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Season's
second fire takes flame
George blasts House bill as attempt to repeal
Measure 37
Head Start turns to the community
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Voters will decide contentious annexation issue Tuesday |
Developer's plans to annex 44 acres meet with stiff
opposition; ballots are due Tuesday |
By David Sale,
Newberg Graphic reporter
E-mail David at
dsale@eaglenewspapers.com
|
Newberg residents will weigh in Tuesday on a proposed 44-acre
annexation in what has become a controversial development proposal.
Measures 36-112 and 36-113 would together bring 44.66 acres into
Newberg’s city limits. The acreage is located between Benjamin Road
and Vittoria Way, across Highway 99W from Providence Newberg Medical
Center.
If approved, the site is slated for mixed-use development by J.T.
Smith Co. and Meadowbrook Development. Final plans have yet to be
approved by the city of Newberg, but the developers intend to
construct 15 commercial buildings on 23 acres and 73 homes or condos
on 19 acres, according to information provided to The Graphic. The
remaining acreage would be in parking and landscaping.
The property would be divided by a planned extension of Crestview
Drive to intersect with Highway 99W opposite the hospital entrance.
“This has been well-planned and studied to death - we’ve been to 20
public meetings and until now there’s been little complaint,” argued
Jeff Smith of J.T. Smith Companies, one of two development firms
that hope to build on the site. “It’s a win for the city and a win
for us in that our development allows us to pay for the cost of the
city infrastructure.”
The 14.74 acres to the west of Providence Drive are owned by the
Ella and Herb Gueldner Trust. The 29.92 acres to the east of
Providence Drive are owned by the Forrest Gish Living Trust, Richard
Kimball and Valerie Thomas.
The city of Newberg, Mayor Bob Stewart and several council members
have spoken in support of the annexation, stating that the Crestview
extension — an important feature of the city’s transportation plan —
is contingent on the property’s development.
The development has also been endorsed by the Chehalem Valley
Chamber of Commerce, the adjoining Oxberg Lake Homeowners’
Association and the Austin family. The Austins reportedly plan to
develop property they own to the northwest of the proposed
annexation, which would be served by the Crestview extension.
Meanwhile, approximately two dozen Benjamin Road residents with
property adjoining the annexation site have launched an opposition
campaign, claiming that developers intend to build more than 200
homes and a commercial complex with a footprint of six and a half
acres.
“We pay taxes, but our elected officials don’t listen to us,” said
Vicky Shepard, whose home is located near the northeast corner of
the proposed development. “Their vision for our land is not our
vision. You could say we don’t want so many houses in our area, but
we’re also concerned about the traffic and livability. Newberg’s
growing at a record speed out here ... and we object to building a
major complex before the bypass is ready.”
While opponents of the annexation have argued, in print and through
neighborhood flyers, that the development will increase congestion
on 99W and interfere with the proposed route of the Newberg-Dundee
bypass, supporters argue that the Crestview extension will alleviate
traffic on the highway. The Oregon Department of Transportation has
been consulted and voiced no objection to development of the
property. |
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From
May 12, 2007, Newberg Graphic
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