PAGE A10, KEIZERTIMES, SEPTEMBER 1, 2017
REVAMP,
continued from Page A1
told the city the matter was a
“deal-breaker.” The city had no
way to force the issue and that
is what Brown wants to correct.
“We feel it's important that
these businesses should consider
their community impact and
raise the level of improvements
for the community as a whole,”
Brown said.
The public hearing on
the issue will continue in the
council's Sept. 5 meeting while
more information is collected.
Under the amendment, the
city could require commercial
developments to commit 1
percent of the overall costs of
development or remodeling
to the creation of “on-site
public amenities such as street
benches, water features or art.”
In lieu of including the
amenities on-site, developers
could also choose to pay
the 1 percent into a fund
for public art. Commercial
properties include multi-
family developments and the
amenities could also include
small open spaces or plazas.
The issue was discussed
at length during a Keizer
Planning Commission meeting
and recommended to the
council for approval, but Mayor
Cathy Clark balked at the
inclusion of art in the scope of
amenity possibilities. While the
city's Public Art Committee
was established to take content
decisions out of the hands
of the city council, Clark
wondered what oversight the
city would have regarding
objects considered art.
“Our only role would be
to say whether it meets the
amenity requirement and the
dollar amount,” Brown replied.
He added that if a business
attempted to place “art” with
business messages embedded in
it, the piece would fall under
the signage code and would be
subject to different regulations.
“Probably 99 percent of
businesses would make proper
choices,” Clark said, but it's the
“quirky notion” that would fall
into the gray area and cause her
concern.
Brown countered that a
business could install art right
now with no oversight as long
as it didn't constitute signage.
“My concern is that we
initiate something that may
need to be thought through a
little more,” Clark said.
“When you allow people to
make their own choices there
is a risk, but we also want to
foster a relationship of working
together with businesses. We
have left fl exibility in this
concept, but we are sending
a message that businesses are
part of this community and not
just locating a business here to
operate a business,” Brown said.
Regardless of what the
council decides regarding
the art option, developers
could appeal any decision
to a hearings offi cer and the
offi cer's decision could be
appealed directly to the city
council.
While the council did not
reach the point of deliberation
on the amendment, Councilor
Bruce Anderson said he
would rather see the city take
a different approach, “I would
appreciate us looking into is a
way to get (developers) to do
it voluntarily. I would rather
see this as an encouragement
than as a mandate. I'm also
concerned about how this
will impact housing costs,”
Anderson said.
PARKS,
continued from Page A1
specifi cs of the parks board
agenda, but every meeting
includes the opportunity for
public testimony. Lawyer also
said there might be a second
meeting for public input later
in September.
When the parks board sur-
veyed residents about their pri-
orities for the parks, numerous
maintenance projects took pri-
ority over the most-wished-for
new amenity.
“Safety is the No. 1 concern
and it's important to be good
stewards of the taxpayer dollars,
but I think that there is a good
expectation that new projects
might be possible in the fi rst
12 to 24 months,” Lawyer said. factor into the money it can
Lawyer also hoped to reig- spend.
The city collects SDCs on
nite a matching grant program
that has attracted improve- new developments to offset
ments to Keizer parks with impacts to infrastructure and
residents putting up money pay for improvements. The
catch is that
and donations
the majority
of time that
of the money
are matched by
the city has
city funds.
collected in
There are
SDCs,
ap-
two other is-
sues the board
— Matt Lawyer proximately
will have to
Keizer Parks Board $800,000, can
wrestle with
member only be used
to fund 13.6
in coming up
percent
of
with a plan for
using fee funds. The existing any new project. That means
Parks Master Plan was crafted on a $100,000 park amenity,
in 2008, but times and priori- the city has to pay for $86,400
ties have changed in the inter- of the cost from other sources.
The Sept. 12 meeting of the
im. Board members will also
have to fi gure out how system parks board begins at 6 p.m. at
development charges (SDCs) the Keizer Civic Center.
“Safety is the
No. 1 concern.”
UPGRADE: Effort will likely
save city thousands
(Continued from Page A1)
chip removal, Saturday, Sept.
9.
Volunteers should wear
closed-toe shoes and bring a
water bottle. Gloves and hats
are also recommended. If you
have pitchforks, grain/scoop
shovels or wheelbarrows to
lend to the effort those are
also appreciated.
At a city meeting last
month, Keizer Public Works
Director Bill Lawyer said
compaction was going to
be one of the most diffi cult
aspects of the removal, but
the city is bringing in tools
to loosen the chips before
they are carted away. Kohler
has also enlisted Douglas
Shepherd’s Dirt Work to aid
in the effort.
Taking on such a large
project is a continuance of
work for the Keizer Stake.
Each year for the past several
years, congregants
have
directed a day of service
to large efforts in nearby
communities.
“We've found that it's
fostered good relations with
our community,” Kohler said.
“This is a community effort,
not just a Mormon effort. We
want to work side-by-side by
the community.”
The city, of course, is
grateful for any help it can
get.
“This means a lot, it saves
money and it saves resources.
Having a large group step
PALS: New leaders taking
fresh approaches
(Continued from Page A3)
“I would hope that, rather
you talk to kids or families
or teachers or staff, that I’m a
good listener, that I take time
to listen to people and I look
for the best in kids and the best
in people in general,” Lund
said. “I think it’s a good place
to start when you’re trying to
solve problems. I think I’m a
good advocate for both, for
kids and for families and teach-
ers, too.”
Lund is working on her
Spanish. Her daughter, a sixth
grader at Waldo, is bi-lingual.
“I took Spanish in college
and I’ve taken classes since,”
Lund said. “I’ve always valued
knowing another language, I’ve
never gotten over the hump of
learning one myself but this is
my challenge.”
Lund also wants to look
at more ways to reach out to
families other than traditional
parent-teacher conferences at
the school.
“Inviting people to a school
for a conference isn’t always
the most comfortable for fami-
lies so one of the things that
I’d like to look into more is
how do we make families feel
more comfortable and going
to them and developing rela-
tionships with people,” Lund
said. “Setting up a home visit
program so that we can go
and visit with families and go
where they feel comfortable,
just because we want to get to
know them, not because we’re
having a problem. That’s some-
thing I would like to do more.”
forward and take on a project
like this will save the city
thousands of dollars,” Lawyer
said.
The Big Toy will be closed
for about fi ve weeks after
the Labor Day weekend to
accommodate the removal
of the chips and installation
of the pour-in-place surface.
The timeline may change
depending on weather.
The chips removed from
the Big Toy site will be used
in other Keizer parks.
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KEIZER ROTARY AMPHITHEATER
AT KEIZER RAPIDS PARK
FREE 2017 SUMMER
CONCERT SERIES
JFK
Saturday, Sept 9
GATES
SHOW
OPEN STARTS
5:00 pm 6:30 pm
SUBSCRIBE
CALL 503-390-1051
For complete concert
schedule go to
kraorg.com
Please no outside food or
beverages. No pets allowed
insde the amphitheater.
SPONSORS
Sam Goesch
Ins Agcy Inc
Sam Goesch CLU, Agent
3975 River Road North
Keizer, OR 97303
Bus: 503-393-6252
State Farm , Bloomington, IL
1211999
TITLE SPONSOR
City of Keizer • Columbia Bank • Gilgamesh
Uptown Music • KBZY 1490 AM
Keizer Vision Source • Willamette Valley Bank
Rich Duncan Construction • Salem Electric
UPS Store • Walsh & Associates
R Bauer Insurance • Advantage Precast
Highway Fuel • Rasmussen Spray Service