TD Council talks Google, Subdivision, New Power Plant, Water Bills

By Tom Peterson

City Councilor Dan Richardson

City Councilor Dan Richardson said the current Google proposal to build up to two new data centers in the Port of The Dalles “stacks up pretty well when you look at other deals around the state.”

The comment came at The Dalles City Council's regular meeting on Monday night, March 8. Officials discussed multiple issues affecting locals, including the multi-million dollar Google proposal, The Grove subdivision in East The Dalles and a possible construction job near the John Day Dam that could bring 3,000 jobs.

Back to Google

Google is willing to pay the same amount as  50 percent of property tax on the first data center and 60 percent on the second through fees, payments and taxes. One estimate puts that total at $126 million over the lifespan of the proposal - 20 years.

Richardson said the current Google proposal is not “precisely comparable,” because agreements throughout the state have different components. But when it came down to the money, Richardson said “across the board in Oregon in the last 15 years, the average is 30 percent of property taxes of large industrial project gets paid… our current deal is 50 and 60 percent.”

Big Build at former Goldendale Aluminum Site?

City Councilor Scott Randall

Councilor Scott Randall said he recently received an email about a project to create electricity through pumped-storage power plant at the former Goldendale Aluminium plant site above the John Day Dam.  

He said more information on the project could be found at this website.

According to the website:

Estimated to cost $2.1 Billion, the project was previously owned by a joint venture of Rye Development and National Grid.

The fund management company Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) acquired the ownership of the project in November 2020, while Rye will continue to lead the project until the start of construction activities.

The project was issued a preliminary permit by the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in March 2018, while the final license application was filed in June 2020.

More from Councilor Randall
The construction of the plant, which pumps water up the hill during periods of time when electricity demand is low, could create 3,000 construction jobs, Randall said.

The plant would then run water down hill to power turbines during times of demand.

Such a call for labor had not been seen in the Mid-Columbia since the building of the Dalles Dam or Interstate 84, Randall said, noting the impacts would be significant on local communities. 

The project has been talked about for several years and at last notice, large environmental permit requirements needed to be achieved before the project could get underway. 

However, the project may be moving as it was noted officials with the project would be giving a presentation to The Dalles City Council on April 12.

 Legacy Development of The Grove 

Steve Murray of The Dalles asked councilors if the City had plans to rewrite codes after the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA) found them not to be “clear and objective.”

LUBA recently approved Legacy Development’s The Grove subdivision on Richmond Street in East The Dalles, allowing up to 83 housing units on a little less than 7 acres.

Mayor Rich Mays said the question could not be answered as Councilors needed to discuss the situation in executive session. 

Murray also asked if the city was looking at bringing 10th and 12th streets “up to a safer” standard - the streets lack curbs and sidewalks for approximately a half-mile between Thompson and Richmond streets.

Community Development Director Alice Cannon also noted that Legacy Development had recently erected an orange fence at the site and done some earth moving, which was allowed under Legacy’s current permit.

Karen Murray asked if the city intended to appeal the LUBA decision.

The City has 21 days to appeal the decision to the Oregon Board of Appeals, which deadlines March 17.

“This is the first time city has been together since the LUBA decision came down,” Mays said. “We’re not in a position to talk about that right now.”

Tenant Water Bills

Former Mayor Jim Wilcox asked that landlords be informed when tenants are running up multiple months of unpaid city water bills.

He said landlords are held responsible for the bills and when they go unpaid. “It would be a courtesy and a service to landlords…,” he said. 

He pointed out that a recent situation left a landlord holding a $700 water bill.

City Finance Director Angie Wilson said the current policy on tenant water bills was a “placeholder put in place a few years ago.” She said when the tenant does not pay, the bill goes to the owner of an occupied house.”

However, she pointed out that the city tries to collect from all tenants, leaving door hangers, making phone calls, sending late notices and even doing shutoffs. She also said they could send out copies of bills to landlords on a monthly basis.”

Wilcox suggested a trigger system, where landlords would automatically get copies of tenant bills when they went unpaid. He suggested he and the city work together on that process.