The Hermiston City Council voted Monday night in favor of considering a proposed change in the city’s comprehensive plan map that would allow a property owner to sell a piece of property for future development.
Mayra and Felipe Reyes submitted an application to amend the comprehensive plan map designation for approximately two acres of land located at 1088 E Newport Ave. They seek to have the property’s zoning designation change to Medium-High Density Residential (R-3) and annexed into the city with plans for it to be developed into four-plexes.
The property sits within the urbanizable portion of Hermiston’s urban growth boundary. The city’s comprehensive plan map designates it as Future Residential (FR). The county’s zoning map designates the property as FU-10. The FU-10 is a residential urbanizable zone intended to preserve large lots within the urban growth boundary to facilitate future urban level development.
The Hermiston Planning Commission heard testimony at a hearing on July 10 in which several neighbors objected to the proposed zoning change and annexation. Objections focused 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.
The planning commission found that there was not an adequate evidentiary basis for the proposed R-3 zoning designation and Medium Density Residential comprehensive plan map designations and recommended the city deny the applicants’ request.
At Monday’ council meeting, Hermiston City Planner Clint Spencer outlined the difference between R-1, R-2 and R-3 designations.
R-1 allows for one and two-family dwellings on an 8,000-square-foot lot.
R-2 allows for one- and two-family dwellings on 6,500-square-foot lots. Multi-family dwellings would only be allowed as a conditional use if permitted by the Hermiston Planning Commission.
R-3: allows for one- and two-family units and multi-family uses on a 5,000-square-feet lot.
Councilor Maria Durón asked Spencer if residents in the neighborhood are informed that their property could be subject to zoning changes in the event of future growth.
“If somebody comes to us, we tell them yes, it’s in the urban growth boundary and the city will grow into area eventually,” Spencer said. “Everyone buying a property does not come to the city, so I can’t speak to all the people who haven’t done the due diligence on what’s going on.”
Regarding concerns of increased traffic, Spencer said a traffic analysis was done as part of the application process. He said city staff reviewed the analysis and determined that future development would not have a significant effect on the area’s streets and intersections once fully improved.
Mayra Reyes, one of the co-applicants, said during Monday’s meeting that she understands the concerns of the neighbors.
“I did take the time to read everybody’s concerns,” she said. “I put myself in their shoes and understand that these residents have been here for over 20 years. Change can be difficult. But we have to be open to change because we have no control over the population that is coming to our area. We just have to be open to grow.”
Reyes also spoke of tax revenue that would come into the city if the area was annexed into the city.
“By changing the designation to R-3, it will generate tax dollars to our city for more homes,” Reyes said. “Improved streets would increase value of existing homes and add more homes close to the schools.”
Mayor Dave Drotzmann there are two sides to this issue to consider.
“The concern I have is, here we have a landowner that wants to develop housing and one of the city’s strategic goals is to try to provide more housing for the community – and affordable housing,” Drotzmann said. “That has been very difficult to come by for a lot of folks. But I also have similar concerns about the neighborhood makeup.”
Drotzmann said he experienced a similar situation when development was planned in his neighborhood. He was opposed to it and spoke before the Hermiston Planning Commission.
“The planning commission overruled me, and I now have some amazing neighbors and it turned out really, really nice,” he said. “I know we all get comfortable, and we all get this nimbyism where we don’t want it in our backyard, but we have, as a community, continued to grow. One of the things we have to do as a community is to provide housing so that our constituents have places to live. So I, too, am mixed on this.”
Councilor Jackie Linton opposed the requested zoning change.
“I agree with the individuals who are against it,” she said. “As a representative of the constituents of Hermiston, we should be listening to people in the neighborhood. I feel the planning commission did a thorough job in reviewing the application.”
Councilor Roy Barron said he agreed with the planning commission’s decision, believing that multi-family dwellings would change the look and feel of the neighborhood.
“Having said that, I’m a big proponent of individual rights,” he said. “Property owners should be able to do what they like.” Barron said he was in favor of a compromise that maintains character of the neighborhood while still making more housing available.
Spencer, in his staff report, recommended the city work with the applicants on a compromise and go with an R-2 rather than an R-3 designation.
Reyes said she was open to an R-2 designation that allows for one- or two-family dwellings.
The council voted 5-1 to direct city staff to prepare documents for an R-2 designation that will be considered at the next council meeting.
If the council approves the zoning change, the Umatilla County Commissioners would also have to approve it.
Many people.testified in both the planning commission and the city council meeting, all against .The planning commission recommended do not annex or change zoning. One person asked for the change, so what did city council do went against all the neighbors and their own planning commission