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December 11, 2008 Front Page |
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Twilight Parade Twinkles Along Main Street
With the sounding of a police siren, Baker City’s annual Twilight Parade made its way down Main Street. Beginning at around 5:15 p.m. last Saturday, Dec. 6, a handful of parade floats, trucks and groups decorated in lights inched their way from the north end of Main, then looped around the Baker Tower onto Auburn and back up First Street.
Crowds on the sidewalks dove for candy tossed from the floats, took pictures, and gathered near the Christmas tree to await Santa Claus. Burn barrels were placed on either side of Court Street near the tree, to warm onlookers as the official tree lighting took place.
Commissioners Approve Zoning Change From Farm To Recreation In Homestead Area
By Eden Taylor
In their regular session on Dec. 3, the Baker County Commissioners approved the zoning change in the Homestead area. A 76.18-acre parcel of land owned by RLF Homestead Properties, LLC, was changed from Exclusive Farm Use (EFU) Zoning to Homestead Recreation Limited Use Combining (HRLUC) Zoning. After a second public hearing, the commission moved to the deliberation phase of the process.
During public testimony Andrew Bryan from Baker County Marketing Development Corporation stated that the new development would be a positive step to tourism. He indicated that this type of project also fits into the trails program, giving people more trails to explore. He added that this type of development meets the Marketing Development goals of cultural, recreation and heritage projects.
Mark Bennett, Planning Department Chairman, took the commissioners through the Planning Department findings. The commissioners added their conclusions to the report. Bennett gave credit to staff member Lauri Hoopes who he said had worked countless hours compiling the staff report. After the deliberations were finished, the commissioners unanimously approved the zoning change.
Proposed County Zoning Ordinances Raise Public Concern
By Suzanne Ellis Jones
Chairman Randy Joseph called to order the Baker County Planning Commission hearing on Tuesday, Dec. 2, on the Transportation Standards portion of the proposed Baker County Zoning Ordinances. A little over 50 people attended the meeting, with about 20 people testifying before the committee.
The differences of opinions in the room were partly because of the way the draft document was put together; those who have read it say it's impossible to tell what is the new proposal and what is the existing, current ordinance. This draft has been in the making for five years and between three different Planning Directors, which contributed to the content and format problems of the document.
Laurene Chapman, former owner of Elkhorn Title in Baker City, testified about the portion of the plan that states if more than two dwellings exist on a private road and a third is added, then the private road becomes a public (County) road. Chapman pointed out to the Commission that this would become "a taking of private property." Joseph asked staff for a definition and then concurred this is indeed what this document states.
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