The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

Sisters, which is part of the fastest growing county in the state, grew by 296 people to a population total of 959 between 1990 and 2000, according to the 2000 U.S. Census.

In the next three years it grew even faster, increasing by 455 people to a total of 1,430 within the city limits.

Over the next 20 years, Sisters is expected to quadruple in size, to a total of 4,688 in 2025, according to the latest population forecast created by city staff.

In light of such expected growth, city staff told the council in a workshop on Thursday, June 17, that no ordinance or population forecast is going to keep people from coming. Instead, staff said it is the council's job to figure out how to "manage the growth."

The question of growth has sparked much debate within the council and the community, especially in response to the recently-adopted development code, which requires developers to build four to eight houses per gross acre in any new residential subdivision, and nine to 20 units for multi-family housing.

For some, such as councilor Lon Kellstrom and citizen Curt Kallberg, the density number is too restrictive and will create a dense urban community more like Redmond, undermining the rural quality of life dear to Sisters.

For others, like councilor Judy Trego, the density could be higher and allow for more houses per acre, which she says would enhance a feeling of community.

While sitting in the first of a series of workshops intended to analyze the impact of density requirements in the city's development code, Eileen Stein, city manager, shared her philosophy.

"I don't usually get philosophical, but I am going to share this," Stein said. "It is part of our human nature and part of the drawbridge effect that we all want to be the only ones to enjoy this quality of life and the only ones to enjoy Oregon. But yet, people come and will continue to come. It is your job to make sure that population will result in the quality of life we enjoy today.

"That is the burden of leadership you get to deal with and that is not easy," she said. "There is no magic answer, but the bottom line is we can't keep people from coming because there are people here that were not here a year ago and they are trying to do the same thing and keep other people from coming and enjoying the quality of life."

The density requirement is flexible, because developers can go below and above the requirements, so long as the entire subdivision averages out to be four to eight units per gross acre.

Over the next several density workshops, John Rahm, city councilor, indicated he will want to take field trips to visit various subdivisions with different density ranges. He also said he wants a clear and comprehensive understanding of the existing densities in Sisters.

The only report currently available to the councilors is one by Curt Kallberg, a member of the Citizens Advisory Committee, which worked on the density issue.

The packet surveys the number of lots per gross acre in 10 subdivisions in Sisters. It shows density ranging from 1.6 lots per gross acre in Rolling Horse to five to six lots per gross acre in The Pines.

The average is three houses per gross acre.

According to Rankin, the City of Bend is currently looking to adopt a higher density range of seven to 11 units per acre in new residential districts.