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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (June 13, 2018)
REGION Wednesday, June 13, 2018 HERMISTON East Oregonian Page 3A MILTON-FREEWATER Rules for containers, guest houses Soccer coach unpacked at council meeting becomes first By JADE MCDOWELL East Oregonian The Hermiston city council changed its mind mid-meeting on one property issue Monday and decided to ask the public about another before moving forward. The council first rejected a proposed update to acces- sory dwelling regulations, then after further discussion gave the planning commis- sion the go-ahead for start- ing the public hearing pro- cess. After hearing mixed reviews on an idea to ban use of metal shipping contain- ers for storage in residential zones, they asked city staff to survey the public about it. City councilor John Kir- wan had commented at a previous meeting that he was seeing an increase of metal shipping containers, often referred to as Conex boxes, being used as a storage shed next to a house. He inquired about regulations for such use, and after finding out there was none, councilors asked city staff to consider drafting some rules. On Monday during a work session city planner Clint Spencer presented a “first draft” recommendation from the planning commis- sion for feedback. The rules would ban use of the contain- ers in residential zones, leav- ing an exemption for tempo- rary uses up to 60 days in a year or up to 120 days when connected to a construction project that has been issued a building permit. In commer- cial and industrial zones one container per lot (in a com- mercial zone) or per acre (for industrial) could be used, provided it was painted the same color as the primary building, rust-free, logo-free, on a concrete or asphalt slab and has been granted a build- ing permit. In all zones, the regulations would only apply to new containers, not exist- ing ones. Councilors had mixed feelings about the proposal. Doug Smith said he didn’t want to see a lot of the ship- ping containers popping up in residential neighborhoods, but later during the coun- cil’s regular meeting said he thought the city should get feedback on what seemed like it could be a polarizing issue. Mayor David Drotzmann said some shipping con- tainers next to houses were unsightly, but he wouldn’t necessarily have a problem with one in someone’s back yard, painted a subtle color and mostly out of sight. He said he “understood the vis- ibility issue” but wasn’t sure he wanted to see the city take away an affordable storage option for people. “I’m struggling with it a little bit,” he said. “I don’t like the way they look, but I don’t like the way some of my neighbors’ houses look either.” Comments from the pub- lic were mixed too. Jackie Linton said she thought ship- ping containers would look out of place in her Beebe Avenue neighborhood, which looks residential but is actually zoned commer- Hispanic city councilor City Manager Linda Hall shared some warm words Rather than create a His- about Garcia. panic advisory council or “If you are not famil- liaison, the Milton-Freewa- iar with Mr. Garcia, at least ter City Council by name, you’ve appointed its first evidently been living under- Latino city coun- neath a rock cilor at a meeting for the last sev- Monday. eral years,” she Jose Garcia, a said. “He’s a custodian at Free- water Elemen- renowned soc- tary School and a cer coach and a local soccer coach, great leader of was the only per- Garcia young men, in son to apply for the my opinion.” Despite Hispanics and vacant Ward 3 seat after for- mer Councilor Jeff Anliker Latinos comprising nearly half of Milton-Freewa- resigned in April. Introducing himself to the ter’s population, the coun- council, Garcia said he had cil was entirely made up of originally hoped someone white men prior to Garcia’s else from the Latino com- appointment. munity would step up to join Councilor Steve Irving the council. He coaches the said Garcia would fill McLoughlin High School an important role on the and Central Middle School council. “We need that outreach boys soccer teams, and also runs soccer activities during and connection,” he said. The council had made the winter and summer. While soccer is a year- establishing a Hispanic round job for him, Gar- advisory committee or liai- cia said he wanted to set an son a goal, but with Garcia’s example for the children he appointment, Hall said that mentors and found time to goal was now met. Hall said Garcia would dedicate to the council. “I’ve lived here my be sworn in at the council’s whole life and I’m proud of July 9 meeting. His term will run through 2020. it,” he said. East Oregonian Staff photo by Daniel Wattenburger City planner Clint Spencer said this metal shipping container used for storage at the Chevron station on the corner of Highway 395 and Gladys Avenue would comply with the proposed ordinance regulating such containers. Hermiston passes 2018-2019 budget By JADE MCDOWELL East Oregonian The Hermiston City Council adopted the city’s 2018-2019 budget on Monday night. At $54.94 million, it is about $4.7 million smaller than the current year, due mostly to capital projects such as the Harkenrider Center wrapping up. “(The budget) includes a number of the city council’s goals,” City Manager Byron Smith said, referencing livability, housing and workforce development. The budget includes a 3 percent raise for city staff and includes some new per- sonnel, including a parks foreman to han- dle day-to-day operation of parks. That will free up the parks and recreation director to focus on long-term projects, including a feasibility study for a new indoor aquatic center or wellness center and a parks master plan. A storm water manager and part-time clerical positions at the Hermiston Community Center and Harkenrider Center were also added. The most expensive capital proj- ect the city plans to tackle in the com- ing fiscal year is a new one-million-gal- lon water tower on the corner of Punkin Center and Northeast 10th Street, accom- panied by upgrades to water infrastruc- ture in the area. The $4.5 million proj- ect is expected to cut down on the cost for housing development in the northeast part of town. The city also plans to build the West Highland Trail Extension this fall, con- necting Riverfront Park and Southwest 11th Street via a pedestrian trail running parallel to Highland Avenue. The council awarded the bid for that project Monday to Humbert Asphalt, which was the low bid at $343,225. On Monday the council also amended its employee handbook, and passed a res- olution changing the language of its code pertaining to telecommunications com- panies using the public right of way. Assistant City Manager Mark Morgan said the city had changed its code last fall to require companies to pay franchise fees on revenue from cable internet ser- vice, but Charter Communications had been unhappy with the wording and had been negotiating with the city on clarifi- cations that would help limit the prece- dence-setting for other jurisdictions out- side the state. The company has not been paying those fees during negotiations but has promised to start now that the matter is resolved. Ione man tried to withdraw plea in sex crimes case By PHIL WRIGHT East Oregonian cial, but she didn’t have a problem with them in more rural neighborhoods with larger lots. Rhonda Sallee and Randy Smith questioned why the city needed such an ordinance at all. Councilors directed city staff to survey Hermis- ton residents and bring the feedback to a future council meeting. Guest house rules The council also dis- cussed another set of rec- ommendations from the planning commission Mon- day, for accessory dwell- ing units. Spencer said those could include guest houses, basement apartments, apart- ments over garages and other “mother-in-law” apartments. “If you’re a fan of Happy Days, where Fonzi lived was an ADU,” he said. Spencer said the state leg- islature passed new laws for ADUs that take effect July 1, including a requirement that new ADUs have permits. Spencer said Hermiston has always allowed accessory dwelling units only if no rent was charged for them, but the new law forces the city to allow people to charge rent for guest houses, basement apartments and other ADUs on their property. He said it was “frustrating” that the state had arbitrarily changed the character of Hermiston’s zoning code by turning all of its single-family residential zones into multi-family res- idential areas. To address the changes, the planning commission spent three months craft- ing amendments to the city’s code. The new requirements state that accessory dwelling units must meet all building codes, include a bathroom and kitchen, be accessible from a separate entrance than the main dwelling and come with one to two addi- tional paved offstreet park- ing spaces depending on the number of bedrooms. The dwellings will be sub- ject to a permit and permit fee, and will be charged the utility rate for multi-family dwellings. City councilor Jackie Myers wanted to see addi- tional rules about the ADU having to match the primary dwelling and setting aes- thetic standards, and other councilors agreed, but Spen- cer said the advice of legal counsel was that wouldn’t hold up as a “reasonable” standard under the law because the city doesn’t have rules for what colors people can paint their primary resi- dence, for example. Myers said she wished the city could tell people that. When it came time for a vote, only councilors Doug Primmer and Lori Davis voted in favor of having the city start the public hear- ing and notice process to turn the regulations into law. But afterward Drotzmann expressed the feeling that the regulations were likely as extensive as the plan- ning commission was able to make them, and Spencer confirmed that there wasn’t much more the commis- sion could add after legal counsel had directed them to take out multiple design standards that had originally been included. He also said that the state law takes effect on July 1 no matter what the city passes to “put siderails” on the issue, and that it could always be revised later. That persuaded Myers, Gutierrez, Smith and Hardin, who voted with Primmer and Davis this time after Myers made another motion to once again consider moving for- ward with the public process to adopt the new standards. ——— Contact Jade McDowell at jmcdowell@eastorego- nian.com or 541-564-4536. Corey Scott Baker of Ione tried to back out of his plea of no contest to an attempted sex crime two weeks after he made it. The Morrow County Dis- trict Attorney’s Office in March 2017 charged Baker, 41, with one count each of first-degree rape and sex- ual abuse of a girl younger than 14. He took a deal and on April 26 pleaded no con- test to attempted first-degree sexual abuse. “I called my lawyer a few days after the change of plea and told him it felt wrong and I wanted to withdraw my plea,” Baker asserted, according to the motion his attorney filed May 18 to withdraw the plea. “I did not do what I am accused of doing.” Baker in the motion also stated he made the deal out of fear a jury would con- vict him in spite of his inno- cence. He claimed he suffers from “stress induced amne- sia as a result of a traumatic brain injury I received in Iraq” and “I cannot say that I understood what I was doing when I changed my plea.” Circuit Judge Christopher Our Earn While You Learn Program Is Available in June & July Only! Pays $1.00 into an open Youth Savings Account for every top grade that our 1st-12th grade students receive on their end-of-the-year report cards. Up to $50.00 annually. Learn all the details online or stop by your local branch. COME SEE US FOR ALL YOUR POWDER COATING NEEDS: • Wheels • Truck Beds • Trailers • ATV’S • Motorcycles • Fencing • Railing GIVE US A CALL FOR A FREE ESTIMATE: 541.567.7171 80496 N. HWY 395 • Hermiston (Behind Oxarc) www.communitybanknet.com Member FDIC Brauer on May 21 denied the request. Baker’s next court appearance was Thursday for sentencing. Brauer fined Baker $2,000 and gave him three years of probation with an array of conditions, including registering as a sex offender and completing sex offender therapy. 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