The Hermiston City Council approved the annexation of 2.01 acres of property into the city limits Monday night that will be put on the market for development.
Prior to annexing the property, the council voted to change the zoning designation of the property from Future Residential to R-2, allowing for one- and two-family dwellings on 6,500-square-foot lots.
The property is located at 1088 E. Newport Avenue.
The applicants, Mayra and Felipe Reyes, originally sought to have the two acres changed to an R-3 zoning, which would allow for one- and two-family units and multi-family uses on a 5,000-square-feet lot.
The Hermiston Planning Commission recommended against the zoning change on July 10. At the July 22 Hermiston City Council meeting, a public hearing on the topic was held and several residents from neighborhood voiced opposition to the proposed zoning change. Objections centered primarily on concerns of increased traffic to the rural neighborhood and how the addition of multi-family dwellings would change the character of the area.
At the July 22 meeting, Mayra Reyes said she was open to an R-2 zoning designation and the council voted 5-1 to have documents prepared for an ordinance with the R-2 zoning designation.
At Monday’s council meeting, Councilor Jackie Linton reminded the council of the neighbors who showed up at the July 22 meeting to voice their opposition to the zoning change.
“We had one person that was for it and we had a number of people from the area that were against it,” Linton said. “I just wanted to make sure that it was on the record that whatever happens was because of, I don’t know, (we’re) going against what the neighborhood wanted. And I feel that as a councilor representing the constituents of Hermiston and that neighborhood that we should have taken that into consideration.”
Councilor Doug Primmer said those opposing the zoning change do not live in the city limits.
“It is also important to remember, and this is going to sound bad to a certain extent, I guess, but the people that are against it are not city residents,” Primmer said. “We do not represent them by this body. There is a county segment to this, as well, and they have the ability to go to that county segment and appeal it.”
Before the zoning change and annexation take effect, Umatilla County must also approve it. City Planner Clint Spencer said opponents can also appeal the council’s decision to the state’s Land Use Board of Appeals.
“So, yes, there is opposition and there are avenues for due process,” Spencer said.
The council voted 5-1 to both change the zoning designation and annex the property into the city limits. Linton voted no on both roll calls.
Spencer said the property has an assessed value of $133,480.
