REGION
Thursday, September 21, 2017
East Oregonian
Page 3A
STANFIELD
Nuisance ordinance approved to cover bad odors
Rules for mobile vendors discussed as new business readies to open
By JADE MCDOWELL
East Oregonian
Stanfield’s city council passed a
new nuisance ordinance Tuesday,
but the city is giving 3D Idapro Solu-
tions until the end of November to
fix its odor problems before it begins
levying fines.
“We already had an agreement
with them so we will give them until
the date we agreed,” said Councilor
Jason Sperr.
The company’s dehydration plant
has drawn complaints about odors
from the raw potato waste lingering
over town, particularly since a fire
destroyed the plant’s odor-reducing
scrubbers in February. 3D Idapro
Solutions has since promised a three-
part solution to the problem that
includes site grading, enclosing the
plant’s receiving area and installing
new scrubbers by Nov. 30. Site
grading was completed last week.
Discussion of the problem
prompted creation of a new, more
clearly-defined nuisance ordinance
that city staff feel would hold up
better in court in the event the city
decides to pursue legal action. The
ordinance counts the odors as a
“nuisance” if there is an oral or
written complaint to the city by four
or more people in a 12-hour period,
or if a “qualified person employing
appropriate technology” measures
certain levels of hydrogen sulfide or
ammonia in the air.
Each nuisance will be a Class A
violation, carrying a presumptive
fine of $435 and maximum fine of
$2,000, and the court can impose
additional fees to reimburse the city
for abatement.
The ordinance also creates rules
for noise-related nuisances. Noises
measured at the property line above
50 decibels between 7 p.m. and 7
a.m. or 60 decibels between 7 a.m.
and 7 p.m. are a violation. Excep-
tions include emergency vehicles,
organized athletic events, aircraft and
railroad operations regulated by the
federal government and events that
have been granted a special permit.
The ordinance was passed by a
vote of 5 to 1.
On Tuesday the council also
discussed, but did not pass, an
ordinance regulating mobile food
vendors. Currently the city does not
have any mobile food vendors or
regulations specific to mobile food
vendors, but a resident recently
obtained a business license for a
food truck they plan to operate in
Stanfield.
City Manager Blair Larsen
presented an ordinance that was
based on the city of Hermiston’s
rules for mobile food vendors
and modifications suggested by a
committee of two city councilors.
Stanfield’s version of the ordi-
nance as discussed Tuesday does not
include the $500-per-year license fee
contained in Hermiston’s. It does
include a list of other rules, including
a requirement to be located within
Stanfield’s downtown district and
at least 400 feet away from other
mobile food vendors. Vendors are
not allowed to provide any tables,
chairs, shade canopies or other
accommodations for eating on site.
The unit must be fully self-contained
with no extra propane tanks, water
or sewer lines, swamp coolers, etc.
It must follow visual standards that
include a ban on flashing lights and
“loud” colors.
Sperr, Councilor Sue Whelan and
Mayor Thomas McCann disagreed
with the total ban on things like
shade canopies and seating. McCann
said if those things were packed up
and moved with the food truck every
night he felt it would still make them
HERMISTON
a “mobile” food vendor.
“As long as it’s not any type
of permanent structure I have no
qualms about it,” he said.
Councilor Pam McSpadden said
she felt that defeated the idea of
mobile food vending, however.
Whelan also said she disagreed
with a provision that required the
vendors to close by 8 p.m. McCann
said that was done out of consid-
eration for other establishments in
town.
“Other restaurants would have a
chance to get customers,” he said. “It
makes it fair for everyone.”
The council agreed to continue
looking for ways to improve the
ordinance, and Larsen said that any
vendor who set up in the meantime
would still be required to start
following any ordinance that was
passed in the future.
———
Contact Jade McDowell at
jmcdowell@eastoregonian.com or
541-564-4536.
Non-ag burn
ban lifted for
Umatilla County
East Oregonian
Staff photo by Jade McDowell
Hermiston Parks and Recreation director Larry Fetter, left,
speaks at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Hermiston Desert
Disc Golf Course.
Staff photo by Jade McDowell
Disc golf enthusiasts take turns testing out the first hole of
the Hermiston Desert Disc Golf Course after a ribbon cutting
Wednesday.
First nine holes of disc golf course open
Back nine holes to be
installed in spring
By JADE MCDOWELL
East Oregonian
Hermiston’s disc golf enthu-
siasts can practice their craft in
town after the opening of the
new Hermiston Desert Disc Golf
course.
The course opened Wednesday
with a ribbon-cutting ceremony
that drew a crowd of the sport’s
fans.
The new course, located across
11th Street from Good Shepherd
Medical Center, is still a work in
progress. The more technically
difficult back nine holes won’t
be installed until spring, and
the plaque bearing a map of the
course has not been installed yet.
But within minutes of the red
ribbon being cut, several players
were already trying their luck
with the nine baskets currently
installed.
Hermiston Parks and Recre-
ation director Larry Fetter said
when disc golf enthusiasts
Scott Zielke, Matt Richmond,
Ginger Colgman and others first
approached him about the idea
of a disc golf course in town, he
thought the department could
simply start “putting baskets out”
anywhere, but they soon taught
him about the importance of
proper course design, measuring
distances and setting par in order
to make the course a national-
Staff photo by Jade McDowell
Scott Zielke cuts the ribbon on the first tee of the new Hermiston Desert Disc Golf Course.
ly-rated one with the potential to
draw in out-of-town players and
tournaments.
The group managed to get
a $15,000 grant from the Good
Shepherd Community Health
Foundation and to set up agree-
ments with Good Shepherd and
the Hermiston Irrigation District
to use their land.
“It was not an easy thing,”
Fetter said.
Both Annette Kirkpatrick of
Hermiston Irrigation District and
Kelly Sanders of Good Shepherd
said that their organizations were
happy that their unused land
would now be used for an activity
that will encourage people to get
outside for some exercise and
fresh air.
“Maybe some lunchtime you’ll
see me out there,” Sanders said.
The first tee of the course
— marked by a large cement
rectangle with the number 1 on
it — is located near the wooden
arch marking the start of the
Oxbow Trail off Elm Avenue.
Each tee faces the basket that
players must try to land a disc in
using the fewest throws possible.
Players must supply their own
discs, but the course is free for the
public to use.
———
Contact Jade McDowell at
jmcdowell@eastoregonian.com
or 541-564-4536.
HERMISTON
McLeod’s Bargain Bin opens on Main Street
East Oregonian
One of Hermiston Main Street’s empty
storefronts has been filled by McLeod’s
Bargain Bin.
The store at 256 E. Main Street sells
new and used clothing, toys, purses and
other items. It opened Saturday.
Store owners Corey and Alyssa
McLeod said they have been thinking
about opening a bargain store for years,
and felt the time was right now that three
of their children have moved away from
home.
“I have six kids, so I have always had to
be thriftier and know how to make every
dollar stretch,” Alyssa said.
She is putting her bargain-hunting
skills to use with McLeod’s Bargain Bin
to find good deals on merchandise that can
be re-sold in the store. She said the store
doesn’t do consignment on miscellaneous
items but does buy in bulk. Beyond what is
already featured in the store, customers are
encouraged to request specific items for
the McLeods to hunt down good deals for.
Store hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Wednesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 7
p.m. on Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
on Sundays.
Staff photo by Jade McDowell
Alyssa and Corey McLeod have opened McLeod’s Bargain Bin at 256 E Main St. in
Hermiston.
Umatilla County’s non-agricultural
burn ban ended Wednesday at 11:59 p.m.
The county board of commissioners voted
Wednesday morning to lift the ban.
Burn day protocol remains in effect.
Farmers and other residents who wish to
burn still must check the county website
for daily burn determinations at www.
co.umatilla.or.us/deptwebs/jail/burnday.
htm or call the county’s burn line at
541-278-6397. Burn Day determinations
also are on Facebook at Umatilla County
Smoke Management.
Ending the ban does not apply to
land under the jurisdiction of the state
of Oregon, the federal government, and
the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla
Indian Reservation, as well as areas inside
fire districts.
Open burning in the unincorporated
areas and outside of fire districts requires
a permit. Contact the county planning
department at 541-278-6252 or the county
website (www.umatillacounty.net) for
downloadable permit applications.
Umatilla County has permitting juris-
diction over all agricultural field burning
greater than two acres and all orchards.
Additionally, the county has jurisdiction
over residential burning outside of fire
districts.
Rural fire protection districts have
jurisdiction within their boundaries for
residential burning (less than two acres,
burn barrels, and more) and fire protection,
including permitting.
For more information about Umatilla
County’s smoke management program,
or to report illegal burning, call the county
planning department at 541-278-6252 or
the county dispatch at 541-966-3651 after
5 p.m. and weekends.
Umatilla County
hires new planning
director from within
By PHIL WRIGHT
East Oregonian
Umatilla County hired Bob Waldher as
its new director of land use planning.
Waldher succeeds Tamra Mabbott,
who left the position in August for a
newly-created job as the city of Umatilla’s
community development director.
The county board of commissioners
hired Waldher as director on Monday.
Waldher joined the planning depart-
ment in June 2015 as a senior planner, and
earlier this year became assistant director.
Mabbott made an annual salary of $89,592
when she left the county and her new job
pays $96.624. Waldher as a new adminis-
trator will make $77,916.
Larry Givens, county board chair,
said two candidates applied for the job,
and Waldher was the superior candidate.
Commissioner George Murdock said the
county was fortunate to have a planning
director with Waldher’s skills and experi-
ence.
Givens and Murdock also said Waldher
has earned kudos for his service on the
technical advisory committee of the Walla
Walla Valley Metropolitan Planning
Organization and from clients in the
community.
Hiring Waldher also ensures some
stability in the department.
Givens said the planning staff already
“think the world of him,” and “have a
tremendous amount of respect for him.”
Waldher seems to still be getting used
to the title.
He delivered a staff report on a land use
matter during Wednesday morning’s board
of commissioners meeting and chuckled
after introducing himself as the planning
director.
Givens a moment later told him,
“Congratulations.”
“Thank you,” Waldher replied, and
continued with that report.