Hearing set on new county
code laws
Rules cover ‘chronic nuisances’ like junk, cars and
noise
David Sykes
The Morrow County
Commissioners will hold
a public hearing Wednes-
day, April 3 on proposed
updates to the county’s
code enforcement laws.
Code laws cover things like
junk, garbage and debris on
properties, abandoned and
hazardous vehicles as well
as noise disturbances. As
an example, “We regularly
receive complaints about
a neighbor that is not us-
ing the approved sanitary
waste hauler and letting
solid waste accumulate on
their property,” says Coun-
ty Planner Carla McLane.
“That is a violation of both
the Solid Waste Ordinance
and the Code Enforcement
Ordinance.”
Other types of problem
areas include:
Use of Recreational
Vehicles: Morrow County
allows the use of a recre-
ational vehicle in the fol-
lowing instances: during
the construction of a prima-
ry dwelling (not to exceed
six months); for up to 30
days in a calendar year for
guests adjacent to a prima-
ry dwelling; in the Forest
Use zone for recreational
purposes when a zoning
permit and rural address
have been issued; and when
approved as part of a med-
ical hardship variance. The
only other lawful use of a
recreational vehicle as a
residential unit is when in
a leased spot within an ap-
proved recreational vehicle
park.
Dogs as a Public Nui-
sance: Morrow County is a
Dog Control District which
means dogs cannot run free
off the dog owner’s prop-
erty. Specifically, “all dogs
shall be kept within the
real property limits of the
keeper of the dog and under
control of the responsible
person or contained with a
fence that maintains control
of the animal. While off the
property of the keeper of
the dog, a dog must be on a
leash or be under control of
a responsible person or be
contained within a portable
kennel.”
Noise: My neighbor is
having a party. When do
they have to turn down the
music? According to the
code, they have to be quiet
from 11 p.m. until 7 a.m.
But if the farmer next door
is cutting hay at 3 a.m. he is
exempt as are all agricultur-
al actions.
How to lodge a com-
plaint: You can contact
the Sheriff’s Office at 541-
676-5317 or you can call
the Planning Department at
541-922-4624. Complaints
can be submitted through
the web form on the county
planning web page, and you
can also email the Plan-
ning Department at scase@
co.morrow.or.us for addi-
tional details on how to file
a complaint. The code only
covers areas of the county
outside the limits of towns
and cities, so do not contact
the county about violations
inside your city.
Anyone wishing to
speak out about the new law
can attend the hearing at the
Bartholomew building in
Heppner Wednesday, April
3. A current proposed draft
of the new law is available
on the Morrow County
website, or you can contact
county planners Carla Mc-
Lane or Stephanie Case at
541-922-4624 or by email
at cmclane@co.morrow.
or.us or scase@co.morrow.
or.us.
Forest Service seeks volunteer
campground hosts
Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, March 27, 2019 -- THREE
Morrow County reaches solar
and wind agreement
During its March 20
meeting, the Morrow Coun-
ty Board of Commissioners
approved the signing of an
amended Strategic Invest-
ment Program (SIP) agree-
ment between Morrow
County, the Wheatridge
Wind Energy LLC, and
Wheatridge Solar Energy
Center LLC. The amended
SIP agreement allows for
the addition of up to 150
megawatts of solar elec-
tricity to be added to the
potential 450-megawatt
wind energy project. If the
solar and wind project is
fully built out, it could lead
to nearly $5 million dollars
each year in SIP payments
for the 15-year SIP agree-
ment period.
With the signing of the
amended SIP agreement,
Morrow County continues
as a leader in renewable
energy projects with sever-
al approved wind projects
already operational, and
other solar projects in the
approval process.
The county studied the
issue hard before negoti-
ating the agreement. The
Morrow County SIP team
spent several months learn-
ing about solar energy. The
team wanted to understand
fully how a solar panel pro-
gram with battery storage
operates and is taxed. This
led to conversations with
numerous officials from
Oregon and other states.
The team was led by Com-
missioner Jim Doherty.
In discussing the
amendment process, Com-
missioner Doherty com-
mented, “I was cautiously
optimistic when asked by
my fellow commission-
ers to head up the second
of two consecutive SIPs.
These renewable energy
projects are surrounded
by many competing in-
terests. With landowners,
constituents, and potential
future renewable interests
looking on, we needed to
set the standard. It was no
less daunting that we were
tasked with understanding
emerging technologies and
the values to Morrow Coun-
ty of this one-of-a-kind en-
ergy project. Justin Nelson,
acting as county counsel,
and I along with staff assis-
tance from Assessor Mike
Gorman and Administrator
Darrell Green were able
to finalize an agreement
that most felt was a perfect
template for our future. As
‘energy central,’ we wanted
to show that we are willing
to partner with renewable
energy programs at an eq-
uitable return.
The amended SIP
agreement continues the
prior SIP agreement’s pro-
visions that would provide
substantial funding on an
annual basis to the Morrow
County School District and
Ione School District for
arts, music and STEM (sci-
ence, technology, engineer-
ing, and math) programs.
Commissioner Jim
Doherty commented, “With
outside-the-box, imagina-
tive foresight we were able
to build into the agreement
a heretofore unimaginable
future for Morrow County
schools. What began with
visits to Congresswoman
Susan Bonamici, Governor
Kate Brown, local edu-
cators and planned visits
to Delta High School and
Lake Oswego’s robotics
program; the vision for a
STEAM (science, technol-
ogy, engineering, art and
math) program shimmered
in the distance. We are in
the process of putting to-
gether committees to work
with the county to construct
the framework of the arts,
design, music, science,
technology, engineering
and math courses of study
that make up the STEAM
curriculum. This holds the
potential of making these
humble schools and home-
grown students the envy
of Oregon. I am thrilled
to shepherd this forward
and thank my fellow com-
missioners and all whom
shared our reverie.”
Oregon Governor Kate
Brown is also pleased with
what the SIP will mean to
education in Morrow Coun-
ty saying, “I am so pleased
to see that as Oregon looks
to its future in renewable
energy infrastructure, we
are also planning ahead for
the future of the Oregonians
who will drive innovation
in this field for generations
to come—our students.”
Governor Kate Brown add-
ed, “Every student in our
state should have access
to hands-on learning, and
in STEAM courses, they
can connect classroom to
career and build skills that
will serve them well beyond
high school graduation.”
UNDERSTANDING
ALZHEIMER’S AND DEMENTIA
An Alzheimer’s Association® Educational Program
Bull Prairie campground is located 36 miles south of Heppner.
The Umatilla National
Forest is looking for volun-
teers to spend the summer
as campground hosts at the
Jubilee Lake, Woodward,
and Bull Prairie Lake camp-
grounds.
A camp host greets
campers, provides infor-
mation on the surrounding
area and generally makes
campers feel at home. Hosts
will visit with campers and
day-use visitors, clean and
maintain restrooms, restock
supplies, occasionally clean
up after campers and carry
out minor maintenance as
needed. They keep an eye
on things and set a good
example for others in the
campground.
Individuals or couples
can apply to be hosts. Retir-
ees often apply to the camp
host program, finding it the
ideal way to spend the sum-
mer in a beautiful setting.
Hosts need to be friendly,
flexible and responsible and
may be subject to a criminal
background check.
Those who apply will
need to supply their own
trailer, camper or motor
home. Camp hosts will
be provided a campsite,
usually near the main en-
tryway to the campground.
Though the host program is
a volunteer program, a food
allowance and propane
are offered and personal
vehicle mileage associated
with hosting duties is reim-
bursed.
Bull Prairie Lake
Campground is located 36
miles south of Heppner and
offers 30 tent/trailer sites,
12 picnic areas, a beautiful
28-acre lake with four float-
ing fishing docks and a 1.5-
mile paved accessible trail.
This campground is typi-
cally hosted from Memorial
Day through mid-October,
though a shorter duration
is negotiable. For more
information on becoming
a Forest Service volunteer
campground host at Bull
Prairie Lake Campground,
please contact Ben Walker
at the North Fork John Day
Ranger District (541) 427-
5326 or Benjamin.walker@
usda.gov.
Jubilee Lake Camp-
ground is located 12 miles
NE of Tollgate and is the
largest developed camp-
ground on the Umatilla
National Forest offering
53 campsites, four picnic
areas and a 2.8-mile acces-
sible hiking trail around the
92-acre lake. This camp-
ground is very popular for
overnight camping as well
as day-use activities. Camp-
ground hosts are typical-
ly on-site from early-July
through mid-September.
Wo o d w a r d C a m p -
ground is located right off
Highway 204 at Tollgate
and offers 14 tent/trailer
sites, four picnic areas, four
accessible toilet facilities
and views of Langdon Lake
(however Langdon Lake is
a private lake and access
to the lake is not allowed).
Hosts are typically on-site
from early July through the
end of September. The hosts
at this campground are also
responsible for taking care
of Target Meadows and
Woodland Campgrounds,
which are both located
nearby.
For more information
on becoming a Forest Ser-
vice volunteer campground
host at Jubilee Lake or
Woodward Campground,
please contact Kiyoshi Fu-
jishin at the Walla Walla
Ranger District (509) 522-
6277 or Kiyoshi.fujishin@
usda.gov.
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Alzheimer’s disease is not a normal part of aging. Join us to
learn about the impact of Alzheimer’s, the difference between
Alzheimer’s and dementia, stages and risk factors, current
research and treatments available for some symptoms, and
Alzheimer’s Association resources.
WHEN
WHERE
REGISTER
Tuesday, April 9
1-2 p.m.
Heppner City Hall
111 N. Main St.
Heppner, OR 97836
This class is FREE,
registration is required
800.272.3900
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