Tonight, TD Council to hear appeal of 80-unit subdivision
This picture shows the Legacy Development property on East 12th St., looking east towards The Dalles Dam.
By Tom Peterson
The Dalles City Council will hear the appeal of an 80-unit subdivision on 6.92 acres in east The Dalles at 5:30 p.m. this evening, Aug. 24, 2020.
in the appeal, community members contend the subdivision will create safety issues because surrounding infrastructure is substandard. They also disagree with high-density housing being placed in the neighborhood, which is mostly single-family houses.
At the same time, Legacy Development is proposing the 80-unit development to address a housing shortage in The Dalles. Rents are up to around $1,600 for a two bedroom, one bath home in The Dalles. Realtors and property managers make no bones about the need for additional housing as it is far outpacing the housing stock.
The meeting will be held via internet on ZOOM.
To log in and participate or watch, go to:
https://zoom.us/j/94046288831?pwd=Y1R2SEpUYXJ5d2xOZi84Sk5MYjNjUT09
The Meeting ID is: ID: 940 4628 8831
The Passcode is: 797987
Or to participate or listen by phone, dial: 1 (253) 215 8782 or 1 (346) 248 7799 US
Robert Bokum, Denise Dietrich-Bokum, Gary Gingrich, Terri Jo Jester Gingrich, Damon Hulit and Roberta Wymore-Hulit are appealing the planning commission’s approval of the subdivision called, The Grove.
Legacy Development Group of Hood River applied to the City of The Dalles to subdivide the 6.92- acre lot, 2845 E. 12th Street.
Community members contend the high-density housing will create safety risks for current and future residents as surrounding roads and intersections are inadequate to handle additional pedestrian and vehicle traffic.
Legacy Development has received two approvals for the project thus far. The planning department approved it in March. And when community members brought it back on appeal to the planning commission, it was approved again on July 16.
Commissioners Brent Bybee, Cody Cornett and Bruce Lavier voted in favor of the resolution that denied the appeal and approved the development. Commissioner Jeff Stiles opposed it. Alan Easling and Philip Mascher abstained from the vote. Mark Poppoff was absent.
During the planning meeting hearing on June 18, Legacy Development president Cameron Curtis asked for clarification on the project.
“Did we provide everything required for the city?” asked Curtis of city staff.
“We felt that you did, and those were the findings in the staff report,” Joshua Chandler responded.
Plats provided by Legacy to the city show the subdivision with two-level triplexes and duplexes and single-family units.
The buildings straddle either two or three of the 72 lots in the subdivision, which range in size. The majority of the lots are around 2,300 square feet. Seven exceed 5,000 square feet and 19 are in the 3,000 to 4,500 range.
Here is the location of the proposed subdivision.
Here is a link to Columbia Community Connections recent report on this development: https://www.columbiacommunityconnection.com/the-dalles/city-approves-80-unit-development-without-hearing-or-sidewalksnbsp-locals-concerned-about-density-and-traffic-safety-seek-appeal-to-city-council?rq=Legacy%20development
Here is a link to The Dalles City Council meeting packet which contains 370 pages of arguments and rebuttals against and for the subdivision: https://ompnetwork.s3uswest-.amazonaws.com/sites/312/documents/cc20200824agendapktappeal.pdf?2qqwC.._6WNoXybOfufb9eiMQ6X3X7FW
