
the corridor "
“The Fish and Wildlife Protection
Plan for Clackamas County, com
pleted in 1980...shows the Mt. Hood
Corridor as being important habitat
for big game," wrote Donaldson.
“ Our recommended m axim um
densities for this area are one dwell
ing on 80 acres.
“ In our mapping of big game
habitat in the county, the corridor
was the only significant conflict that
has occurred because of the pressure
to continue development for com
mercial and residential use within
identified wildlife habitat.
“ A report on the Salmon River
Drainage in 1971, addresses the fact
that lands which could provide good
forage for deer in the bottom of the
drainage are becoming saturated
with developments
This Photograph of Mt. Hood, a double exposure, give« one a different view of the
1
tapped peak
said, “ Helen felt that this is one of the
most visible, available programs."
Receiving evaluation at the board
meeting were outdated and worn
science text books from the upper
grades.
Science and math teachers would
like to purchase new books for the
1982-83 school year.
State-adopted book lists will not be
published until next November but,
according to Gale Dunn, a teacher at
Boring, staff personnel generally
have an idea of what books will ap
pear on these lists
E arly purchasing would mean a
savings
No decision was made regarding
early book purchases
Position open
on Welches
School board
A position is open on the Welches
School Board for the coming election.
Persons interested in running for
the position should pick up an ap
plication at Welches School.
The filing deadline is5 p m on Feb
24. Filing may be accomplished by
petition, which requires 20 signatures
from registered voters in the
Welches District, or by paying a $10
filing fee