COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL APRIL 26, 2017
Community leaders work to
improve development in CG
When
current
cmay@cgsentinel.com
Cottage
Grove
Councilman Mike Fleck was
running for mayor last year,
he focused on several issues,
including development within
the city of Cottage Grove; spe-
cifi cally the matter of System
Development Charges or SDC
fees. It was, and still is, Fleck's
contention that the fees, meant
to help offset the addition of a
new business to a city's streets,
water systems and other public
services, are too high.
"My concern is that they’re
just so high that they’re killing
development," Fleck said. "But
when I started talking to Travis
at the chamber to look at that,
we expanded our discussion
into the whole development
process."
The result is what Fleck is
calling a development focus
group. Together with Travis
Palmer at the Cottage Grove
Chamber of Commerce, the two
will hear from residents and
other individuals concerning the
obstacles to development within
the city.
The group will reportedly op-
erate as a sub-committee to the
By Caitlyn May
chamber with Fleck taking on
a facilitator role rather than a
leadership position.
Fleck was careful to note that
the new focus groups were in
no way crictizing current or for-
mer staff at the community de-
velopment or planning offi ces
but noted the high demand for
affordable housing in Cottage
Grove.
"Especially with such a huge
rental shortage, my focus is not
low income specifi cally but I do
believe by increasing the num-
ber of rentals, it certainly will
help folks across all income lev-
els," he said.
"We invited people in the
industry or a related fi eld who
have experience in Cottage
Grove and outside. We want to
know what we’re doing right
and how we compare to other
communities," Palmer said.
The initial meeting, according
to Fleck, would be held for res-
idents to give their input on de-
velopment in the city and what
factors they think play into the
shortage of construction. Subse-
quent meetings would focus on
a "broader discussion" concern-
ing issues in the city code, SDC
fees, permit fees and any other
factor that currently hinders de-
velopment.
Newly appointed director of
planning and community de-
velopment, Faye Stewart would
also have a role in the focus
groups with Fleck explaining
his hiring came at the perfect
time.
"Initially, before Faye Stew-
art, Travis and I were going to
do this from the outside and give
recommendation from the city,"
he said. "Any time you have a
new person there’s always a
great opportunity to do a fresh
look at how you do things."
The shortage of housing in
Cottage Grove has been the cen-
ter of discussion for months, if
not years, with several solutions
popping up.
Cottage Village Coalition has
teamed with Eugene nonprofi t,
SqaureOne Villages to create a
13 tiny home village for low-in-
come residents in danger of
becoming homeless. Under the
terms of their grant, the group
must complete construction by
the end of 2018.
Hayden Homes has also at-
tempted to ease the crunch of
affordable housing by creating a
development of rental cottages
currently under construction as
well.
Cottage Grove woman arrested
for same crime, one year later
Jessica Bennett, 27, was ar-
rested on Saturday, April 22 on
seven charges of contributing
to the sexual delinquency of a
minor.
According to Lane County
Sheriff's Offi ce spokesperson
Carrie Carver, "At 10:46 a.m.,
the sheriff’s offi ce received a re-
port of an assault in the Cottage
Grove area...The case has been
referred to our detectives and is
actively being investigated."
Bennett was arrested last year
for the same crime when she
was allegedly discovered to be
having sexual relations with her
neighbor's son.
In July 2016, the teen's father
discovered her in his son's bed
while the boy got dressed near-
by. The report noted used con-
dom wrappers were discovered
and Bennett told offi cials she
had, had sex with the boy sev-
eral times. She pleaded guilty to
the charge and was sentenced to
10 days in jail and two years of
probation.
Bennett is expected to be in
court again on May 30 after
pleading not guilty to the latest
charge.
LCSO responds to CG suicide
The Lane County Sheriff's
Offi ce has confi rmed that it re-
sponded to a medical call in
Cottage Grove on Saturday,
April 22 for a deceased juvenile.
Cottage Grove authorities
confi rmed they responded to
the scene on a call of a gunshot
wound and secured the premises
for the fi re department and sher-
iff's offi ce.
No further details were re-
leased and the Cottage Grove
Sentinel does not publish the
names of deceased juveniles
without prior consent from their
families.
For the latest in
community news,
sports, arts and
entertainment,
check out the new
CGSENTINEL.COM
Douglas G.
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The Cottage Grove
Public Library Presents
Smithsonian Traveling Exhibit
MAY 2017
MAY 1-31, 2017
COTTAGE
GROVE
PUBLIC
LIBRARY
Come see the exhibit in
the library, then watch
the fi lms with us!
AND...A FILM FESTIVAL CELEBRATING
THE SMITHSONIAN AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY
AND CULTURE MUSEUM
F
FREE Th ursdays in May at 5:30pm
RE
E
Reception Hall at the Cottage Grove Community Center
May 4th, 2017
Moonlight (2016) (rated R)
A chronicle of the childhood,
adolescence and burgeoning adulthood
of a young, African-American, gay man
growing up in a rough neighborhood of
Miami.
May 11th, 2017
Do the Right Th ing (1989) (rated R)
On the hottest day of the year on
a street in the Bedford-Stuyvesant
section of Brooklyn, everyone's hate
and bigotry smolders and builds until it
explodes into violence.
May 18th, 2017
13th (2016) (rated TV-MA)
An in-depth look at the prison system
in the United States and how it reveals
the nation’s history of racial inequality.
FAMILY AND GENERAL DENTISTRY
Brightening Lives One Smile at a Time
May 25th, 2017
Selma (2014) (rated PG-13)
A chronicle of Martin Luther King’s
campaign to secure equal voting rights
via an epic march from Selma to
Montgomery, Alabama in 1965.
Welcoming New Patients
Call for an appointment today!
914 South 4th St. • CG • 541-942-1559
douglasgmaddessdmd.com
June 1st, 2017
Th eir Eyes Were Watching God (2005)
(NR)
A drama set in the 1920s, where
free-spirited Janie Crawford’s search
for happiness leads her through several
diff erent marriages, challenging the
morals of her small town. Based on the
novel by Zora Neale Hurston.
Also Happening at the Cottage Grove Public Library
The Sidewalks of Historic Downtown Cottage Grove come
alive Friday, April 28 for the first Art Walk of the season.
This anticipated event brings together artists, musicians and community
to celebrate our talented, artistic and diverse population.
New this year: BUSKERS FOR CG ART WALK … APRIL
VIOINIST Kira Carver…
JAW HARPIST Nico……
SINGER/SONG WRITERS/GUITARISTSB…….Bob and Tanya
JAZZ DUO Guitarists Jacob St. Clair and Matthew Staples on Saxaphone
The Cottage Grove Art Walk is a free community event held monthly from 6-8pm,
the last Friday of the month April-October, rain or shine.
Summer Reading Program
Summer Chess Club
Outdoor Adventure Camps
Classic Films • TLAB
Behind the Pages • Ukulele Club
Teen Library Advisory Board
Youth Book Club
Partners in History Museum Exhibits
Visit http://www.cottagegrove.org/library for more information
700 E Gibbs Ave Cottage Grove, OR 97424
541-942-3828