The INDEPENDENT, September 21, 2011
Page 5
Business Notes
Unique development on Green Mountain
Because of Oregon’s strict
land use regulations, many
folks have given up hope of
ever building their dream home
high in the hills, surrounded by
towering trees. Well, dream
again. No, the regulations
haven’t changed much, but one
family finally made it through
the morass of ballot Measures
37 and 49 and has started de-
veloping Green Mountain
Ranch Oregon, a residential
subdivision in rural Banks.
First, a little refresher on those
ballot measures.
The Process
Before the passage of Mea-
sure 37, state land use regula-
tions restricted development of
exclusive forest lands to one
residence per 160 acres.
Then, in November, 2004,
voter approval of Measure 37
allowed residential develop-
ment of resource lands, provid-
ing several requirements could
be met. One requirement was
that the current owners must
demonstrate that they, or their
families, had retained owner-
ship of that property since
1972.
Brothers Steve Mead and
Mark Mead had good reasons
to be unconcerned about the
family requirement.
In 1886 Amos and Lucinda
Mead, and three of Amos’s
brothers, homesteaded on
Green Mountain, in what is now
Washington County. The broth-
ers, Marshall, “the Deacon”
and Cassius, moved on to oth-
er areas. Amos and Lucinda
stayed on the heavily timbered
site, worked to “prove up” their
land, and started their family.
Their son Faye, and his wife
Mary, stayed on Green Moun-
tain, where they also raised
their family. Faye and Mary’s
son, Erv, and his wife Bette,
also called Green Mountain
home and, by the 1950s, the
Mead families owned 600
acres on Green Mountain.
Steve and Mark, the sons of
Erv and Bette, had been trying
to gain permission to subdivide
some parts of Green Mountain,
initially for other family mem-
bers and, eventually, for a rural
residential area. Before Mea-
sure 37 they had three homes
on a 250 acre parcel.
When Measure 37 passed,
the Meads didn’t hesitate. They
applied immediately, then
worked through a year-long
process and were certified as
meeting all requirements to be
fully approved.
Then voter approval of Mea-
sure 49 changed the law, re-
ducing the number of residen-
tial parcels allowed, among
other provisions. Instead of re-
linquishing their long-held
hopes, they applied again and
went through another lengthy
qualification process for full
vesting.
The years (and dollars)
spent on those two qualifying
procedures didn’t mean they
could start subdividing the
property. It meant that they
could finish the planning, road
building, surveying and engi-
neering they would need to
provide the initial information
required by Washington Coun-
ty’s land use regulations.
After jumping through all of
the required hoops, which re-
quired another year, they final-
ly received approval to develop
the first six parcels in what will
eventually be a subdivision of
22 parcels ranging in size from
one to six acres.
The Development
Green Mountain Ranch Ore-
gon offers great views from its
1,000’-1200’ elevation, but the
subdivision will offer far more
than view lots. The first six
parcels are from one to three
acres, each one approved for a
septic system. Water will be
provided from four drilled wells
on the ranch that produce 50-
100 gpm each. Fire protection
for the first six lots will come
from a 12,000 gallon water tank
system. Additional tanks will be
installed as the subdivision de-
velops.
The parcels have plenty of
room for family, animals, gar-
dens and outbuildings, but not
all of them have enough room
for horses. That problem is
solved, though, by Ranch
Meadows LLC, an operating
equestrian company that can
be joined for a fee. This is op-
tional, and there are no home
owners association fees.
Ranch Meadows manages
the trail system, with approxi-
mately five miles already built,
and 25 acres of fields that will
be used as five individual fields
with fencing and shelters.
Horses and livestock will be in
separate fields, all on a fee ba-
sis. An area has been chosen
for an arena, though there is no
plan to build it immediately.
There are, however, several
arenas available in the area for
those who want to board at an
arena or haul-in to ride in the
winter.
A community recreation
area of approximately two
acres has grass bleachers for
chairs/blankets, an outside
rock fire pit and a meeting
area. A pavilion will soon be
constructed, as well.
Platting of the first six lots is
underway, with three larger
parcels available this fall.
Green Mountain Ranch has fi-
The entrance to Green Mountain Ranch Oregon is framed by
log posts, made from trees cut on the property, that are 2.5
feet in diameter and 20 feet tall, and topped by a 1.5 foot di-
ameter log.
nancing available for both lot
sales and home construction,
thru Farm Credit Services.
They may also sell lots on con-
tract. Additionally, they will re-
fund $5,000 from each sale for
installation of native landscap-
ing, raised bed gardens, mini-
greenhouses,
etc.,
and
$10,000 from each sale will go
to chip seal pavement for the
ranch roads.
Prices are available on sev-
eral proposed construction
homes with both Five-star
Builders and Keith Knowles
Construction, however buyers
can use their own builders.
For more information, call
Steve at 503-936-8110, or go
to the web site: www.green
mountainranchoregon.com .