The Nugget Health
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POSTAL CUSTOMER PRE-SORTED STANDARD ECRWSS U.S. POSTAGE PAID Sisters, OR Permit No. 15
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Vol. XLVII No. 4
www.NuggetNews.com
Wednesday, January 24, 2024
Storms create troubles, trials in Sisters City seeks bids on UGB planning
By Bill Bartlett Correspondent
The snow that dumped on Sisters Country ranging from 18 to 30-plus inches was challenging enough, especially as it was accompanied by bitter cold and hazardous winds. When the snow subsided, weather related problems were not abated. In some cases they got worse. Most tragically two children, including an infant, were among the five people killed in a crash on Highway 97 near Crescent last Wednesday, January 17, after colliding with a semitruck. Another child was injured. The iced highway was believed to be an aggravating factor. Here in Sisters, storm related damage is causing havoc and disruption. The Sisters Library closed on Wednesday, January 17, after a significant water leak flooded parts of the building. The leak was discovered last Wednesday morning, with standing water found in the community room, and the children’s area. The cause is still under investigation, but early assessments point to a burst pipe, which happened during the recent cold snap that
Correspondent
If you like local history, sooner or later you may take a deep dive. You might end up wondering about the sandy earth at your feet or the age of the jagged peaks in the evening skyline. Maybe you watched too many dinosaur movies over the holidays and started imagining what Sisters was like millions of years ago. The origin stories of the mountains and landscapes of Sisters fill geology books. They involve plates in the earth and under the sea, subduction zones, millions of years of volcanic eruptions, and huge sheets of glacial ice.
Inside...
See STORMS on page 19
See UGB BIDS on page 18
PHOTO BY BILL BARTLETT
Several days of frigid temperatures followed by freezing rain caused myriad problems across Sisters Country. sent temperatures plummeting into sub-freezing territory for days. The Sisters Library will remain closed while contractors and disaster mitigation services work to ensure that any leaks are repaired and that all structures and furnishings are dried or replaced if needed.
Volcanoes in the neighborhood By Maret Pajutee
reopen for regular hours next Tuesday. Over at Sisters High School, water came through the ceiling in the reception area and small leaks were noticed in other parts of the building. Ice dams are the
The City of Sisters is getting work underway to figure out how to accommodate future growth. The City has put out a request for proposal (RFP) seeking a professional consulting firm with experience in Oregon comprehensive land use planning to coordinate and lead the City’s proposed Urban Growth Boundary Amendment (UGB Amendment). Population projections from Portland State University say that the population inside the city limits will hit 7,108 in 2043 - more than double the current population of 3,475. Sisters currently does not have room to accommodate that kind of population. Sisters Community Development Director Scott Woodford told The Nugget last November that the State of Oregon requires action from cities to accommodate future growth.
For a small place, Sisters is rich in volcanoes, counting at least seven strato/composite or shield volcanoes in our skyline along with dozens of large and small cinder cones. We live in the shadow of ancient extinct volcanoes (Mt. Washington, Three Fingered Jack, Mt. Jefferson) and a few volcanos that are still a little alive (South Sister). It’s part of a string of fire mountains along a crack in the earth’s core where plates collide and heat and molten rock escape. Called the Cascade Volcanic Arc, a recent U.S. Geologic Survey report counts at least 466 See VOLCANOES on page 20
“Staff are just heartbroken with this situation,” said library Director Todd Dunkelberg. “But we are working closely with our contractors to repair the damage and are eager to reopen again as soon as possible.” Dunkelberg told The Nugget that the goal was to
Getting Sisters into code compliance By Bill Bartlett Correspondent
In April of 2022, the City of Sisters hired its first ever code compliance officer whose job is fairly straight forward — obtain compliance of the municipal and development codes. This includes complaints of properties with overgrown vegetation or having an accumulation of debris, garbage, and junk. Other areas of concentration include compliance with Dark Skies standards, noise, dust, dangerous trees, weeds and signage. Complaints of animal nuisances, noise, illegal parking, abandoned vehicles or city park violations are handled by the Sheriff’s Office. The work of the code compliance officer is not
PHOTO BY BILL BARTLETT
Most code compliance issues involve nuisances like overgrown vegetation. The City of Sisters seeks voluntary compliance before enforcement action is taken. well known to many citizens and some are unaware that there is such a position. In the 12 months
between November 2022 and October 2023 there See CITY CODE on page 21
Letters/Weather ............... 2 Sisters Salutes ................. 6 Announcements................ 8 Entertainment .................10 Crossword .......................21 Meetings .......................... 3 For the Birds ......................7 Of a Certain Age ................ 9 Focus on Health ...........11-15 Classifieds................. 22-23