HomeMy WebLinkAbout045I've attached a document I put together with the help of co-worker Andrea Mtchell, who
forwarded much relevant documentary evidence to me.
The Crook County vote to outlaw MPRs was, first and foremost, about conserving water
resources---and, secondarily, about maintaining a balanced community. Four thousand
houses in the destination resort category had already been approved. When built and
occupied, the newly entrenched constituency would constitute fully 25% of the County's
total population.
I'm reviewing documents going back to 1995, when residents of Brinnon first met to
discuss the future of their community. I spoke last Friday with persons who attended
those meetings. They remember "the maintenance of the area's rural charactef' as a
dominant theme. Among other things, the 1995 Brinnon Community Plan mentions "inns
and support services for recreational tourism."
Six years later, written documents talk of a Black Point MPR as "significantly different
and smaller in scale than the Port Ludlow MPR in that it is less structured towards
development of permanent residential accommodations and more so towards providing
recreational opportunities and support services for the trdveling public that will benefit
local residents."
You must by now realize that county commissioners sat on their hands until Statesman
came onto the scene. This, you must admit, is not the way things should be.
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To: Philip Morley
From: Todd Wexman
l0 November 2009
RE: Destination Resorts et al
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Nov 1 2 2003
JEFFEHSON COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS
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In May of this year, voters in Oregon's Crook County, overwhelmingly approved a
citizen's initiative that could effectively end destination resort development in the rural
Powell Butte area. Challenges by environmental groups and other interests had blocked
the development of destination resorts in several corners of the State in the past but this is
the first time that county voters mounted such an initiative. Backers of the initiative saw
these projects for what they were: large-scale subdMsions under the gr{ise of destination
resorts. The measure won't affect three large resorts already under construction or in
permit review, but it puts a moratorium on plans for a fourth big project and has the
potentialto block new ones altogether.
Taken together these resorts, otherwise known as MPRs, represent massive development
in the County of Crook. Seven thousand rural acres---much of it farmland---have been
lost to development. Six thousand-plus homes have been built, an{ numberless golf
courses as well. Those who oppose MPRs have suggested that these projects will
adversely impact the County's water resources, farmland, and wildlife habitat. They, it
mus, be said, are thinking well ahead of those who represent them.
Crook County's Sunriver development started out as a destination resort, and now has
thousands of full-time residents. Eagle Crest started out as a destination resort;but now
the "visitation" part is less than25Yo ofthe area covered, with the vast majority of homes
being either full-time or mostly full-time residents. The first destination resort in Crook
County was Ochoco West. There are only a few summer residences remaining; the vast
majority of homes have become full-time residential liring quarters.
In the last four years alone, 4,000 homes have been approved in the destination resort
category in Crook County. A small, improbable coalition of farmers and
environmentalists won a vote against such foolishness. Jefferson County's very own
destination resort is in the works. Must we, too, resort to the initiative---or will County
Commissioners here one day soon "see the light?"
Todd Wexman
1255 3ls Street
Port Townsend, WA
(360) 37e-rse6
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