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REDMOND FIRE & RESCUE | BURN TO LEARN
Planning
commission
votes for
code changes
BY NICK ROSENBERGER
Redmond Spokesman
The Redmond Urban Area Planning Commis-
sion on Nov. 21 voted unanimously 4-0, with two
absent, in favor of adopting amendments to the
Redmond Development Code, which give devel-
opers rules for building in Redmond.
The amendments come after the passage of Or-
egon House Bill 2001, which was implemented to
help property owners and developers build more
types of housing. That bill forced a reluctant city
council to pass changes to the city’s development
codes or abide by the more onerous, standardized
rules written in Salem.
With a limited timeframe to pass HB2001 re-
quirements, Redmond City Council asked the
planning commission to do another round of
amendments focused on improving clarity and
administration of the code including for reduced
lot sizes, design elements, deed restrictions and
applicability of certain zone districts, among other
things.
The unanimous vote puts the code changes one
step closer to their final adoption if the city coun-
cil votes in favor of the changes on Dec. 13.
“This has been a long process,” said John Rob-
erts, deputy city manager. “I feel like we’re getting
close to the finish line. I appreciate everyone’s ef-
fort.”
The document saw hundreds of changes to the
code, with the biggest amendments focused on re-
ducing redundancy with the annexation process,
updating the definitions for RVs and RV parks,
requiring a pre-development application before
the submission of a site and design review appli-
cation, amending the zoning map to expand the
existing downtown overlay district and reducing
the requirements for multi-family complex off-
FORGED
IN FIRE
RF&R sets donated school district
building on fire for training
Nick Rosenberger/Spokesman
A Redmond Fire & Rescue firefighter watches as a former Redmond School District building blazes during a controlled burn to learn training event on Nov. 22
in Redmond.
BY NICK ROSENBERGER • Redmond Spokesman
R
edmond Fire & Rescue
set fire to a former Red-
mond School District
building at 726 SW 23rd Street
during a controlled “Burn to
Learn” training event on Nov. 22
with the Black Butte Ranch Fire
Department.
See Code / A6
LOCAL
Nick Rosenberger/Spokesman
A firefighter with Redmond Fire & Rescue hoses down a former Redmond
School District building that was set on fire during a controlled burn to
learn training event on Nov. 22 in Redmond.
The fire departments got in their reps
on non-destructive skills prior to the
event, then started with smaller fires set
inside the building. The event finished
with complete obliteration of the building
According to Tom Mooney, fire
marshal for Redmond Fire & Rescue,
the event allows crews to train in a
controlled environment, without many
of the dangers present during a live
emergency. It is also can be financially
beneficial to the building’s owners.
“A lot of the time it’s cheaper than
(demolition),” Mooney said.
Mooney said it lets crews run
through the first steps necessary when
arriving on scene — making sure ev-
eryone is out of the structure and then
pinpointing the location of the fire.
The incident commander gives out as-
signments and manages the different
resources that are coming in.
See Burn / A6
Geared up for winter sports
Uniting Ukraine
Redmond couple heads off to help, A3
SPORTS
Turkey Trot
Kids lead the way in annual run, A8
Redmond Snow and Skate
steps into busy season
BY NICK ROSENBERGER
Redmond Spokesman
Tucked away off 6th Street,
boards and equipment line the
walls of the Redmond Snow and
Skate shop — waiting for their
turns on the mountain as winter
bears down on Central Oregon.
The shop, the only snow
sports-centric store in Redmond,
fills a gap in the northern half of
Deschutes County’s outdoor scene
with gear and services for the re-
gion’s winter sports. It is located at
315 SW Cascade Ave.
“We’re lucky enough to service
Madras, Prineville, Crooked River
Ranch, Warm Springs,” said Rick
Castro, the owner of Redmond
Snow and Skate. “All those northern
territories, they all used to have to
drive to Bend. Now they just come
here.”
It was never Castro’s plan to start
a shop focusing on snow sports
and skateboarding. He spent years
working in high-end, fine dining
restaurants and auto shops while
his wife worked toward her PhD.
His aim was to start a restaurant.
But, Castro wanted to dip his toe
into business ownership by trying
something else first.
See Winter / A8
Nick Rosenberger/Spokesman
Rick Castro, the owner of Redmond Snow and Skate at 315 SW Cascade Ave.,
leans on a ski getting waxed on Nov. 18.
WEATHER FORECAST
INSIDE
Calendar .......................................................A2
Opinion ........................................................A7
Coffee Break ............................................. A10
Classifieds ................................................. A12
THIS WEEK’S FORECAST SPONSORED BY
Volume 119, No. 12
USPS 778-040
TUESDAY
Cloudy
WEDNESDAY
Rain/snow
THURSDAY
Partly cloudy
FRIDAY
Partly cloudy
SATURDAY
Partly cloudy
SUNDAY
Partly cloudy
MONDAY
Cloudy
38/30
42/18
32/10
30/11
32/15
36/14
34/14
The Spokesman uses
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