PAGE 14, KEIZERTIMES, JANUARY 2, 2015
The question thus becomes
what will happen with these
projects: if they will be done
soon or if they are still years
away.
Development around
Keizer Station
More businesses keep com-
ing to Keizer Station, at least
in Area A, the current retail
section. Taco Bell and Car-
hartt have recently opened,
while more businesses such as
Chipotle Grill, maurices and
Gustav’s are currently under
construction. Chipotle Grill
and maurices are going in
next to Old Navy, while the
Portland-based German res-
taurant Gustav’s is progressing
quickly in the area between
Men’s Wearhouse and Mc-
Donald’s.
While the main part of
Keizer Station continues to
grow, there is also talk of more
development in other areas.
Area B (the part of Lockhaven
between the Keizer Transit
Station and McLeod Lane) has
been quiet for quite a while,
but revised plans were submit-
ted for Area C last fall, consist-
ing of a new retirement center
and apartments.
There has also been talk re-
cently of possible action in the
Area D part of Keizer Station,
which is between I-5 and the
railroad tracks, south of Che-
mawa Road at the I-5 inter-
section. Looking ahead, will
anything come of Areas C or
D in 2015?
In addition, the Rawlins
property behind Lowe’s is sit-
ting untouched, as is the ho-
tel lot property near Panera
Bread.
Needing more space/
fi lling old space
When it comes to bringing
new businesses into Keizer, a
common theme is how there
isn’t enough room or build-
ings in Keizer. Christopher
and Taylor both point to
the expansion of the Urban
Growth Boundary as being
critical to Keizer’s future ex-
pansion. Many of the high-
profi le openings in the past
races, in both House District
25 (Bill Post beat Chuck Lee)
and state Senate District 13
(Kim Thatcher beat Ryan
Howard).
Impact of marijuana
in Keizer
Recreational
marijuana
will become legal in Oregon
in mid-2015, as long as certain
rules are followed. The ques-
tion is what kind of impact
the new law will have on cit-
ies around the state, including
Keizer.
Then there is the question
of what recreational marijuana
dispensaries there might be.
Guidelines such as necessary
distance from schools have
been set but it remains to be
seen how many dispensaries
there will be.
The fi rst permit for a med-
ical marijuana dispensary in
Keizer was recently applied
for, on River Road.
At the same time, there are
enforcement questions regard-
ing both types of marijuana, to
say nothing of lingering con-
cerns about other drugs in
Keizer such as heroin.
More growth on hori-
zon at Keizer Station: The
expansion of Keizer Station
indeed continued, as noted
above. REI opened in the
Futsal Center, while the Kai-
ser Permanente medical offi ce
– highly visible from the in-
terstate – opened next to Pfc.
Ryan J. Hill Memorial Park,
which was dedicated in 2013
in honor of Keizer’s only sol-
dier to die in recent Middle
East confl icts.
So those are a few predic-
tions of what the top stories
of 2015 will be. Here is a look
at how some of the predicted
top stories from 2014 turned
out.
Political season is upon
us: The year began with the
question of who would step
up to take over as Keizer may-
or from longtime mayor Lore
Christopher. As it turned out,
only current councilor Cathy
Clark threw her hat into the
ring for the position. There
was low turnout in three
council races, with only one
contested race. Of more in-
terest were races for two state
Play structure highlights
progress at KRP: As indi-
cated above, the construction
of the Big Toy should be one
of the top stories in 2015. It
was one of the most high-pro-
fi le stories in Keizer the past
12 months, due in no small
part to how it interacted with
the overall issue of changes
at Keizer Rapids Park, most
particularly the revised master
plan for the park.
Growth elsewhere in
Keizer: Growing industries
in Keizer including medical
facilities and retirement com-
munities. Two medical facili-
ties opened in Keizer in 2014,
as did another retirement
community. Another one is
currently under construction
at Hawk’s Point on the north
edge of city limits while plans
have been submitted for one
in Keizer Station Area C. St.
Edward Catholic Church
opened its new facility with
an elaborate ceremony last
February, while a couple of
new subdivisions opened.
Infrastructure updates
to handle growth: The de-
layed Chemawa Road re-
construction project was fi -
nally completed late in 2014,
bringing a number of im-
provements to the busy road.
Among the highlights: a new
intersection at Celtic Way, the
entrance to McNary High
School, complete with a signal
and sidewalks. Bidding for a
roundabout at Chemawa and
Verda Lane got pushed back
until this spring.
GOALS: ‘Let’s bring them
together to talk.’
(Continued from pg. 1)
Under terms of the deal
agreed to between the city
and the Rawlins family last
year, the Rawlins family can
purchase the land back from
the city between 13 and 16
months after the sale at a cost
of $3 million. The purchase
price increases $500,000 ap-
proximately every year, top-
ping out at $5 million after
50 to 60 months. The total
still owed on the properties
is $7 million, though the real
market value was assessed at
$2.2 million.
City offi cials were the only
ones to bid on the properties
during the public oral auction
last April.
Eppley suggested review-
ing the old RRR plan.
“A lot of what hadn’t oc-
curred was beyond our work
platform,” Eppley said. “Our
work was done when we de-
veloped the grant program
(for River Road businesses).
There was a whole slew of
items the Keizer Chamber
was to do but didn’t occur.
There was a downtown busi-
ness group to oversee the
marketing of the River Road
area. Those things didn’t oc-
cur. We could encourage the
chamber to do that and pro-
vide funding for it.”
Mayor-elect Cathy Clark
is chair of the new Economic
Development Commission.
“One charge of the EDC
is to dig into the River Road
development plan,” Clark
said. “My intention is to have
them take a hard look at
where we can make strategic
investments. We need to make
sure they are a good return on
investments. It will be up to
the council to review those
recommendations.”
In terms of public safety
funding, Eppley noted some
police positions have been
unfrozen and he feels the sit-
uation will be resolved in the
coming years.
“We’re not going to be
able to add cops every year,”
said Eppley, who noted cur-
rent police chief John Teague’s
need for staffi ng is “much
less” than former chief Marc
Adams. “Over the next fi ve
to eight years they should be
able to get to where they are
needed for the next 20 years.”
Eppley also referred to
park funding, a cause Smith
championed the past two
years while on the Keizer
Parks and Recreation Advi-
sory Board.
“There’s a greater inter-
est in the parks system now
than in the past,” Eppley said.
“There’s a lot more focus on
parks than was the case in
1982. There will be tough
decisions, like do you fl oat a
bond or fl oat a levy for ongo-
ing maintenance?”
Smith noted there were
many such discussions at the
Parks Board level in 2013, but
got the message from council
at the end of the year to drop
the topic.
“The Parks Board tried
to ask the questions last year,
but we were told now is not
the time,” Smith said. “Now, I
think sooner rather than later
should be the time to at least
have a discussion.”
Clark went over some of
the ideas she would like to
see implemented, including
expansion of the youth coun-
cilor program and having a
roundtable discussion among
all youth sports providers.
“Let’s get people talking at
the table about how they’re
going to connect and lever-
age resources,” Clark said.
“Let’s bring them together to
talk.”
Ripp pointed out she and
Herrera have extensive histo-
ry with various youth sports
and youth sports organiza-
tions in Keizer.
Eppley
feels
Urban
Growth Boundary expansion
will be “one of the biggest
discussions we’ll have in the
next 20 years” and also noted
staffi ng – in particular at the
police department – is up for
ongoing discussion.
The new council will
have a work session early in
the year -- likely sometime
around March -- to come up
with new long-term as well as
short-term goals for the next
two years.
Thank You
Mayor Lore
LOREN'S
SANITATION & RECYCLING SERVICE, INC.
©1986
2015,
continued from Page 1
few years, including medical
offi ces for Silverton Health
and Kaiser Permanente last
year, have been in new build-
ings.
At the same time, there has
been ongoing concern about
the number of empty build-
ings in Keizer, particularly
along River Road. The debate
between new growth at Keiz-
er Station vs. shuttered build-
ings on River Road has been
waged for years, with the idea
being fl oated last year of hav-
ing a tour of the vacant build-
ings. Two different commit-
tees are looking at economic
development issues.
503.393.2262
Thank You Lore!
FROM YOUR FRIENDS AT
5655 W INDSOR I SLAND R OAD N - K EIZER
(503)393-0732• WWW . LOGHOUSEGARDEN . COM