REGION
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
East Oregonian
Page 3A
UMATILLA
Port still plans to
build warehouse
Project paid for through $1.5M state
Department of Transportation grant
By GEORGE PLAVEN
East Oregonian
The Port of Umatil-
la still plans to build a
15,000-square-foot ware-
house using state transpor-
tation funds awarded near-
ly three years ago.
It is the same project
that was initially pro-
posed on disputed land
just east of the Big River
Golf Course in Umatilla,
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cials fought over how the
property was zoned dating
back to 1977.
The case nearly went
before the Oregon Land
Use Board of Appeals
before sides came to an
agreement in February. All
the while, the port has held
on to a $1.5 million grant
from the state Department
of Transportation that was
initially recommended for
approval in June 2012.
General Manager Kim
B. Puzey told port com-
missioners at their meet-
ing on Tuesday that he
is working to submit a
new project schedule to
ODOT within the next 30
days, though the agency is
quickly running out of pa-
tience.
Puzey said they will
likely move the devel-
opment west across Bud
Draper Road, which would
maintain roughly the same
distance to the port’s Co-
lumbia River dock and ac-
cess to Interstate 82.
“Logistically, it’s about
the same distance and
the utilities are as readi-
ly available,” Puzey said.
The port had wanted to
build the warehouse on the
east side of Bud Draper
Road, which raised objec-
tion from the neighboring
golf course and home-
owners. The city planning
commission denied the
project’s site plan appli-
cation after ruling the land
was, in fact, zoned resi-
dential, and not industrial
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That designation, the
city claimed, was based
on a decade-old mapping
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cially approved by the city
council. Ultimately, the
port agreed to sell the en-
tire strip of land to the city
for $176,000, excluding
property where Aramark
Uniform Services had al-
ready developed, rather
than argue the case in front
of LUBA.
Now, Puzey said they
are moving forward with
a change order for the
warehouse — described
as a multi-modal marine
freight transfer facility —
in order for companies to
have a building where they
can store their products en
route to shipping along the
river or on highways.
Chris
Cummings,
freight program manager
for ODOT, said they un-
derstand the project’s de-
lay is based on unforeseen
circumstances. The agen-
cy will review the port’s
updated schedule once it
is submitted, he said, and
there is no hard and fast
time frame for approval.
———
Contact George Plaven
at
gplaven@eastorego-
nian.com or 541-564-
4547.
STANFIELD
City considers annexing
property at interchange
Prefer restaurant
and/or hotel at
I-84 and Hwy 395
making it possible for a
business to connect to
a city water line instead
of trying to secure water
rights for a well.
“It really wasn’t feasi-
By JADE MCDOWELL
ble to use the property for
East Oregonian
anything but agriculture
before,” Larsen said.
Adding 25 acres to
The area is zoned for
6WDQ¿HOG¶V FLW\ OLPLWV commercial use and is
could pave the way for visible to travelers on
new development off In- the interstate. Annexing
terstate 84.
the property into the city
The city’s planning would mean it would be
commission is holding a served by city utilities,
public hearing Wednesday police protection, the road
on a proposal to annex four department and other city
tax lots at the intersection services.
of Interstate 84 and High-
“The city’s preferred
ZD\LQWR6WDQ¿HOG
use would be to attract a
“The city has been hotel/restaurant combina-
working with the property tion but we’re open to oth-
owners to do what we can er things,” Larsen said.
to help make the proper-
He said he hasn’t heard
ty more marketable,” city any opposition to the plan
manager Blair Larsen said. and expects Wednesday’s
The properties, east of hearing to be more of a
Highway 395 across from formality than a debate.
the Pilot Travel Center,
The hearing is sched-
would be a prime location uled for April 8 at 7 p.m.
for a restaurant, hotel or DW WKH 6WDQ¿HOG FRXQFLO
other commercial devel- chambers, 150 W. Coe
opment in because of in- Ave.
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———
said development was lim-
Contact Jade McDowell
ited until the city improved at jmcdowell@eastorego-
its water system last year, nian.com or 541-564-4536.
SUBMIT COMMUNITY NEWS
Submit information to: community@eastoregonian.
com or drop off to the attention of Tammy Malgesini at
333 E. Main St., Hermiston or Renee Struthers at 211
S.E. Byers Ave., Pendleton. Call 541-564-4539 or 541-
966-0818 with questions.
Staff photo by E.J. Harris
A Springtime stroll
Addison Schulberg of Pendleton walks his new puppy, a 12-month-old boxer-weimaraner mix, down Main
Street on Tuesday in Pendleton. Schulberg says he named the dog Tula, short for Spatula.
BRIEFLY
Preus to discuss
BMCC bond
proposal
PENDLETON — Cam
Preus, president of Blue
Mountain Community
College, will speak about
the college’s bond during
the upcoming meeting of
the Round-Up Republican
Women.
Preus will provide details
and answer questions about
the bond proposal that will
appear on the May 19 ballot.
The no-host luncheon is
Thursday at 11:45 a.m. at the
Red Lion, 304 S.E. Nye Ave.,
Pendleton.
The public is welcome to
attend. For more information,
call 541-276-5330.
Library welcomes
April artist
HERMISTON — A
display of western art by
Linda Phillips is featured
during the month of April at
the Hermiston Public Library.
A reception is planned
Thursday from 4-6 p.m. at the
library, 235 E. Gladys Ave.,
Hermiston. Refreshments will
be served.
A lifelong Hermiston
resident, Phillips is an
award-winning western
artist. Her work has been
chosen for many prestigious
shows throughout the
western United States. She
specializes in contemporary
horses and cowboys in pencil
but also is broadening out
into landscapes, plants and
wildlife.
For more information, call
Marie Baldo or Jodi Hansen
at 541-567-2882.
Cowgirls in Cahoots
opens Thursday
PENDLETON — Janene
Grende and Connie Spurgeon,
both nationally known for
their western paintings of
horses, cowgirls and wildlife,
are featured in an exhibit at
Pendleton Art + Frame.
The opening and artist’s
reception for Cowgirls in
Cahoots is Thursday from
5:30-7:30 p.m. at 36 S.W.
Court Ave., Pendleton.
Refreshments will be
served. In addition, both
artists will be doing painting
demonstrations Friday from
noon to 4 p.m. Paintings and
prints will be available for
purchase. Also, Spurgeon will
bring a new selection of her
cowgirl buckle jewelry.
The exhibit remains
through Monday, May 4.
New shop hours are Monday
through Fridays from 10 a.m.
to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from
10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more
information, call 541-276-
3617.
Free seedlings
offered at Home
& Garden Show
PENDLETON — The
Umatilla National Forest is
once again partnering with
Pendleton Parks, Recreation
and Cemetery to offer free
tree and shrub seedlings
during the Pendleton Home
& Garden Show on Saturday,
April 11.
More than 400 seedlings
will be handed out during
the event, limited to one per
IDPLO\RQD¿UVWFRPH¿UVW
serve basis. Species include
chokecherry, mountain alder,
ponderosa pine, serviceberry
and Englemann spruce.
In conjunction with Arbor
Day, Pendleton Parks and
Recreation is continuing its
“Plant 1,000 Trees” initiative
to beautify the city. Residents
have already planted 850
trees as of April 22, 2014. For
more information, or to add
a tree to the city’s list, visit
www.pendletonparksandrec.
com/1000-trees.
Oregon celebrates Arbor
Day festivities during the
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National Arbor Day is Friday,
April 24.
PSD holds meetings
on redrawing school
boundaries
PENDLETON — With
Lincoln Primary School
and West Hills Intermediate
School set to take on differ-
ent purposes in the next few
years, the Pendleton School
District will host a series
of public meetings about
redrawing the district’s ele-
mentary school boundaries.
According to a district
press release, the district
is seeking public input on
boundary options with the
intention of implementing
new district maps for the
2016-2017 school year,
when the new buildings for
Washington and Sherwood
Heights elementary schools
are scheduled to open.
Made possible by a $55
million bond passed in 2013,
Lincoln and West Hills will
be converted the district’s
FHQWUDORI¿FHDQGDFDUHHU
technical center, respectively.
There will be meetings
April 10th - 12th
HOME & OUTDOOR
Fri 12 - 6 Sat 9 - 5 Sun 10 - 4
FREE Admission!
@ The Convention Center
DWHDFKRIWKHGLVWULFW¶V¿YH
school.
• April 22: Lincoln
• April 27: West Hills
• April 28: Sherwood
• April 29: McKay Creek
• April 30: Washington
All meetings start at 6:00
p.m.
Hermiston chamber
seeks nominations
HERMISTON — Is
your administrative assistant
WRSVLQWKHLU¿HOG",IVR
the Hermiston Chamber of
Commerce encourages you
to nominate them as the
Professional Assistant of the
Year.
All nominees will be
honored during the Tuesday,
April 28 event at 11:45 a.m.
at the Hermiston Conference
Center, 415 S. Highway
395. Nominations are due by
Friday. In addition, tickets for
the no-host luncheon are $18
each.
For more information,
to obtain a nomination
form or reserve tickets,
contact 541-567-6151,
info@hermistonchamber.
com or visit www.
hermistonchamber.com.
Conference features
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MT. VERNON — A
ERDUGFHUWL¿HGJHQHDORJLVW
is featured during the Spring
Genealogy Seminar.
Connie Lenzen, a former
National Genealogical
Society director, will share
about research. Presented
by the Grant County
Genealogical Society,
seminar classes will include
vital records on the Internet,
evidence analysis, newspaper
research and Oregon Trail
research.
The event is Saturday
with registration beginning at
8:30 a.m. at the Mt. Vernon
Community Hall, 640 Ingle
St., Mt. Vernon. The cost is
$34 if paid in advance or $40
at the door. The price includes
lunch.
For more information,
contact Jeannette at
gcgsociety94@yahoo.com or
541-932-4718.
Kiwanis plan
park project
PENDLETON — A work
day is planned at Kiwanis
Park in Pendleton.
The Pendleton Kiwanis
Club will prepare for the
upcoming season of use for
the park Saturday beginning
at 10 a.m. at 1800 S.E. Byers
Ave., Pendleton. The primary
project includes spreading
new wood chips in the
playground area.
The group selected
April 11 as its project day
to coincide with Kiwanis
International’s Kiwanis One
Day. Kiwanis clubs around
the globe are encouraged to
organize a day of service to
their communities in support
of the day.
For more information
about the project, contact
Randy Mills at 541-278-
5403 or randy.mills@
oregtonstate.edu.
Take Home Bleach Kits
just $40 in April!
D r. H ibbert D ental
1100 Southgate, Suite 3 Pendleton, OR 97801
www.drhibbertdental.com • 541-612-3707
STUDENT
OF THE
WEEK
Oskar Peterson
I ONE C OMMUNITY S CHOOL
Oskar Peterson is an outstanding Ione Community
School Student. Oskar is ASB President and shows all
the quality characteristics that would make any
President or student succeed. He is responsible,
dependable, intelligent, and kind. Oskar volunteered
last summer for the local reading program, during
which he helped prepare materials and helped get
students excited about reading. He plays the trumpet in
the Ione advanced band, the Ione community pep
band, and the Eastern Oregon Symphony. Oskar will
graduate from Ione in June with over 40 college credits
and ready to take on his next adventure. While at Ione
he has been a leader, a positive community member,
and a model student!
Proudly Sponsored by
Working Every Day for a Healthy Community
541-667-3400 • 610 NW 11 th • Hermiston