The city of Umatilla and Port of Umatilla have agreed to withdraw from the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA) over a zoning dispute, and the Port Commission voted today to approve a land sale to the city.
Joseph Franell, who has served as mediator for the port and the city, said both sides are “moving forward with a revitalized spirit of cooperation, focusing on a deliberate and collaborative approach to economic development.”
As a result of months of negotiations, the Port Commission has agreed to the following:
• The Port will sell land along the west side of Bud Draper Road and a 3.1 acre parcel at the northwest end of Bud Draper Road to the city of Umatilla. The zoning issue in question then becomes the sole responsibility of the city and is no longer a cause for conflict.
• The Umatilla City Council will vote on the land purchase at their next scheduled meeting and then intends to explore zoning of the newly acquired parcels and the creation of a buffer between any industrial or commercial development and the residential land and golf course to the west of those lots. Franell said this will address concerns that have been expressed by adjacent property owners in the past.
• Additionally, the city and port may commence discussions on a collaborative development of the property to the east of Bud Draper Road.
The dispute between the city and the port centered on the Umatilla Planning Commission’s denial last year of a site review application for an industrial warehouse on land west of Bud Draper Road near the Big River Golf Course. In June, the city council upheld the commission’s ruling. The city claimed the property is zoned residential, while the port claimed it is zoned for industrial use. City maps show it as zoned for industrial use, but city officials say that designation was made in error.
“The elected officials and managers on both sides of this disagreement should be commended for their determination to find a productive resolution to the situation” said Franell. “Their strong leadership has resulted in not just a healthy relationship between the parties but also in real hope for the future of economic development in the area. The city’s purchase of land in the port area is tangible evidence of the restored relationship between the city and port.”
