By Anne Scheck
Kimberly Wells and Dr. Richard Clark MD When Rich Clark MD, who lives on Maple Street, got a notice from the city about a future housing development next to his home called Brandy Meadows, he spotted something in the letter that several of his neighbors didn’t. Details about the new subdivision differed from the original description of the area, known as the Southwest Independence Concept Plan. A trail had disappeared and so had a park.
“It was a whole different thing,” he said. Using statements from the document, which contrasted with the master plan for Brandy Meadows, Dr. Clark made a strong case for changes at a meeting of the Independence Planning Commission in mid- September.
But he didn’t do it alone. He had at least 25 other residents with him when he appeared at the hearing, on his mission to get a park and a guarantee of bicycle paths and a trail. And, as the commissioners heard testimony on the reasons why the Brandy Meadows plan needed modification, another change seemed to be taking place – transformation of residents from the city’s newest development, Sunset Meadows, into a close-knit group of neighbors.
“We have what it takes to be a neighborhood,” commented Kimberly Wells, who lives next door to Dr. Clark. She had knocked on doors with him to help tell others about the issue. “It seems like a lot of us had the same vision,” she said.
The “goal should be controlled growth with quality-of-life issues paramount in development decisions,” stated Carol Harriet, another Sunset Meadows resident who submitted her comments to the planning commission. She urged commissioners to remember small-town living is “why we love our community.”
Conflictual points haven’t been worked out between the master plan for Brandy Meadows and the residents of Sunset Meadows. However, already one big hurdle has been passed: Harvey Cummings, the developer, said he wants a park – and he has no interest in paying the “fee-in-lieu” to the city.
Under the Independence Development Code, any developer can opt to pay 13 percent of the market value of the land instead of dedicating about six percent of it for a park. But, like the Sunset Meadows residents, Mr. Cummings said he wants to protect the habitat and preserve some open space – nesting ospreys overlook the vibrant riparian community.
“It was a whole different thing,” he said. Using statements from the document, which contrasted with the master plan for Brandy Meadows, Dr. Clark made a strong case for changes at a meeting of the Independence Planning Commission in mid- September.
But he didn’t do it alone. He had at least 25 other residents with him when he appeared at the hearing, on his mission to get a park and a guarantee of bicycle paths and a trail. And, as the commissioners heard testimony on the reasons why the Brandy Meadows plan needed modification, another change seemed to be taking place – transformation of residents from the city’s newest development, Sunset Meadows, into a close-knit group of neighbors.
“We have what it takes to be a neighborhood,” commented Kimberly Wells, who lives next door to Dr. Clark. She had knocked on doors with him to help tell others about the issue. “It seems like a lot of us had the same vision,” she said.
The “goal should be controlled growth with quality-of-life issues paramount in development decisions,” stated Carol Harriet, another Sunset Meadows resident who submitted her comments to the planning commission. She urged commissioners to remember small-town living is “why we love our community.”
Conflictual points haven’t been worked out between the master plan for Brandy Meadows and the residents of Sunset Meadows. However, already one big hurdle has been passed: Harvey Cummings, the developer, said he wants a park – and he has no interest in paying the “fee-in-lieu” to the city.
Under the Independence Development Code, any developer can opt to pay 13 percent of the market value of the land instead of dedicating about six percent of it for a park. But, like the Sunset Meadows residents, Mr. Cummings said he wants to protect the habitat and preserve some open space – nesting ospreys overlook the vibrant riparian community.
However, the agreement isn’t in writing, noted Dr. Clark. He plans to appeal the decision of the Independence Planning Commission, which approved the Brandy Meadows proposal. It still doesn’t comply with the Southwest Independence Concept Plan, which was incorporated into the city’s Master Comprehensive Plan, he pointed out. “The developer has made promises regarding parks and trails, but the proposal doesn’t include these easements,” he said.
Brandy Meadows will be something of a first for the city: Designated “mixed,” it will include a new variety of homes, single-sited ones, townhomes that look like “row houses,” two-unit homes classified as duplexes and a fourplex. Mr. Cummings – who appeared to amicably concur with ideas advocated by the residents of Sunset Meadows – said he’s confident that buyers are looking for more-varied selection.
“Yes, there are those who still want the single-family home,” he said. “But Millennials? Some are likely to want those row houses,” he said.
Jeremy Grenz, of Multi/Tech Engineering, pointed out that “there also are baby boomers who want to downsize. They may like them, too.” The two called Brandy Meadows a place where there will be a “full range” of housing choices. In some ways, the effort mounted by Sunset Meadows, and the relationship between residents that resulted, seems to show a classic case of “village-building” as it’s described in some recent academic studies.
Often, it’s a triggering factor that brings a neighborhood together and then the togetherness “sticks,” whether it’s a gathering in a basement as a tornado rages or planning an annual sidewalk festival up and down streets. “I hope it sticks here,” said Ms. Wells.
Public health experts have been looking into why such neighborly socializing seems so beneficial. Neighborhood perceptions – the belief that the surrounding community is a safe and sharing one – give people a sense of “well-being,” according to researchers at Stonybrook University in New York, who have been looking into the topic.
Two other neighborhoods in Independence seem to be showing a similar cohesive trend: The Historic Downtown Neighborhood District and the Independence Airpark. (Sidebar below is on a former appeal)
A PAST APPEAL PARTLY WON
More than two years ago, an effort similar to the one being waged by Sunset Meadows was being undertaken by the Independence Airpark. In that case, a production facility for cannabis products near the neighborhood had raised concerns among residents -- zoning appeared so lax that even buffer zones weren’t part of the original plan. The president of the airpark homeowners’ association, resident Gary Van Horn, helped spearhead the effort to involve the neighborhood in a challenge to the zoning process.
Today, Mr. Van Horn looks back on the appeal as only partly successful. The permit process itself troubles him. He believes all industrial permits should be a “Type Two” hearing, which would give far wider notice than the “Type One,” which was the way the hearing was conducted.
“The airpark spent $20,000 on an attorney before the city council and staff would listen to us,” he asserted. (City staff have said they were following legal advice at every juncture). After numerous meetings and exchanges by attorneys on both sides, a final hearing granted some concessions sought by the airpark.
Several new measures were instituted, including carbon filters for reducing odor, and a series of sound measurements aimed at establishing a reasonable noise level.
But it was the buffer zones that seemed to illustrate the most dramatic reversal. Months after proclaiming they would not be feasible, both the planning commission and city council voted to require 250-foot buffers between residential areas and the new marijuana production site.
Disclosure: The editor and publisher of The Independent lives at the Independence Airpark. She did not participate in the hearing process except in a reporting capacity.
Brandy Meadows will be something of a first for the city: Designated “mixed,” it will include a new variety of homes, single-sited ones, townhomes that look like “row houses,” two-unit homes classified as duplexes and a fourplex. Mr. Cummings – who appeared to amicably concur with ideas advocated by the residents of Sunset Meadows – said he’s confident that buyers are looking for more-varied selection.
“Yes, there are those who still want the single-family home,” he said. “But Millennials? Some are likely to want those row houses,” he said.
Jeremy Grenz, of Multi/Tech Engineering, pointed out that “there also are baby boomers who want to downsize. They may like them, too.” The two called Brandy Meadows a place where there will be a “full range” of housing choices. In some ways, the effort mounted by Sunset Meadows, and the relationship between residents that resulted, seems to show a classic case of “village-building” as it’s described in some recent academic studies.
Often, it’s a triggering factor that brings a neighborhood together and then the togetherness “sticks,” whether it’s a gathering in a basement as a tornado rages or planning an annual sidewalk festival up and down streets. “I hope it sticks here,” said Ms. Wells.
Public health experts have been looking into why such neighborly socializing seems so beneficial. Neighborhood perceptions – the belief that the surrounding community is a safe and sharing one – give people a sense of “well-being,” according to researchers at Stonybrook University in New York, who have been looking into the topic.
Two other neighborhoods in Independence seem to be showing a similar cohesive trend: The Historic Downtown Neighborhood District and the Independence Airpark. (Sidebar below is on a former appeal)
A PAST APPEAL PARTLY WON
More than two years ago, an effort similar to the one being waged by Sunset Meadows was being undertaken by the Independence Airpark. In that case, a production facility for cannabis products near the neighborhood had raised concerns among residents -- zoning appeared so lax that even buffer zones weren’t part of the original plan. The president of the airpark homeowners’ association, resident Gary Van Horn, helped spearhead the effort to involve the neighborhood in a challenge to the zoning process.
Today, Mr. Van Horn looks back on the appeal as only partly successful. The permit process itself troubles him. He believes all industrial permits should be a “Type Two” hearing, which would give far wider notice than the “Type One,” which was the way the hearing was conducted.
“The airpark spent $20,000 on an attorney before the city council and staff would listen to us,” he asserted. (City staff have said they were following legal advice at every juncture). After numerous meetings and exchanges by attorneys on both sides, a final hearing granted some concessions sought by the airpark.
Several new measures were instituted, including carbon filters for reducing odor, and a series of sound measurements aimed at establishing a reasonable noise level.
But it was the buffer zones that seemed to illustrate the most dramatic reversal. Months after proclaiming they would not be feasible, both the planning commission and city council voted to require 250-foot buffers between residential areas and the new marijuana production site.
Disclosure: The editor and publisher of The Independent lives at the Independence Airpark. She did not participate in the hearing process except in a reporting capacity.
The CIVICS LESSON: Kidding Around at City Council
Child care for parents who attend public meetings was seen as a problem in need of a solution by Ithaca NY. There, this past spring, the city’s Common Council passed a measure that now requires child care to be provided at these events. It’s a five-month pilot program that’s being watched across the country, according to news accounts.
The Common Council report on it indicates that the program was set up after at least two members on Ithaca’s city commissions said they had trouble making meetings due to babysitting needs. The child care providers are adolescents experienced in watching kids at a local community center. So far, the undertaking has had mixed results: the city commissioners who needed it apparently are benefiting, but the effort hasn’t consistently translated into more attendance at city hall meetings by families.
The Common Council report on it indicates that the program was set up after at least two members on Ithaca’s city commissions said they had trouble making meetings due to babysitting needs. The child care providers are adolescents experienced in watching kids at a local community center. So far, the undertaking has had mixed results: the city commissioners who needed it apparently are benefiting, but the effort hasn’t consistently translated into more attendance at city hall meetings by families.
The INDY HOP: Seeking the Wow Factor in City Trees
It is a well-known fact that Oregonians take trees for granted. But in Independence, that's simply not the case -- even pine trees in the southern part of town by the river are deemed historic. Why? It's not really known. In fact, even the way trees here are declared historic is something of a mystery. But perhaps not for long.
An intrepid intern from Chemeketa Community College, Cody Fox, is hot on the trail of an official city census of important trees. Asked what might make a tree important, City Planner Fred Evander said it is probably consistent with a "wow" factor. Asked what a "wow factor" is, Mr. Evander said it’s likely to be related to old age, associated with a historical or significant event or is obviously magnificent to see. This would include some mighty oaks, like the one pictured. It seems deserving of a "wow!"
An intrepid intern from Chemeketa Community College, Cody Fox, is hot on the trail of an official city census of important trees. Asked what might make a tree important, City Planner Fred Evander said it is probably consistent with a "wow" factor. Asked what a "wow factor" is, Mr. Evander said it’s likely to be related to old age, associated with a historical or significant event or is obviously magnificent to see. This would include some mighty oaks, like the one pictured. It seems deserving of a "wow!"
DOWNTOWN DISPATCH
Meet Marilyn Morton, although chances are you already have. She has worn more hats than an old-time haberdasher and is a longtime city councilor in Independence. But it’s a little stroll down memory lane that occurs yearly in Independence for which she may go down in (ghoulish) history.
It’s the “Ghost Walk,” an October event in Independence that she started 18 years ago for what she thought might draw two dozen people, tops. That first year more than 300 showed up – and it has been growing ever since. “I’m actually kind of frightened about the growing number,” said the woman who has written an entire book about ghostly encounters and digs into paranormal occurrences whenever she hears of a new one.
The label “Community Paragon” was bestowed on Ms. Morton due to a place far from the town she’s captured in beyond-the-grave descriptions – at a meeting of urban planners in Portland. There, during a break from topics on tourism, a group was asked about what the best draw for a city like Independence might be.
River kayaking?
A great selection of taverns?
A charming downtown?
“You already have a great attraction there – the ghost walk,” said one of the planners, with nods from the others. They agreed it fits the bill in so many ways: involving the whole town, imparting the flavor and history of the place with intriguing information and, best of all, it costs nothing to participate.
“We are retelling stories that have existed for decades,” said Ms. Morton. She began collecting accounts after the “ghost walk” was considered as an add-on for the Hop Festival and merchants “kept telling me ‘you ought to hear what goes on in my building’ ” – allusions to things that really do go bump in the night.
One bright spirit is a little boy with a red ball who reportedly haunted the late Dan Weaver, an antiques dealer who lived upstairs from his shop on Main Street. The noise became annoying, interfering with Mr. Weaver’s sleep. Mr. Weaver asked the friendly little ghost to go downstairs at night, Ms. Morton recalled. But it had consequences.
“Apparently moving downstairs at night enabled him to leave the building,” she said. The result: he played with his red ball on the street.
At one post-ghost-walk clean-up, a public works employee running the street sweeper saw a red ball whiz by. “He turned that street sweeper around and he was done for the day,” Ms. Morton said.
This month, there will be a new "cool ghoul" feature at the Heritage Museum, displayed with the sign “M. Morton, Paranormal Investigator, Independence, Oregon.” A mock 1940s detective office -- with goose-neck telephone and an old Royal typewriter – will be on the desk with specific cases of hauntings, along with files from Ms. Morton's book.
In fact, the museum itself is said to be haunted. So, on Oct. 12, a paranormal investigative team will be at the Heritage Museum, to reveal results of an investigation there -- and to explain how such investigations are conducted.
It’s the “Ghost Walk,” an October event in Independence that she started 18 years ago for what she thought might draw two dozen people, tops. That first year more than 300 showed up – and it has been growing ever since. “I’m actually kind of frightened about the growing number,” said the woman who has written an entire book about ghostly encounters and digs into paranormal occurrences whenever she hears of a new one.
The label “Community Paragon” was bestowed on Ms. Morton due to a place far from the town she’s captured in beyond-the-grave descriptions – at a meeting of urban planners in Portland. There, during a break from topics on tourism, a group was asked about what the best draw for a city like Independence might be.
River kayaking?
A great selection of taverns?
A charming downtown?
“You already have a great attraction there – the ghost walk,” said one of the planners, with nods from the others. They agreed it fits the bill in so many ways: involving the whole town, imparting the flavor and history of the place with intriguing information and, best of all, it costs nothing to participate.
“We are retelling stories that have existed for decades,” said Ms. Morton. She began collecting accounts after the “ghost walk” was considered as an add-on for the Hop Festival and merchants “kept telling me ‘you ought to hear what goes on in my building’ ” – allusions to things that really do go bump in the night.
One bright spirit is a little boy with a red ball who reportedly haunted the late Dan Weaver, an antiques dealer who lived upstairs from his shop on Main Street. The noise became annoying, interfering with Mr. Weaver’s sleep. Mr. Weaver asked the friendly little ghost to go downstairs at night, Ms. Morton recalled. But it had consequences.
“Apparently moving downstairs at night enabled him to leave the building,” she said. The result: he played with his red ball on the street.
At one post-ghost-walk clean-up, a public works employee running the street sweeper saw a red ball whiz by. “He turned that street sweeper around and he was done for the day,” Ms. Morton said.
This month, there will be a new "cool ghoul" feature at the Heritage Museum, displayed with the sign “M. Morton, Paranormal Investigator, Independence, Oregon.” A mock 1940s detective office -- with goose-neck telephone and an old Royal typewriter – will be on the desk with specific cases of hauntings, along with files from Ms. Morton's book.
In fact, the museum itself is said to be haunted. So, on Oct. 12, a paranormal investigative team will be at the Heritage Museum, to reveal results of an investigation there -- and to explain how such investigations are conducted.
Haunted Independence Oregon by Marilyn Morton
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