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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (May 20, 2020)
A6 NEWS Blue Mountain Eagle Wednesday, May 20, 2020 John Day again looking to BUILD The city hopes its second attempt at the multimillion-dollar federal transportation grant is successful By Rudy Diaz Blue Mountain Eagle The John Day City Council is again apply- ing for the BUILD grant, which could provide the city with up to $17.5 million for transporta- tion infrastructure. The deadline for the application was May 18, and this is the city’s second attempt. Their submission last year made it to the category of highly recommended applicants. The BUILD grant would assist John Day by helping build a complete street network and transportation infrastructure that includes walk- ing, biking, driving, automobiles and public transit, according to the agenda. The city council agenda also states that this project will build 4.3 miles of new street improvements and supporting infrastructure, which can be found in several projects in the Innovation Gateway project. “These are very competitive, and we made it into the final round last year. My hope is that, if we can do that again this year and they think we’re competitive, even if they decide to pull specific components out, we can get some Eagle file photo City Manager Nick Green, left, and Mayor Ron Lundbom during a city council meeting on Feb. 25. things funded,” said City Manager Nick Green during the virtual meeting May 12. Based on the feedback from the 2019 BUILD application, the city got a better idea of what to include into this year’s application. Some of the new additions to the BUILD grant application are Phases 2 and 3 of Iron- wood Estates, Government Entry Road, the Charolais Heights intersection improvement project, two parking lots, Mahogany Ridge phase one development and letters of support from senators. The total estimated cost for the projects in the application are $19.7 million. John Day and partners have committed $2.1 million in local match (11%) and the city is requesting $17.5 million in BUILD grant fund- ing (89%) according to the city of John Day’s website. John Day Mayor Ron Lundbom said that each grant the city applies for is important, but the Economic Development Administration grant the city is currently working on and the BUILD grant compliment each other in com- pleting big projects in John Day. The total estimated cost for the projects in the application is $19.7 million, and the city and partners have committed $2.1 million in local match funding, according to the city’s website. Lundbom added that receiving either the EDA grant or the BUILD grant will give the city an opportunity to begin building on the projects proposed in the applications. He said the reason why some of the proj- ects haven’t started is because, if the city starts construction prior to being awarded a grant, then the funds used will not count as the city’s matching funds for that project. “That’s why we’re so eager to get one of these grants because so many things are going to happen once one of these triggers,” Lund- bom said. “The timeline of starting and fin- ishing fits exactly within our timeline of start- ing within six months and finishing within four years.” Benefits from the projects in the BUILD grant include activating Main Street, economic expansion, workforce housing, improved flood resilience, quality of life improvements, new business growth and riverfront recreation at the Innovation Gateway. “This is all very well thought out and planned, and we have the support of a lot of local, state and federal agencies that are for it,” Lundbom said. “We’re ready to put the shovel in the ground on some of these projects. We have done the two years’ worth of leg work to prepare to receive the grants and begin working on these projects within six months. All good things happening, and it’s a good time to move to John Day.” John Day development code amended Code enforcement, short-term rentals, sign placement and manufactured homes impacted By Rudy Diaz Blue Mountain Eagle Changes are coming for code enforcement, short-term vacation rentals, sign place- ments and manufactured homes in John Day. At the joint John Day City Council and Planning Com- mission virtual meeting May 12, public hearings and dis- cussion were held regarding ordinances amending various aspects of the development code. Code enforcement saw some changes to clarify com- pliance provisions, redefine violations and provide provi- sions for remediation, accord- ing to the staff report. Devel- opment code violations have been redefined as a nuisance instead of a misdemeanor, which will reduce the penalty fee for violations. City Manager Nick Green said the amendment also clar- ifies that any structure that is erected, moved, altered, land divided or used has to be done in compliance with the code. Eagle file photo The John Day City Council Jan. 14. Contributed photo/City of John Day In a photo of space 23 at Riverside Home Park presented to the planning commission, one of the accessory structures was propped up by iron bars, which was not permitted by the city. The amendment also places limitations on proper- ties that are in violation. “If you’re in violation of the code for property, you cannot continue to develop until that violation has been resolved,” Green said. “The intent here is to prevent us from going further down a path that’ll require more time and money to correct.” Councilor Dave Hol- land clarified that he does not believe that these amendments add permitting, but rather clar- ifies what the city can do when people don’t go through the processes that have already been established. Sign placements saw changes to avoid unnecessary meetings and give a slight increase in size standards for signs. Green said that all signs that require permits will be approved as a type one admin- istrative approval, which will be reviewed by Daisy Goebel, the associate planner, and then go to Green for signature as long as it meets the standards in the code. Signs will be referred to the Planning Commission for public review if they exceed the size standards, according to Green. Freestanding signs can now be 10 feet in height, over the previous 8 feet, and no building-mounted signs shall project more than three feet above the highest roof elevation of the building. We are forever grateful for those who have risked their lives to protect our freedoms 120 E Main St. John Day 541-575-0629 www.lensdrug.com Planning Commission Chair Ken Boethin said he liked the changes because the commission met many times in the past because a proposed sign was 1 foot larger than regulations allowed. Alterations of existing manufactured dwelling parks will be subject to a type two site design review, according to Green. This is to ensure that the alteration does not expand a non-conforming use. Other additional require- ments will be 100 square foot of open space for each unit in a mobile home park provided in common open space; com- mon space areas shall each be no less than 5,000 square feet; lighting shall be at levels appropriate for pedestrians; and short-term rentals within mobile parks will be prohib- ited except in designated RV areas, which shall be subject to applicable transient room taxes. This ordinance does not affect existing manufactured home parks except when alter- ing or adjusting the parks or when adding new units, according to the staff report. Regarding short-term vacation rentals and bed and breakfast businesses, the city’s intent is to relax the restrictive policy. Rather than requiring a type three conditional use per- mit for someone to convert a property or dwelling unit into a short-term rental, this relax- ation would allow property owners to simply apply for a business license and then go through an administrative review with the city, Green said. Short-term rentals are now defined as providing lodging for 28 or fewer consecutive days. The amendment also requires a transient room tax for short-term rentals to be collected by the property owner and given to the appli- cable government body. The city also has an agreement with AirBNB, where the com- pany will remit taxes directly to the taxing authority in the city limits rather than requir- ing that it be remitted by the property owner. S187698-1 In memory of many, in honor of all, thank you for your service! MEMORIAL DAY REMEMBER AND HONOR Grant County Chamber of Commerce 301 W Main St., John Day 541-575-0547 S187703-1 S187710-1
