The Umatilla City Council voted Tuesday night to continue working with Port of Umatilla officials in an effort to resolve a zoning dispute that had threatened the working relationship between the city and the port.
The issue centers around the Umatilla Planning Commission’s denial of 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 claims the property is zoned residential, while the port claims 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.
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The port is appealing the city’s decision to the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA). The hope for Tuesday’s meeting was to find a local solution and avoid having a ruling handed down by the state.
“If LUBA rules, everyone loses,” said Umatilla City Councilor Roak TenEyck. “A working relationship with the port is critical. We’re talking about family-wage jobs. So many good things can come from that property.”
Tuesday’s peace-making efforts came immediately following comments by Planning Commission Chairman Boyd Sharp, who read a letter from the commission criticizing the city for meeting privately with port commission members. The meetings, mediated by Joe Franell, were aimed at finding a solution to the conflict between the port and the city. Sharp said the meetings were viewed as a “vote of no confidence in the commission and undermines the due process which needs to run its course.”
Franell, who was asked to mediate the meetings, spoke Tuesday night, telling the council that there was no intent to circumvent the process, but only to determine if there was a path forward to finding a solution. He said any solution would then have to be vetted by the Planning Commission and the Umatilla City Council.
Umatilla City Manager Bob Ward praised Franell for his efforts.
“Mr. Franell was very effective in keeping everyone civil and everyone’s eyes on the prize,” he said. “There is genuine movement and most of the parties involved are interested in a resolution. The inroads we’ve made have been positive. What’s happened in the past is in the past. The future starts now.”
Following Tuesday’s meeting, Franell said he was pleased with the decision by the council to continue working toward an agreement with the port.
“Tonight’s unanimous decision by the Umatilla City Council to continue negotiations with the Port of Umatilla is a wonderful example of servant leadership,” he said. “I am very pleased that they were able to set aside all of the frustration surrounding the zoning issue and stay focused on finding a positive solution for all of the involved parties. Selfless leadership like this is rare and the citizens of Umatilla should be proud of their elected officials.”
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