The Hermiston City Council raised the maximum allowable building heights in C-1 and C-2 zones from 35 feet to 50 feet Monday night. Residential zones will still maintain the existing 35 foot height limitation and industrial zones do not have height limitations at all.
The change was recommended by the city’s planning commission after a proposed hotel development was granted a height variance in December. The city has had five height variance applications since 2007, all of which were approved.
One of the main historical reasons for the previous restriction was that the ladder trucks for the fire department were too short. Hermiston Fire & Emergency Services District’s ladder trucks have since been able to reach 75 feet for several years.
Pendleton, La Grande, and The Dalles all currently allow commercial buildings to be at least 50 feet tall.
In other news Monday night:
• The council proclaimed April 1 to be Mayor’s Day of Recognition for National Service, both locally and across the country. “The city would not be successful without the hundreds of volunteers who serve our city,” said Council President Rod Hardin. “So, a big ‘thank you’ from myself and the council.
• The council confirmed the appointments of Ryan Medelez, Kathy Erz and Dean Fialka to the Planning Commission.
• An exemption to the city’s excessive noise code was granted to Marverick’s Restaurant for a May 17 event that will feature Frank Hannon of Tesla, Rail and Blue Tattoo.
• A liquor license application from Mercado Latino, 1150 W. Hartley Ave., was tabled until the council can get additional information from the applicant.
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