Senator Westlund -
Don't give up or be depressed on SB 30. It's an issue that's barely past the starting gate, and I believe it will get traction across Oregon and the US soon. We'll win, but the path may not be clear for a bit. Your fellow Democrats that voted to abuse the Metolius should be ashamed. Your effort on this, to date and in the future, won't be forgotten.
Tom Davis
Native Fish Society, River Steward
Upper Deschutes
Friday, April 27, 2007
Post-Hearing Comments - April 27th
For those of you stayed through last night's worksessions, you have already felt the dissapointment that I'm about to describe.
SB 30 made it out of committee on a 3-2 vote, but in a rather gutless form. Gone are any prohibitions on siting resorts in or within three miles of the basin. In its place are some vague requirements to avoid significantly adverse impacts, which lack any real teeth. In fact, existing law already requires resorts to meet stricter standards - found in Statewide Planning Goal 5 - so in a sense it seems this bill will offer no real protection for the enviroment or for anything else, at least in present form.
The bill offers no limitations on the size of a resort, on where the resorts may be built, or how much water can be used. Even a conservation easement that was considered under a particular amendment (#7) that would protect Fly Creek was not adopted.
The bill will be addressed in the House, where it may be amended, and it was conveyed to us that there will still be work groups to look at the details of the bill, and so there will be more opportunity for input from the public and other supporters.
The road ahead is difficult to understand at present, but we are working to figure out what to do next and will offer you guidance as soon as possible. It's a fair question to ask if SB 30 is worthy of supporting at his point. But if we're going to have any chance of getting anything out of this, we'll have to work towards introducing new amendments that seek to restore much of what the original bill strived to achieve in the House. Such a process will require additional and substantial public input.
We will make sure to keep you apprised of the situation, and how things look going forward. Please continue to express to us your emotions, please continue to express your sentiments to your respresentatives in Salem. This isn't over.
Listed below are several news accounts of what happened:
From The Oregonian
The Bulletin (subscription required)
And an op-ed from Westlund's office from Blue Oregon
-Central Oregon LandWatch
SB 30 made it out of committee on a 3-2 vote, but in a rather gutless form. Gone are any prohibitions on siting resorts in or within three miles of the basin. In its place are some vague requirements to avoid significantly adverse impacts, which lack any real teeth. In fact, existing law already requires resorts to meet stricter standards - found in Statewide Planning Goal 5 - so in a sense it seems this bill will offer no real protection for the enviroment or for anything else, at least in present form.
The bill offers no limitations on the size of a resort, on where the resorts may be built, or how much water can be used. Even a conservation easement that was considered under a particular amendment (#7) that would protect Fly Creek was not adopted.
The bill will be addressed in the House, where it may be amended, and it was conveyed to us that there will still be work groups to look at the details of the bill, and so there will be more opportunity for input from the public and other supporters.
The road ahead is difficult to understand at present, but we are working to figure out what to do next and will offer you guidance as soon as possible. It's a fair question to ask if SB 30 is worthy of supporting at his point. But if we're going to have any chance of getting anything out of this, we'll have to work towards introducing new amendments that seek to restore much of what the original bill strived to achieve in the House. Such a process will require additional and substantial public input.
We will make sure to keep you apprised of the situation, and how things look going forward. Please continue to express to us your emotions, please continue to express your sentiments to your respresentatives in Salem. This isn't over.
Listed below are several news accounts of what happened:
From The Oregonian
The Bulletin (subscription required)
And an op-ed from Westlund's office from Blue Oregon
-Central Oregon LandWatch
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Written Testimony - Erik Kancler
Good evening, Senators.
My name is Erik Kancler, I’m the Executive Director of Central Oregon LandWatch and I’m hear to tell you about a site we’ve created called noresorts.blogspot.com.
The purpose of the site is to bank copies of letters sent to legislators in support of SB 30 and display them for everyone to see, along with helpful information and updates and so forth.
So far, in just over 72 hours, we’ve received over 130 submissions, almost all of which are copies of letters sent to legislators – 120 to be precise, and still counting. I’m sure that this is only a fraction of all the letters that have been sent on this matter and that many letters remain uncaptured on our site.
These letters have been sent or copied to lawmakers nearly 500 times, including over 230 times to the members of this committee alone.
In addition to the letters, we’ve received many beautiful images, personal stories, historical accounts, and even poems from all over the country.
The two most common places we’ve received letters from are Portland and Camp Sherman.
The two largest trends we’ve seen are from the Willamette Valley and Central Oregon, but really they’ve come in from everywhere.
We’ve received letters from Seattle, Vancouver, Boise, the Bay Area, and all the way from Florida and Boston. We’ve even heard that the Metolius is big in Korea.
Within Oregon we’ve received letters from all over the state from Yachats, Hood River, Sauvie Island, Maupin, Wasco County, Salem, Portland, Eugene, McMinnville, Lake Oswego, Hood River, Sisters, Bend, Redmond, Terrebonne, and of course from Camp Sherman.
We’ve received letters from Democrats and Republicans, from war vets, farmers, hunters, fisherman, doctors, lawyers, planners, developers, former public-officials, 92 year olds, 4th and 5th generation residents, as well as numerous long-time visitors and folks who just plain can’t believe what Jefferson County is willing to allow.
The common thread in all of these is a desire to keep resorts out of the Metolius and an unwavering support for an uncompromised SB 30.
Their messages are personal, articulate, and passionate, their memories - priceless. I’d strongly encourage you to visit the site if you haven’t already, at noresorts.blogspot.com. It’ll paint a picture that you won’t forget.
Thank You
My name is Erik Kancler, I’m the Executive Director of Central Oregon LandWatch and I’m hear to tell you about a site we’ve created called noresorts.blogspot.com.
The purpose of the site is to bank copies of letters sent to legislators in support of SB 30 and display them for everyone to see, along with helpful information and updates and so forth.
So far, in just over 72 hours, we’ve received over 130 submissions, almost all of which are copies of letters sent to legislators – 120 to be precise, and still counting. I’m sure that this is only a fraction of all the letters that have been sent on this matter and that many letters remain uncaptured on our site.
These letters have been sent or copied to lawmakers nearly 500 times, including over 230 times to the members of this committee alone.
In addition to the letters, we’ve received many beautiful images, personal stories, historical accounts, and even poems from all over the country.
The two most common places we’ve received letters from are Portland and Camp Sherman.
The two largest trends we’ve seen are from the Willamette Valley and Central Oregon, but really they’ve come in from everywhere.
We’ve received letters from Seattle, Vancouver, Boise, the Bay Area, and all the way from Florida and Boston. We’ve even heard that the Metolius is big in Korea.
Within Oregon we’ve received letters from all over the state from Yachats, Hood River, Sauvie Island, Maupin, Wasco County, Salem, Portland, Eugene, McMinnville, Lake Oswego, Hood River, Sisters, Bend, Redmond, Terrebonne, and of course from Camp Sherman.
We’ve received letters from Democrats and Republicans, from war vets, farmers, hunters, fisherman, doctors, lawyers, planners, developers, former public-officials, 92 year olds, 4th and 5th generation residents, as well as numerous long-time visitors and folks who just plain can’t believe what Jefferson County is willing to allow.
The common thread in all of these is a desire to keep resorts out of the Metolius and an unwavering support for an uncompromised SB 30.
Their messages are personal, articulate, and passionate, their memories - priceless. I’d strongly encourage you to visit the site if you haven’t already, at noresorts.blogspot.com. It’ll paint a picture that you won’t forget.
Thank You
Written Testimony - Sage Wood
[To the Senate Committee and Education and General Government:]
My name is Sage Wood Fox and I would like to save the Metolius River because I catch frogs, fish – big fish, grasshoppers, and everything that a kid like me would like to catch. And it is a very sacred place to me because I love going there. And if it’s developed, there will be thousands of people ruining it. And it is no fair because I may be only 9 years old, but I should have the authority to have what people who are about 40 years or older used to have when they were kids just like me. And my grandfather and baby sister’s ashes are buried here and it would not be sacred any longer because it would be just like a miniature city and that makes nothing special because there’s gas, houses, cars, and tons of people. It would be a very ugly place to live in.
The county government is doing nothing, simply nothing, to save the river. And it is very mean of the county government to do that because they are listening to the people who would get the money. Of course, they would say, yes, let’s build tons of houses, because they get tons and tons of money.
Metolius is one of the only places that I get my favorite food, like fish and wild strawberries. My baby brother, Nicholas, will be very mad if the government lets the developers build all those houses, because Nicholas will not get to see what I saw and wish to see later, and he will be very disappointed.
So I hope you can protect this beautiful place so that Nicholas and my children and grandchildren will experience what my mom and I have experienced.
Sage Wood
Eugene, OR
My name is Sage Wood Fox and I would like to save the Metolius River because I catch frogs, fish – big fish, grasshoppers, and everything that a kid like me would like to catch. And it is a very sacred place to me because I love going there. And if it’s developed, there will be thousands of people ruining it. And it is no fair because I may be only 9 years old, but I should have the authority to have what people who are about 40 years or older used to have when they were kids just like me. And my grandfather and baby sister’s ashes are buried here and it would not be sacred any longer because it would be just like a miniature city and that makes nothing special because there’s gas, houses, cars, and tons of people. It would be a very ugly place to live in.
The county government is doing nothing, simply nothing, to save the river. And it is very mean of the county government to do that because they are listening to the people who would get the money. Of course, they would say, yes, let’s build tons of houses, because they get tons and tons of money.
Metolius is one of the only places that I get my favorite food, like fish and wild strawberries. My baby brother, Nicholas, will be very mad if the government lets the developers build all those houses, because Nicholas will not get to see what I saw and wish to see later, and he will be very disappointed.
So I hope you can protect this beautiful place so that Nicholas and my children and grandchildren will experience what my mom and I have experienced.
Sage Wood
Eugene, OR
Written Testimony - Mary Wood, Eugene
[To the Senate C0mmittee on Education and General Government:]
My name is Mary Christina Wood. I have come to testify in support of SB 30. Senators, if there is one way of describing the Metolius River, it is a quiet, peaceful, timeless river that runs like a thread through generations of Oregonians, and back to time immemorial for native people of the Basin. When a river provides the kind of quiet solitude that the Metolius has for eons, it becomes sacred.
I come before you this evening as a fourth generation on the Metolius with ties to this river on two sides of my family. And I bring my son, Sage, and my baby Nicholas, as representatives of a fifth generation on the river.
My grandfather General Lamar Tooze Sr., with his wife, Marie, bought a cabin in Camp Sherman in 1946. My other grandfather, Erskine Wood, bought property along the Metolius in 1918 and built a small camp with four little open huts, a one-room log cabin, an open cookhouse, and a fire pit. Today the Wood Camp looks exactly as it did in 1918. My siblings and I donated 30 acres of meadow and islands in the river to the Nature Conservancy.
Aside from the landowners in the Basin, families across Oregon take comfort in knowing that the Metolius today is still much like it was when their parents or grandparents first experienced it. You can’t say that about many places any more. My little children walk and fish along the banks, just like I did. Around the campfire we talk about our ancestors almost as if they are right there with us.
There is a strengthening, eternal pulse to the Metolius. Our family tells the story of General George C. Marshall, Army Chief of Staff to President Roosevelt during World War II. Marshall was a close friend of my grandfather. During the anxious weeks leading up to D-Day, General Marshall asked my grandfather to bring him to the Wood Camp for a few days. He explained why only much later. He had sought out the quiet waters of the Metolius to gain courage and fortitude for what this nation was about to face. On June 6, 1944, when our American troops landed on the shores of Normandy to beat back the Nazi tide that was rolling across Europe, the waters of the Metolius gave grounding and conviction to this country’s highest commander.
A professor from Boston wrote to you yesterday describing the Metolius as “an unspeakably beautiful river, unique, more intimate and calming than any other I have ever known. . . .” It should not surprise you that many Oregon families, including my own, have buried or scattered the ashes of their loved ones in the Metolius Basin. It is one of the only places left where one can be amidst the lasting peace of Nature.
And so, Senators, when I am asked to testify on these proposals for destination resorts that would bring homes and roads and golf courses and crowds of people to this basin, you might as well ask my opinion on child abuse or robbery. These proposals shock the conscience. They are the work of predatory developers driven by vicious greed to annihilate the quietude of the Metolius Basin. If these are strong words, I am sorry, but you will probably hear many strong words from the citizens of Oregon tonight because the Metolius is inseparable from the memory of loved ones who have sat on its banks though time. The citizens of Oregon will fight for the Metolius until we secure its safety forever, because its waters carry our childrens’ legacy.
The proposed legislation, SB 30, is not about private property. It’s about public property. The people of Oregon own the river, the air, the wildlife and the forests that are threatened with these resort proposals. The developers’ private property rights do not overcome the legislature’s responsibility to protect legacy public resources. As the Supreme Court said in 1907, and again just two weeks ago, “[T]he state has an interest independent of and behind the titles of its citizens, in all the earth and air within its domain. It has the last word as to whether its mountains shall be stripped of their forests and its inhabitants shall breathe pure air.”
I brought my son, Sage, here to testify. He sees Nature being destroyed all around him. There are few things more disheartening and depressing to a little boy than to bear witness to such destruction. He asks me, why is government allowing this? Is there any end to it? Why won’t I be able to enjoy the Nature that you had growing up? The only thing I keep saying to him is that the government does have the obligation to protect places like the Metolius for the people, forever -- and that government has gone far astray, but that there will be those heroes, like the sponsors of SB 30, joined by every other Senator and Representative in the Oregon legislature, I hope, who will have the courage in their hearts to do what is right towards our descendants, and not give away public treasures like the Metolius Basin to people like the Lundgrens and the Colsons who would line their pockets by stealing what is most precious from the generations following us.
I’d like to leave you with a few lines from a poem that my great-grandfather, Charles Erskine Scott Wood, wrote in 1921 as he was sitting on the banks of the Metolius River at our Camp. He was a lawyer, and an author, and about 70 years old when he wrote this poem. He loved the river and bequeathed it poetically to future generations. We read this poem as we laid my father’s ashes to rest on the banks of the Metolius.
I Charles Erskine Scott Wood,
Make now my last sure will and testament
For those grandchildren who share with me this solitude
And whom I must too shortly leave.
To my grandchildren,
I give all trout in the Metolius. . .
I give them mornings on the river-bank,
Song of the river when the new sun shines. . .
And the solemn discourse of the pines
At evening when the melting shadows fall
And Peace sits on the bank with folded wings’
The birds all [offering] a good-night call,
And deep in dusk a yellow warbler sings,
The river is for your delight.
Senators, if your great-grandchildren can wake up on the banks of the Metolius River 100 years from now, and there are still fish in the waters, tall standing pines leaning in the breeze, and quiet all around, they will know that you – you personally -- secured their precious Metolius Endowment for them to also hand down for all generations to come.
Mary Wood
Eugene, OR
My name is Mary Christina Wood. I have come to testify in support of SB 30. Senators, if there is one way of describing the Metolius River, it is a quiet, peaceful, timeless river that runs like a thread through generations of Oregonians, and back to time immemorial for native people of the Basin. When a river provides the kind of quiet solitude that the Metolius has for eons, it becomes sacred.
I come before you this evening as a fourth generation on the Metolius with ties to this river on two sides of my family. And I bring my son, Sage, and my baby Nicholas, as representatives of a fifth generation on the river.
My grandfather General Lamar Tooze Sr., with his wife, Marie, bought a cabin in Camp Sherman in 1946. My other grandfather, Erskine Wood, bought property along the Metolius in 1918 and built a small camp with four little open huts, a one-room log cabin, an open cookhouse, and a fire pit. Today the Wood Camp looks exactly as it did in 1918. My siblings and I donated 30 acres of meadow and islands in the river to the Nature Conservancy.
Aside from the landowners in the Basin, families across Oregon take comfort in knowing that the Metolius today is still much like it was when their parents or grandparents first experienced it. You can’t say that about many places any more. My little children walk and fish along the banks, just like I did. Around the campfire we talk about our ancestors almost as if they are right there with us.
There is a strengthening, eternal pulse to the Metolius. Our family tells the story of General George C. Marshall, Army Chief of Staff to President Roosevelt during World War II. Marshall was a close friend of my grandfather. During the anxious weeks leading up to D-Day, General Marshall asked my grandfather to bring him to the Wood Camp for a few days. He explained why only much later. He had sought out the quiet waters of the Metolius to gain courage and fortitude for what this nation was about to face. On June 6, 1944, when our American troops landed on the shores of Normandy to beat back the Nazi tide that was rolling across Europe, the waters of the Metolius gave grounding and conviction to this country’s highest commander.
A professor from Boston wrote to you yesterday describing the Metolius as “an unspeakably beautiful river, unique, more intimate and calming than any other I have ever known. . . .” It should not surprise you that many Oregon families, including my own, have buried or scattered the ashes of their loved ones in the Metolius Basin. It is one of the only places left where one can be amidst the lasting peace of Nature.
And so, Senators, when I am asked to testify on these proposals for destination resorts that would bring homes and roads and golf courses and crowds of people to this basin, you might as well ask my opinion on child abuse or robbery. These proposals shock the conscience. They are the work of predatory developers driven by vicious greed to annihilate the quietude of the Metolius Basin. If these are strong words, I am sorry, but you will probably hear many strong words from the citizens of Oregon tonight because the Metolius is inseparable from the memory of loved ones who have sat on its banks though time. The citizens of Oregon will fight for the Metolius until we secure its safety forever, because its waters carry our childrens’ legacy.
The proposed legislation, SB 30, is not about private property. It’s about public property. The people of Oregon own the river, the air, the wildlife and the forests that are threatened with these resort proposals. The developers’ private property rights do not overcome the legislature’s responsibility to protect legacy public resources. As the Supreme Court said in 1907, and again just two weeks ago, “[T]he state has an interest independent of and behind the titles of its citizens, in all the earth and air within its domain. It has the last word as to whether its mountains shall be stripped of their forests and its inhabitants shall breathe pure air.”
I brought my son, Sage, here to testify. He sees Nature being destroyed all around him. There are few things more disheartening and depressing to a little boy than to bear witness to such destruction. He asks me, why is government allowing this? Is there any end to it? Why won’t I be able to enjoy the Nature that you had growing up? The only thing I keep saying to him is that the government does have the obligation to protect places like the Metolius for the people, forever -- and that government has gone far astray, but that there will be those heroes, like the sponsors of SB 30, joined by every other Senator and Representative in the Oregon legislature, I hope, who will have the courage in their hearts to do what is right towards our descendants, and not give away public treasures like the Metolius Basin to people like the Lundgrens and the Colsons who would line their pockets by stealing what is most precious from the generations following us.
I’d like to leave you with a few lines from a poem that my great-grandfather, Charles Erskine Scott Wood, wrote in 1921 as he was sitting on the banks of the Metolius River at our Camp. He was a lawyer, and an author, and about 70 years old when he wrote this poem. He loved the river and bequeathed it poetically to future generations. We read this poem as we laid my father’s ashes to rest on the banks of the Metolius.
I Charles Erskine Scott Wood,
Make now my last sure will and testament
For those grandchildren who share with me this solitude
And whom I must too shortly leave.
To my grandchildren,
I give all trout in the Metolius. . .
I give them mornings on the river-bank,
Song of the river when the new sun shines. . .
And the solemn discourse of the pines
At evening when the melting shadows fall
And Peace sits on the bank with folded wings’
The birds all [offering] a good-night call,
And deep in dusk a yellow warbler sings,
The river is for your delight.
Senators, if your great-grandchildren can wake up on the banks of the Metolius River 100 years from now, and there are still fish in the waters, tall standing pines leaning in the breeze, and quiet all around, they will know that you – you personally -- secured their precious Metolius Endowment for them to also hand down for all generations to come.
Mary Wood
Eugene, OR
Stay Strong - Bob and Harriet Rossio, Sisters
Dear Senator Westlund:
This is a letter in support of S.B. 30.
Please do not weaken the purpose of this bill as you seek agreement with the involved parties on final language.
We understand that purpose to be aimed at the protection of the unique habitat within the Metolius River Basin.
Having reviewed the many articles published in The Bulletin of Bend, as well as the Sisters Nugget and other sources, it seems clear to us that the headlong plunge into creating more destination resorts within the Central Oregon area cries out for the oversight and close control of the State.
The counties see the planned resorts as a wonderful way to increase tourist spending and tax income. The developers view them as a way to get around Oregon land use policy with regard to restrictions inside the urban growth boundaries.
And those of us who live here see them as huge consumers of our water, and potential destroyers of our unique habitat if they are not controlled.
Stay strong.
Sincerely,
Bob and Harriet Rossio
Sisters, OR
This is a letter in support of S.B. 30.
Please do not weaken the purpose of this bill as you seek agreement with the involved parties on final language.
We understand that purpose to be aimed at the protection of the unique habitat within the Metolius River Basin.
Having reviewed the many articles published in The Bulletin of Bend, as well as the Sisters Nugget and other sources, it seems clear to us that the headlong plunge into creating more destination resorts within the Central Oregon area cries out for the oversight and close control of the State.
The counties see the planned resorts as a wonderful way to increase tourist spending and tax income. The developers view them as a way to get around Oregon land use policy with regard to restrictions inside the urban growth boundaries.
And those of us who live here see them as huge consumers of our water, and potential destroyers of our unique habitat if they are not controlled.
Stay strong.
Sincerely,
Bob and Harriet Rossio
Sisters, OR
Visiting For 35 Years - John Kennedy, Portland
Dear Senator Dekert [And copied to the Senate Committee and Education and General Government:]
My family has been going up to the Metolius Basin for the past thirty five years. Since my retirement fifteen years ago, my wife, children, and now grandchildren have spent most of their summer there. My Portland based children and grandchildren make many skiing trips to the area. Needless to say we have seen many changes to the area. The traffic on Route 20-22 has increased to the point that you may wait 5-10 minutes to get on the road and even longer on the weekends. We have seen some of the springs at the head waters of the Metolius dry up. The flow of the Metolius River, above Lake Creek, has drop some summers so that the cabins (with water rights) have trouble getting water out of the river. It is still one of the most beautiful and peaceful area in Oregon. It is public land that is open to all that come to visit. A comprehensive plan for the area was drawn up by a very diverse group (US Forests Service, cabin owners, environmentalists, Warm Spring Indian representatives, and many more) who all agreed on the plan for the preservation on the then designated scenic water way, the Metolius River. For the benefit of a few developers, who will be long gone after their projects are completed, it would be tragic to destroy this beautiful gift given to us by nature.
Sincerely,
J. Halisey Kennedy MD
Portland, OR
My family has been going up to the Metolius Basin for the past thirty five years. Since my retirement fifteen years ago, my wife, children, and now grandchildren have spent most of their summer there. My Portland based children and grandchildren make many skiing trips to the area. Needless to say we have seen many changes to the area. The traffic on Route 20-22 has increased to the point that you may wait 5-10 minutes to get on the road and even longer on the weekends. We have seen some of the springs at the head waters of the Metolius dry up. The flow of the Metolius River, above Lake Creek, has drop some summers so that the cabins (with water rights) have trouble getting water out of the river. It is still one of the most beautiful and peaceful area in Oregon. It is public land that is open to all that come to visit. A comprehensive plan for the area was drawn up by a very diverse group (US Forests Service, cabin owners, environmentalists, Warm Spring Indian representatives, and many more) who all agreed on the plan for the preservation on the then designated scenic water way, the Metolius River. For the benefit of a few developers, who will be long gone after their projects are completed, it would be tragic to destroy this beautiful gift given to us by nature.
Sincerely,
J. Halisey Kennedy MD
Portland, OR
Preserve The Metolius Legacy - Spencer Wood, Boise
[Sent to Senators Morse and Metsger:]
Please support SB 30 and further efforts to preserve the natural beauty of the Metolius River Basin – a unique and great heritage of Oregon and the world. The basin is not suitable for destination resorts.
The future value of the basin is spectacular scenery, the unique spring-fed river and tributaries, a wild-trout fishery, unusual geologic and forest features, and a recreation area for those that appreciate natural beauty unscarred by condominiums, golf courses, automobile traffic, and all the detriment that comes with large resort schemes.
Twenty-five years ago, my father donated 30 acres of virgin forest and riparian lands along the Metolius River to the Nature Conservancy as a part our family’s commitment to preserve the natural beauty of the area for future generations. We ask that the Oregon Legislature also work to preserve the Metolius legacy.
Sincerely yours,
Spencer H. Wood
Please support SB 30 and further efforts to preserve the natural beauty of the Metolius River Basin – a unique and great heritage of Oregon and the world. The basin is not suitable for destination resorts.
The future value of the basin is spectacular scenery, the unique spring-fed river and tributaries, a wild-trout fishery, unusual geologic and forest features, and a recreation area for those that appreciate natural beauty unscarred by condominiums, golf courses, automobile traffic, and all the detriment that comes with large resort schemes.
Twenty-five years ago, my father donated 30 acres of virgin forest and riparian lands along the Metolius River to the Nature Conservancy as a part our family’s commitment to preserve the natural beauty of the area for future generations. We ask that the Oregon Legislature also work to preserve the Metolius legacy.
Sincerely yours,
Spencer H. Wood
Future Value Is Spectacular Scenery - Spencer H. Wood, Boise
[Sent to Senators Westlund and Walker:]
Thank you for your support of SB 30 and further efforts to preserve the natural beauty of the Metolius River Basin – a unique and great heritage of Oregon and the world. The basin is not suitable for destination resorts.
The future value of the basin is spectacular scenery, the unique spring-fed river and tributaries, a wild-trout fishery, unusual geologic and forest features, and a recreation area for those that appreciate natural beauty unscarred by condominiums, golf courses, automobile traffic, and all the detriment that comes with large resort schemes.
Twenty-five years ago, my father donated 30 acres of virgin forest and riparian lands along the Metolius River to the Nature Conservancy as a part our family’s commitment to preserve the natural beauty of the area for future generations. We ask that the Oregon Legislature also work to preserve the Metolius legacy, and are grateful for your efforts.
Sincerely yours
Spencer H. Wood
Boise, Idaho
Thank you for your support of SB 30 and further efforts to preserve the natural beauty of the Metolius River Basin – a unique and great heritage of Oregon and the world. The basin is not suitable for destination resorts.
The future value of the basin is spectacular scenery, the unique spring-fed river and tributaries, a wild-trout fishery, unusual geologic and forest features, and a recreation area for those that appreciate natural beauty unscarred by condominiums, golf courses, automobile traffic, and all the detriment that comes with large resort schemes.
Twenty-five years ago, my father donated 30 acres of virgin forest and riparian lands along the Metolius River to the Nature Conservancy as a part our family’s commitment to preserve the natural beauty of the area for future generations. We ask that the Oregon Legislature also work to preserve the Metolius legacy, and are grateful for your efforts.
Sincerely yours
Spencer H. Wood
Boise, Idaho
Written Testimony - Brian Grubb, Portland
[Sent to the Senate Committee and Education and General Government:]
I would like to provide written testimony for tonight's public hearing on Senate Bill 30 as follows:
Oregon is special place. There is no place more special in our beautiful state than the Metolius River Basin. I can remember the first time I ever saw it. I was blown away. I had never seen such a pristine and serene place in my life. Absolutely the most beautiful Ponderosa Pine forest on our tiny planet. In a word- breathtaking.
Every summer, our family vacations in Central Oregon. We stay at a destination resort near Redmond, one of several destination resorts in Central Oregon. We always make time to visit the Metolius River Basin, it's one our favorite things to do. Our small, curious children delight in the wonderment of the area.
We I first heard of a proposed destination resort in the area, my first response was "Why? There are plenty of wonderful resorts already in Central Oregon". First, there is no need for it. Second, and most importantly, it would negatively transform one of the most special places on Earth.
The Metolius River Basin is a treasure. It's our treasure. When it's gone, it's gone forever. We need to protect is for my kids and their kids. We need to protect it for your kids and their kids. Forever.
Please support Oregon's Senate Bill 30 which would prevent destination resorts in or within three miles of the Metolius River Basin.
Thank you for your time,
Brian Grubb
Native Oregonian
Concerned Citizen
Portland, Oregon
I would like to provide written testimony for tonight's public hearing on Senate Bill 30 as follows:
Oregon is special place. There is no place more special in our beautiful state than the Metolius River Basin. I can remember the first time I ever saw it. I was blown away. I had never seen such a pristine and serene place in my life. Absolutely the most beautiful Ponderosa Pine forest on our tiny planet. In a word- breathtaking.
Every summer, our family vacations in Central Oregon. We stay at a destination resort near Redmond, one of several destination resorts in Central Oregon. We always make time to visit the Metolius River Basin, it's one our favorite things to do. Our small, curious children delight in the wonderment of the area.
We I first heard of a proposed destination resort in the area, my first response was "Why? There are plenty of wonderful resorts already in Central Oregon". First, there is no need for it. Second, and most importantly, it would negatively transform one of the most special places on Earth.
The Metolius River Basin is a treasure. It's our treasure. When it's gone, it's gone forever. We need to protect is for my kids and their kids. We need to protect it for your kids and their kids. Forever.
Please support Oregon's Senate Bill 30 which would prevent destination resorts in or within three miles of the Metolius River Basin.
Thank you for your time,
Brian Grubb
Native Oregonian
Concerned Citizen
Portland, Oregon
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Few Places Compare - Timothy Knecht, Portland
[Sent to Dan Richardson, Senator Westlund, and Senator Johnson:]
I am writing to you in regards to the recently proposed destination resort in the Metolius basin. As an avid outdoor enthusiast, I come to cherish the special beauty this place offers. I have been all over the world and can honestly say that that there are few places comperable to the Metolius basin. In additon to its sheer beauty, several species of native wildlife depend on this watershed. Don't we already have enough destination resorts in central Oregon? I urge you to help save the Metolius as we know it and support SB30. Please help us protect this special jewel.
Sincerely
Timothy Knecht
I am writing to you in regards to the recently proposed destination resort in the Metolius basin. As an avid outdoor enthusiast, I come to cherish the special beauty this place offers. I have been all over the world and can honestly say that that there are few places comperable to the Metolius basin. In additon to its sheer beauty, several species of native wildlife depend on this watershed. Don't we already have enough destination resorts in central Oregon? I urge you to help save the Metolius as we know it and support SB30. Please help us protect this special jewel.
Sincerely
Timothy Knecht
Reckless Plan - Gary Kish, Sauvie Island
[Sent to Senators Metsger, Walker, Westlund, Morse, and Kruse:]
For generations Oregonians have recognized the Metolius Valley as a very special place, for many different reasons. The reason the Metolius is the gem it is, is the water quality and constant flows.
Large scale development in the basin has the potential to disrupt both.
As you know, most of the the Metolius Valley is in public hands, through the US Forest Service. The public has always demanded conservative management and protection of this resource.
Jefferson County and developers are now trying to cash in on the natural capital that the public has created in this special locale.
The Jefferson County Commissioners resort siting plan is both reckless and a vulgar poke in the eye to all Oregonians.
I urge you to help preserve the Metolius and support SB30 when your committee votes on it.
Gary Kish (formerly of Camp Sherman)
Sauvie Island OR
For generations Oregonians have recognized the Metolius Valley as a very special place, for many different reasons. The reason the Metolius is the gem it is, is the water quality and constant flows.
Large scale development in the basin has the potential to disrupt both.
As you know, most of the the Metolius Valley is in public hands, through the US Forest Service. The public has always demanded conservative management and protection of this resource.
Jefferson County and developers are now trying to cash in on the natural capital that the public has created in this special locale.
The Jefferson County Commissioners resort siting plan is both reckless and a vulgar poke in the eye to all Oregonians.
I urge you to help preserve the Metolius and support SB30 when your committee votes on it.
Gary Kish (formerly of Camp Sherman)
Sauvie Island OR
If Revised, Make It Stronger - Tom Davis, Sisters
Senator Westlund -
I have previously contacted you with my support for SB 30. Please don't weaken SB 30. If it merits revision it should be to add protection for the Whychus Creek Watershed. My rationale for this is explained in the Op-Ed I wrote for the Bulletin, which appeared today.
Thank you,
Tom Davis
Native Fish Society, River Steward
Upper Deschutes
I have previously contacted you with my support for SB 30. Please don't weaken SB 30. If it merits revision it should be to add protection for the Whychus Creek Watershed. My rationale for this is explained in the Op-Ed I wrote for the Bulletin, which appeared today.
Thank you,
Tom Davis
Native Fish Society, River Steward
Upper Deschutes
Fully Persuaded - Bill Bodden, Redmond
Dear Representative Whisnant:
I urge you to support SB30 to protect the waters of the Metolius Basin. If you have read today's related opinion piece in The (Bend) Bulletin on the subject by Tom Davis of Sisters you should be fully persuaded of the merits of this bill and the importance of its intentions.
Bill Bodden
Redmond, OR
I urge you to support SB30 to protect the waters of the Metolius Basin. If you have read today's related opinion piece in The (Bend) Bulletin on the subject by Tom Davis of Sisters you should be fully persuaded of the merits of this bill and the importance of its intentions.
Bill Bodden
Redmond, OR
Add To Your Legacy - Bill Bodden, Redmond
Dear Senator Westlund:
Thank you for sponsoring SB30 to protect the Metolius Basin. If it is successful it will be something to add to your legacy that you can be proud of.
Bill Bodden
Redmond, OR
Thank you for sponsoring SB30 to protect the Metolius Basin. If it is successful it will be something to add to your legacy that you can be proud of.
Bill Bodden
Redmond, OR
Support From California - Susie Leone, CA
Dear Senator Westlund,
I am writing regarding SB 30 (Metolius). I want to express my overwhelming support for your senate bill.
I am a Californian who has visited Oregon many times and have been to the Metolious River several times…it is a wonderful and serene spot within the United States!
PLEASE DO NOT COMPROMISE THIS BILL!
We need this area to be kept as natural as possible…..a place that feels good and feels like "home." This area is rehabilitative to most of us.
Quite simply, if we don’t take care of the precious landscape we have, it won’t be able to take care of us. PLEASE DON’T LET THE DEVELOPERS WIN THIS ONE! Don’t let Oregon become uncaring!
Clearly, the Metolious River watershed is at risk:
- Destination resorts consume vast quantities of water (shouldn’t Oregon be saving?)
- Their golf courses, wastewater and pavement runoff can pollute surface and ground waters (Does Oregon NEED more than 35 golf courses in an area this size? You have SO many ways tourists can enjoy your area)
- Thousands of more visitors will crowd the unique Metolious Wild and Scenic River
- Damage to the sensitive riparian areas and healthy fish habitat, not to mention wildlife like river otters will be at risk
Please, Please, Please CONTINUE to be a leader on this.
THANK YOU
Susie Leone, a California resident who loves Oregon and the Metolious River
I am writing regarding SB 30 (Metolius). I want to express my overwhelming support for your senate bill.
I am a Californian who has visited Oregon many times and have been to the Metolious River several times…it is a wonderful and serene spot within the United States!
PLEASE DO NOT COMPROMISE THIS BILL!
We need this area to be kept as natural as possible…..a place that feels good and feels like "home." This area is rehabilitative to most of us.
Quite simply, if we don’t take care of the precious landscape we have, it won’t be able to take care of us. PLEASE DON’T LET THE DEVELOPERS WIN THIS ONE! Don’t let Oregon become uncaring!
Clearly, the Metolious River watershed is at risk:
- Destination resorts consume vast quantities of water (shouldn’t Oregon be saving?)
- Their golf courses, wastewater and pavement runoff can pollute surface and ground waters (Does Oregon NEED more than 35 golf courses in an area this size? You have SO many ways tourists can enjoy your area)
- Thousands of more visitors will crowd the unique Metolious Wild and Scenic River
- Damage to the sensitive riparian areas and healthy fish habitat, not to mention wildlife like river otters will be at risk
Please, Please, Please CONTINUE to be a leader on this.
THANK YOU
Susie Leone, a California resident who loves Oregon and the Metolious River
Senate Bill 30 Written Testimony - Ervin Siverson, Portland
[Sent to Senators Walker, Westlund, Metsger, Morse, Kruse;]
My name is Ervin Siverson and I live in Portland, OR. I am writing in support of Senate Bill 30, which would limit development of destination resorts in the Metolius River Basin. I am not a developer, a lobbyist, or work for a real estate company. I do not represent any wildlife organization; I only take the time to write because I believe the Metolius River Basin is a special and sacred place that demands special legislation like Senate Bill 30 to protect it for generations to come.
In my personal life, I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) who works as a therapist in the Mental Health and Addictions field. I feel extremely blessed to watch clients work hard to make lifestyle changes that positively affect all aspects of their lives. I chose this type of work because I wanted to have some ability to potentially make a positive influence in the lives of others, thus giving back to society.
I firmly believe this is why all of you have chosen to work as a representative of the people of the State of Oregon. You chose this noble profession to have a positive influence in the lives of others, and wanted to leave behind a legacy that represented your values of choosing the profession of political representation. Senate Bill 30 represents one of these special moments where your decisions will have a lasting influence on the legacy of your representation and on the lives of others.
The Metolius River Basin is like no place on earth, I am sure by now you have been flooded with pictures that attempt to show its unique beauty. Pictures cannot capture how this place makes you feel, how it regenerates the soul, how it is a calming and peaceful place that allows all Oregonians to escape and retreat from the stressors of an increasingly stressful life. One can camp on the banks of the Metolius River for very little money, hike its trails to find solitude, and fish its crystal clear waters for native trout including the threatened Bull Trout.
The Metolius River Basin is not a place to site destination resorts such as those proposed for development. It is not a place for any further development at all, it is a place that demands legislators like you to step forward and pass legislation that protects its unique beauty for generations to come. If you chose to pass Senate Bill 30, it will represent your legacy to the State of Oregon, how you chose to protect what does not have a voice, the Metolius River Basin. Your place in the history of land preservation, wildlife preservation, and preservation of a special place will be secured. We know what the results will be if Senate Bill 30 is passed, we do not know what could happen to this special place if destinations resorts are allowed. The choice is yours, and I thank you for your time and consideration.
Ervin Siverson
Portland, OR
My name is Ervin Siverson and I live in Portland, OR. I am writing in support of Senate Bill 30, which would limit development of destination resorts in the Metolius River Basin. I am not a developer, a lobbyist, or work for a real estate company. I do not represent any wildlife organization; I only take the time to write because I believe the Metolius River Basin is a special and sacred place that demands special legislation like Senate Bill 30 to protect it for generations to come.
In my personal life, I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) who works as a therapist in the Mental Health and Addictions field. I feel extremely blessed to watch clients work hard to make lifestyle changes that positively affect all aspects of their lives. I chose this type of work because I wanted to have some ability to potentially make a positive influence in the lives of others, thus giving back to society.
I firmly believe this is why all of you have chosen to work as a representative of the people of the State of Oregon. You chose this noble profession to have a positive influence in the lives of others, and wanted to leave behind a legacy that represented your values of choosing the profession of political representation. Senate Bill 30 represents one of these special moments where your decisions will have a lasting influence on the legacy of your representation and on the lives of others.
The Metolius River Basin is like no place on earth, I am sure by now you have been flooded with pictures that attempt to show its unique beauty. Pictures cannot capture how this place makes you feel, how it regenerates the soul, how it is a calming and peaceful place that allows all Oregonians to escape and retreat from the stressors of an increasingly stressful life. One can camp on the banks of the Metolius River for very little money, hike its trails to find solitude, and fish its crystal clear waters for native trout including the threatened Bull Trout.
The Metolius River Basin is not a place to site destination resorts such as those proposed for development. It is not a place for any further development at all, it is a place that demands legislators like you to step forward and pass legislation that protects its unique beauty for generations to come. If you chose to pass Senate Bill 30, it will represent your legacy to the State of Oregon, how you chose to protect what does not have a voice, the Metolius River Basin. Your place in the history of land preservation, wildlife preservation, and preservation of a special place will be secured. We know what the results will be if Senate Bill 30 is passed, we do not know what could happen to this special place if destinations resorts are allowed. The choice is yours, and I thank you for your time and consideration.
Ervin Siverson
Portland, OR
In Need Of Long-Ranging Solutions - Lizbeth Adams, Seattle
[Sent to Senators Westlund, Walker, Johnson, Kruse, Morse, Metsger, Johnson, and Brown:]
I am writing to voice my strong opposition to the plan to develop the Metolius River wilderness area. As our planet faces the catastrophe of global warming, you our leaders need to throw the entire weight of your intellect and dedication behind the task of finding solutions to this crisis. These solutions will have to be long-ranging and effective, and these solutions will not include destruction of forests and they will not include encouraging urban sprawl that increases the consumption of fossil fuels by commuters. They will include infilling urban areas and finding transportation solutions that decrease our dependence on oil. They will also, on a more subjective level, involve teaching us as a species how to remember again to love our planet, and that will not be accomplished by destroying one of its most beautiful areas.
I ask you to support SB 30. Thank you.
Lizbeth Adams PhD
Director, Office of Research Integrity
Bastyr University (Seattle, WA)
I am writing to voice my strong opposition to the plan to develop the Metolius River wilderness area. As our planet faces the catastrophe of global warming, you our leaders need to throw the entire weight of your intellect and dedication behind the task of finding solutions to this crisis. These solutions will have to be long-ranging and effective, and these solutions will not include destruction of forests and they will not include encouraging urban sprawl that increases the consumption of fossil fuels by commuters. They will include infilling urban areas and finding transportation solutions that decrease our dependence on oil. They will also, on a more subjective level, involve teaching us as a species how to remember again to love our planet, and that will not be accomplished by destroying one of its most beautiful areas.
I ask you to support SB 30. Thank you.
Lizbeth Adams PhD
Director, Office of Research Integrity
Bastyr University (Seattle, WA)
Protect Metolius and Whychus - Tom Davis, Sisters
Metolius protection bill will preserve other water bodies
(Full article printed in the 4/25 Bend Bulletin here. (subscription required)
By Tom Davis
The aquatic health of Central Oregon's Metolius River depends on its watershed. The destination resorts Jefferson County would like to allow are incompatible with clean water, high-quality spawning gravel and the world-class native fish of the Metolius. Passage of Senate Bill 30 is critical to ensure this area remains relatively pristine.
Based on U.S. Geological Survey reports and topography, surface water and the deep and shallow groundwater below the proposed destination resorts flow toward and discharge into the Metolius, Fly Creek and other Metolius tributaries.
In addition to the Metolius and its healthy population of bull trout, a native species on the threatened list, Fly Creek is exceptionally important because of isolated populations of native redbands, a valuable genetic resource. Contaminants such as nitrate and household chemicals from wastewater systems at the resorts and the landscaping chemicals used would pose a major threat to those genetic reserves.
Sediment from soil erosion during construction, roads and other results of development at the proposed sites also pose a serious threat to spawning gravel and aquatic health.
...
The Metolius isn't the only stream system at risk. Water quality and sediment loading problems also are likely to occur in the adjacent Whychus watershed because of development at the 10,000-acre Colson parcel. Yes, Whychus is now pretty degraded, but flow and habitat structure are being restored through cooperative conservation efforts.
...
The crown jewel qualities of the Metolius are well-known throughout the nation and can be easily experienced and appreciated. Many of the Whychus' qualities can't be as easily appreciated, particularly the qualities that have been lost but are to be re-established or reintroduced. But with the exceptional quality and diversity of landscapes, vegetation and Western culture a compelling argument can be made that Whychus will be, and can remain, a treasure that rivals the Metolius.
SB 30, proposed by Sen. Ben Westlund and others, protects the Metolius and provides some protection for Whychus Creek. It's a compromise, but one that deserves passage. If negotiations are called for, Whychus Creek should also be protected.
Throughout our history, we have mistakenly given the benefit of any uncertainty to profit at the expense of precarious natural resources such as native fish. Our decision-making usually places the burden of proof on non-market values, such as native fish. The watersheds of Whychus Creek and the Metolius River, including Fly Creek, are of such high quality and value that these priorities should be reversed. A spokesman for the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs described Jefferson County's opening of the door for the two parcels to become destination resorts as a "not-very-well-thought-out decision." My longtime fishing buddy, a very conservative businessman, wrote the following about SB 30 to the senator from his district: "There is plenty of area in Central Oregon that will support resort development without encroachment upon such a pristine area."
Tom Davis is a member of the Native Fish Society.
(Full article printed in the 4/25 Bend Bulletin here. (subscription required)
By Tom Davis
The aquatic health of Central Oregon's Metolius River depends on its watershed. The destination resorts Jefferson County would like to allow are incompatible with clean water, high-quality spawning gravel and the world-class native fish of the Metolius. Passage of Senate Bill 30 is critical to ensure this area remains relatively pristine.
Based on U.S. Geological Survey reports and topography, surface water and the deep and shallow groundwater below the proposed destination resorts flow toward and discharge into the Metolius, Fly Creek and other Metolius tributaries.
In addition to the Metolius and its healthy population of bull trout, a native species on the threatened list, Fly Creek is exceptionally important because of isolated populations of native redbands, a valuable genetic resource. Contaminants such as nitrate and household chemicals from wastewater systems at the resorts and the landscaping chemicals used would pose a major threat to those genetic reserves.
Sediment from soil erosion during construction, roads and other results of development at the proposed sites also pose a serious threat to spawning gravel and aquatic health.
...
The Metolius isn't the only stream system at risk. Water quality and sediment loading problems also are likely to occur in the adjacent Whychus watershed because of development at the 10,000-acre Colson parcel. Yes, Whychus is now pretty degraded, but flow and habitat structure are being restored through cooperative conservation efforts.
...
The crown jewel qualities of the Metolius are well-known throughout the nation and can be easily experienced and appreciated. Many of the Whychus' qualities can't be as easily appreciated, particularly the qualities that have been lost but are to be re-established or reintroduced. But with the exceptional quality and diversity of landscapes, vegetation and Western culture a compelling argument can be made that Whychus will be, and can remain, a treasure that rivals the Metolius.
SB 30, proposed by Sen. Ben Westlund and others, protects the Metolius and provides some protection for Whychus Creek. It's a compromise, but one that deserves passage. If negotiations are called for, Whychus Creek should also be protected.
Throughout our history, we have mistakenly given the benefit of any uncertainty to profit at the expense of precarious natural resources such as native fish. Our decision-making usually places the burden of proof on non-market values, such as native fish. The watersheds of Whychus Creek and the Metolius River, including Fly Creek, are of such high quality and value that these priorities should be reversed. A spokesman for the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs described Jefferson County's opening of the door for the two parcels to become destination resorts as a "not-very-well-thought-out decision." My longtime fishing buddy, a very conservative businessman, wrote the following about SB 30 to the senator from his district: "There is plenty of area in Central Oregon that will support resort development without encroachment upon such a pristine area."
Tom Davis is a member of the Native Fish Society.
Leave Precious Area Intact For Our Grandchildren - Carl Cavallo
To: Senator Westlund
I have been a teacher for over 40 years in high school and college environments. While my subject matter revolves around technology, I have always paired that with environmental conservation. What I am witnessing about the changes proposed in the Metolious Basin is frightening and counter to the principals of ecology and environmental conservation. I'm sick to think how this gem of an area has the potential to become destroyed because a few people want to make money. Can we not appreciate what we have? Can we not leave a precious area in tact for our grandchildren?
Please, do NOT COMPROMISE SENATE BILL 30! Please fight for the future of this and the surrounding area. Global warming is upon us, and we need to educate people NOW about the realities of our natural environments and the importance of them.
Carl Cavallo
I have been a teacher for over 40 years in high school and college environments. While my subject matter revolves around technology, I have always paired that with environmental conservation. What I am witnessing about the changes proposed in the Metolious Basin is frightening and counter to the principals of ecology and environmental conservation. I'm sick to think how this gem of an area has the potential to become destroyed because a few people want to make money. Can we not appreciate what we have? Can we not leave a precious area in tact for our grandchildren?
Please, do NOT COMPROMISE SENATE BILL 30! Please fight for the future of this and the surrounding area. Global warming is upon us, and we need to educate people NOW about the realities of our natural environments and the importance of them.
Carl Cavallo
We Hold An Ethical Responsibility - Patricia Johnson, Edgewater FL
Good morning, Senators Walker, Kruse, Metsger and Morse,
I am writing in support of SB 30.
I am the younger daughter of the late Sam and Becky Johnson, and the sister of Sen. Betsy Johnson. As youngsters, Betsy and I attended kindergarten and grade school in Redmond, but nearly every weekend and most of our summers were spent at the family cabin near the headwaters of the Metolius River. Our father's ashes are buried there, as Mother's will be this summer. I have always considered it to be my home.
From the time I was a little tyke, I was taught conservation, environmentalism and total respect for that magnificent part of the world. At age 54, I cannot imagine the irresponsibility of allowing "destination resorts" of any kind, being allowed in or near The Metolius River Basin.
I currently live in Florida and have a first hand view of the destruction of a beautiful state due to the pure greed of land developers. Native Central Floridians refer to Mickey Mouse as "The Black Rat." Homes frequently fall into sink holes due to the aquifer's depletion. The thought of this type of destruction beginning in my Central Oregon brings tears to my eyes.
My father once told me "We do not really own this land. God does. We hold an ethical responsibility as its caretakers." Please consider his words and prohibit the "resort" development of this fragile and magnificent part of the world.
Respectfully,
Patricia C. "Patti" Johnson
Edgewater, Florida
I am writing in support of SB 30.
I am the younger daughter of the late Sam and Becky Johnson, and the sister of Sen. Betsy Johnson. As youngsters, Betsy and I attended kindergarten and grade school in Redmond, but nearly every weekend and most of our summers were spent at the family cabin near the headwaters of the Metolius River. Our father's ashes are buried there, as Mother's will be this summer. I have always considered it to be my home.
From the time I was a little tyke, I was taught conservation, environmentalism and total respect for that magnificent part of the world. At age 54, I cannot imagine the irresponsibility of allowing "destination resorts" of any kind, being allowed in or near The Metolius River Basin.
I currently live in Florida and have a first hand view of the destruction of a beautiful state due to the pure greed of land developers. Native Central Floridians refer to Mickey Mouse as "The Black Rat." Homes frequently fall into sink holes due to the aquifer's depletion. The thought of this type of destruction beginning in my Central Oregon brings tears to my eyes.
My father once told me "We do not really own this land. God does. We hold an ethical responsibility as its caretakers." Please consider his words and prohibit the "resort" development of this fragile and magnificent part of the world.
Respectfully,
Patricia C. "Patti" Johnson
Edgewater, Florida
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
You Have The Power To Protect This Wonderful Place - Mark Inkster, Lake Oswego
Hello Senator Westlund,
Please support SB30 - Metolius.
My family has visited the Metolius basin for five generations, and we consider it one of the most special, unique places in the world, and certainly something to be protected. As Oregon continues to develop, it's critical to maintain our most beautiful spaces as pristine places where we can go to appreciate the wonders of nature. I support economic growth, and I support real estate development. But these should be done responsibly, and with an eye to future generations. The Metolius is best appreciated as a quiet reserve, and large scale development in the Metolius basin is completely inappropriate.
Over the years, I have traveled all over the world, to more than 50 countries. When I come back to Oregon, I always appreciate the wonderful job that our ancestors have done to protect its beautiful places for everybody to enjoy. Whether it's the parks in Portland, the forests of the Cascades, the grasslands and wetlands of southeastern Oregon, our public coastal spaces, or many of the other beautiful places, many generations of leaders have decided to develop our lands wisely. I urge you to maintain this longstanding and proud tradition. It's a key part of what makes Oregon great.
It's a tradition that I have personally tried to uphold. Just a couple of years ago, I sold a piece of undeveloped property bordering Tryon Creek State Park to the State of Oregon at a below market price, because I believe in the goal of maintaining and protecting our beautiful natural places. Like many other Oregonians, I act upon my beliefs.
As a representative of many Oregonians, you have the power to protect this wonderful place, and to give a voice to its beauty. If you are not familiar with the Metolius River, Camp Sherman or Green Ridge, please take the less than 2 hour drive from Salem to see it for yourself and enjoy its calm, peace and beauty.
Thank you for representing me, the many many people like me who support this, and the generations of Oregonians yet to come who will benefit from your thoughtful and far-sighted leadership.
Best regards,
Mark Inkster
Lake Oswego, OR
Please support SB30 - Metolius.
My family has visited the Metolius basin for five generations, and we consider it one of the most special, unique places in the world, and certainly something to be protected. As Oregon continues to develop, it's critical to maintain our most beautiful spaces as pristine places where we can go to appreciate the wonders of nature. I support economic growth, and I support real estate development. But these should be done responsibly, and with an eye to future generations. The Metolius is best appreciated as a quiet reserve, and large scale development in the Metolius basin is completely inappropriate.
Over the years, I have traveled all over the world, to more than 50 countries. When I come back to Oregon, I always appreciate the wonderful job that our ancestors have done to protect its beautiful places for everybody to enjoy. Whether it's the parks in Portland, the forests of the Cascades, the grasslands and wetlands of southeastern Oregon, our public coastal spaces, or many of the other beautiful places, many generations of leaders have decided to develop our lands wisely. I urge you to maintain this longstanding and proud tradition. It's a key part of what makes Oregon great.
It's a tradition that I have personally tried to uphold. Just a couple of years ago, I sold a piece of undeveloped property bordering Tryon Creek State Park to the State of Oregon at a below market price, because I believe in the goal of maintaining and protecting our beautiful natural places. Like many other Oregonians, I act upon my beliefs.
As a representative of many Oregonians, you have the power to protect this wonderful place, and to give a voice to its beauty. If you are not familiar with the Metolius River, Camp Sherman or Green Ridge, please take the less than 2 hour drive from Salem to see it for yourself and enjoy its calm, peace and beauty.
Thank you for representing me, the many many people like me who support this, and the generations of Oregonians yet to come who will benefit from your thoughtful and far-sighted leadership.
Best regards,
Mark Inkster
Lake Oswego, OR
We Inherited This Land From Our Parents - Marie Sheahan Brown, Camp Sherman
[Sent to Senators Metsger, Walker, Westlund, Johnson, Morse, Kruse:]
My four siblings and I own a 20-acre parcel of land on the lower Metolius River, across the river from the Warm Springs Reservation. We inherited this land from our parents. Our forebears and we have continuously owned property of one kind or another on the Metolius River since the 1930s. We have no intention of developing the 20-acre parcel but, rather, see ourselves as stewards of an extraordinary creation.
I am deeply grateful to the legislators who, recognizing the need to preserve and protect the remarkable Metolius River Basin, have introduced SB 30 to Save the Metolius. Of current concern is the recent Jefferson County decision opening the door to destination resorts which, while boosting cash flow to the county, in my opinion would threaten the natural resources and other irreplaceable qualities of the Basin. My family and I support SB 30 to Save the Metolius, and we urge you to do the same.
A delicate ecosystem, the Metolius River Basin depends on a proper balance of all of its elements ~ the 10 Outstandingly Remarkable Values recognized in its Wild & Scenic River status. Everything affects everything else. Two large destination resorts within its boundaries could not have other than negative and probably irreversible effects on the ecology of the Basin. When financial gain is a primary goal of developers, I frankly have little confidence that ecological concerns will take priority in their plans and actions.
Were the Basin's ecology a priority, these destination resorts would not have been proposed at all.
Sincerely,
Marie Sheahan Brown
Camp Sherman, OR
My four siblings and I own a 20-acre parcel of land on the lower Metolius River, across the river from the Warm Springs Reservation. We inherited this land from our parents. Our forebears and we have continuously owned property of one kind or another on the Metolius River since the 1930s. We have no intention of developing the 20-acre parcel but, rather, see ourselves as stewards of an extraordinary creation.
I am deeply grateful to the legislators who, recognizing the need to preserve and protect the remarkable Metolius River Basin, have introduced SB 30 to Save the Metolius. Of current concern is the recent Jefferson County decision opening the door to destination resorts which, while boosting cash flow to the county, in my opinion would threaten the natural resources and other irreplaceable qualities of the Basin. My family and I support SB 30 to Save the Metolius, and we urge you to do the same.
A delicate ecosystem, the Metolius River Basin depends on a proper balance of all of its elements ~ the 10 Outstandingly Remarkable Values recognized in its Wild & Scenic River status. Everything affects everything else. Two large destination resorts within its boundaries could not have other than negative and probably irreversible effects on the ecology of the Basin. When financial gain is a primary goal of developers, I frankly have little confidence that ecological concerns will take priority in their plans and actions.
Were the Basin's ecology a priority, these destination resorts would not have been proposed at all.
Sincerely,
Marie Sheahan Brown
Camp Sherman, OR
Priorities - Marie Sheahan Brown, Camp Sherman
Dear Senator Johnson:
First, I applaud you for taking the lead in co-sponsoring SB 30 to Save our beloved Metolius. My family joins yours in having been stewards of the Metolius for decades. I am the daughter of Joe and Leslie Brown, granddaughter of Lamar and Marie Tooze.
Besides our family cabin on Tract-O on Forest Service land, my four siblings and I own a 20-acre parcel of land on the lower Metolius River, across the river from the Warm Springs Reservation. We inherited this land from our parents. Our forebears and we have continuously owned property of one kind or another on the Metolius River since the 1930s. We have no intention of developing the 20-acre parcel but, rather, see ourselves as stewards of an extraordinary creation.
I am deeply grateful to you and other legislators who, recognizing the need to preserve and protect the remarkable Metolius River Basin, have introduced SB 30 to Save the Metolius. Of current concern, as you well know, is the recent Jefferson County decision opening the door to destination resorts which, while boosting cash flow to the county, in my opinion would threaten the natural resources and other irreplaceable qualities of the Basin. My family and I support SB 30 to Save the Metolius, and we are urging your Senate colleagues to do the same.
A delicate ecosystem, the Metolius River Basin depends on a proper balance of all of its elements ~ the 10 Outstandingly Remarkable Values recognized in its Wild & Scenic River status. Everything affects everything else. Two large destination resorts within its boundaries could not have other than negative and probably irreversible effects on the ecology of the Basin. When financial gain is a primary goal of developers, I frankly have little confidence that ecological concerns will take priority in their plans and actions.
Were the Basin's ecology a priority, these destination resorts would not have been proposed at all.
Sincerely,
Marie Sheahan Brown
Camp Sherman, OR
First, I applaud you for taking the lead in co-sponsoring SB 30 to Save our beloved Metolius. My family joins yours in having been stewards of the Metolius for decades. I am the daughter of Joe and Leslie Brown, granddaughter of Lamar and Marie Tooze.
Besides our family cabin on Tract-O on Forest Service land, my four siblings and I own a 20-acre parcel of land on the lower Metolius River, across the river from the Warm Springs Reservation. We inherited this land from our parents. Our forebears and we have continuously owned property of one kind or another on the Metolius River since the 1930s. We have no intention of developing the 20-acre parcel but, rather, see ourselves as stewards of an extraordinary creation.
I am deeply grateful to you and other legislators who, recognizing the need to preserve and protect the remarkable Metolius River Basin, have introduced SB 30 to Save the Metolius. Of current concern, as you well know, is the recent Jefferson County decision opening the door to destination resorts which, while boosting cash flow to the county, in my opinion would threaten the natural resources and other irreplaceable qualities of the Basin. My family and I support SB 30 to Save the Metolius, and we are urging your Senate colleagues to do the same.
A delicate ecosystem, the Metolius River Basin depends on a proper balance of all of its elements ~ the 10 Outstandingly Remarkable Values recognized in its Wild & Scenic River status. Everything affects everything else. Two large destination resorts within its boundaries could not have other than negative and probably irreversible effects on the ecology of the Basin. When financial gain is a primary goal of developers, I frankly have little confidence that ecological concerns will take priority in their plans and actions.
Were the Basin's ecology a priority, these destination resorts would not have been proposed at all.
Sincerely,
Marie Sheahan Brown
Camp Sherman, OR
Seize This Oportunity - Thomas Anderson, McMinnville
[Sent to Senators Metsger, Westlund, Brown, Walker, Morse, Kruse, and Johnson:]
Subject: Re: Metolius - Please support SB 30
Dear Senators,
The Metolius River Basin is one of the most unique natural and scenic wonders in Oregon, in the country, and in the world. Visitors approach through towering ponderosa pines on the road from Highway 20 as if they are passing through a portal to another world and arrive at the quiet little town of Camp Sherman, free from traffic, noise, and congestion. They can hike and fish along the pristine banks of the river in virtual solitude and experience the beauty of the river, the forest, the wildlife, and an ecosystem like no other in the world. We have in the middle of our state a treasure to be cherished and preserved for generations to come.
I am writing with an urgent plea for you to insure that mine is the not the last generation to enjoy the unique beauty of this wonderland. Please support SB 30 and use your influence in the senate to secure its passage so that the delicate balance between man and nature in this pristine place is not destroyed by development, traffic, noise, and crowds.
You have the opportunity to do something great for the residents of this state. I hope you will seize it.
Sincerely,
Thomas H. Anderson
Law Offices of Thomas H. Anderson, P.C.
McMinnville, Oregon
Subject: Re: Metolius - Please support SB 30
Dear Senators,
The Metolius River Basin is one of the most unique natural and scenic wonders in Oregon, in the country, and in the world. Visitors approach through towering ponderosa pines on the road from Highway 20 as if they are passing through a portal to another world and arrive at the quiet little town of Camp Sherman, free from traffic, noise, and congestion. They can hike and fish along the pristine banks of the river in virtual solitude and experience the beauty of the river, the forest, the wildlife, and an ecosystem like no other in the world. We have in the middle of our state a treasure to be cherished and preserved for generations to come.
I am writing with an urgent plea for you to insure that mine is the not the last generation to enjoy the unique beauty of this wonderland. Please support SB 30 and use your influence in the senate to secure its passage so that the delicate balance between man and nature in this pristine place is not destroyed by development, traffic, noise, and crowds.
You have the opportunity to do something great for the residents of this state. I hope you will seize it.
Sincerely,
Thomas H. Anderson
Law Offices of Thomas H. Anderson, P.C.
McMinnville, Oregon
UPDATE! - Central Oregon LandWatch
It's 6:30pm on Tuesday, April 24 and so far we've received over 80 individual letters from all over Oregon and beyond supporting SB 30 and opposing destination resort development in and around the Metolius River basin.
If you're still thinking about sending us your letters, correspondence, picture, and stories, you better hop to it! Thursday's public hearing (the last public hearing) is rapidly approaching, and so we need your posts ASAP. We know there are many more letters out there, so start sending!
-LandWatch
P.S. Don't stop sending your future letters, either. Assuming SB 30 gets out of committee, then this will go to the Senate and eventually the House Floor, where your show of support will be more important than ever in helping to show ALL of Oregon's state legislators just what the Metolius means to you and how important it is that it be protected. So please, until the final, final vote, keep sending your letters in.
If you're still thinking about sending us your letters, correspondence, picture, and stories, you better hop to it! Thursday's public hearing (the last public hearing) is rapidly approaching, and so we need your posts ASAP. We know there are many more letters out there, so start sending!
-LandWatch
P.S. Don't stop sending your future letters, either. Assuming SB 30 gets out of committee, then this will go to the Senate and eventually the House Floor, where your show of support will be more important than ever in helping to show ALL of Oregon's state legislators just what the Metolius means to you and how important it is that it be protected. So please, until the final, final vote, keep sending your letters in.
Most Reckless Plan To Date - Gary Kish, Sauvie Island
[Sent to Rep. Brad Witt and cc'd to Sen. Betsy Johnson;]
I am one of your Columbia County consituents. I realize that SB30 is still in the Senate, but did want to let you know that I am following this closely, as the proposed resorts that SB30 prohibits are a very real threat to the future of the Metolius, its fisheries and its setting.
The reason the Metolius is the gem it is, is the water quality and constant flows.
Large scale development in the basin has the potential to disrupt both.
Additionally, the Green Ridge 3,000 home development will seriously impact the deer herd as it would be located right on top of their vital wintering grounds.
Years ago Jefferson County tried to punch through and pave the primitive trail that goes most of the way - but not all - through the undesignated wilderness area that is the Lower Metolius. Conservationists with help from the Forest Service beat back that proposal.
More recently, Jefferson County tried to pave the road above Camp Sherman Store, where it runs right on the river's bank. Fisherman and home owners killed that bad idea.
So again Jefferson County's Commissioners come forth with another, and their most reckless plan to date for the Metolius.
As you likely know, most of the the Metolius basin is in public hands, through the US Forest Service. The public has demanded conservative management and protection of this resource.
Jefferson County and developers are now trying to cash in on the natural capital that the public has created in this special locale.
I urge you to help preserve the Metolius and support SB30 when it comes to the House.
Gary Kish
Sauvie Island, OR
I am one of your Columbia County consituents. I realize that SB30 is still in the Senate, but did want to let you know that I am following this closely, as the proposed resorts that SB30 prohibits are a very real threat to the future of the Metolius, its fisheries and its setting.
The reason the Metolius is the gem it is, is the water quality and constant flows.
Large scale development in the basin has the potential to disrupt both.
Additionally, the Green Ridge 3,000 home development will seriously impact the deer herd as it would be located right on top of their vital wintering grounds.
Years ago Jefferson County tried to punch through and pave the primitive trail that goes most of the way - but not all - through the undesignated wilderness area that is the Lower Metolius. Conservationists with help from the Forest Service beat back that proposal.
More recently, Jefferson County tried to pave the road above Camp Sherman Store, where it runs right on the river's bank. Fisherman and home owners killed that bad idea.
So again Jefferson County's Commissioners come forth with another, and their most reckless plan to date for the Metolius.
As you likely know, most of the the Metolius basin is in public hands, through the US Forest Service. The public has demanded conservative management and protection of this resource.
Jefferson County and developers are now trying to cash in on the natural capital that the public has created in this special locale.
I urge you to help preserve the Metolius and support SB30 when it comes to the House.
Gary Kish
Sauvie Island, OR
It's About The Fish - Robert Sims, Maupin
Senators Westlund and Ferrioli and Members of the Oregon Senate:
I strongly support Senate Bill 30 because the aquatic health of the Metolius River requires a high quality watershed that is incompatible with the development of nearby destination resorts. The Metolius River’s cold clean water and high quality spawning gravel support a world-class fishery that attracts fisherman from around the United States and the world.
The Metolius currently supports a threatened bull trout population, while the tributary waters, particularly Fly Creek, are exceptionally important because of the existence of isolated populations of native redband trout. These trout are uniquely adapted to the area and are a valuable genetic resource for the state of Oregon. According to the USGS, deep and shallow groundwater from the Colson parcel flows toward, and discharges into, Fly Creek and other Metolius tributaries. Development of destination resorts and associated golf courses is likely to discharge wastewater carrying contaminants such as nitrate into the tributaries of the Metolius. These discharges will damage the pristine water quality of the Metolius and threaten the survival of the trout populations, especially bull trout.
In addition, the water quality of Whychus Creek will be impaired by the development of destination resorts. Sediment from soil erosion during construction, roads and other results of development at the potential destination resorts poses a serious threat to spawning gravel and aquatic health. Since the creek is one of the primary destinations for recently reintroduced native Steelhead, development is incompatible with the reintroduction program. The program is a nationally significant opportunity for re-establishing native fish in habitat that has been blocked from anadromous fish access for decades and is the product of the extensive Pelton–Round Butte relicensing negotiations.
The Metolius River and surrounding area is a pristine nature sanctuary that has been enjoyed by Oregonians since the late 1800’s. To allow the development of nearby destination resorts will irreparably damage one of Oregon’s and the nation’s great natural treasures. Once this treasure is lost, it can never be recreated and Oregon will be much poorer for the loss. The watersheds of the Metolius including Fly Creek, and Whychus Creek, are of such high quality that they deserve to be protected forever. Senate Bill 30 creates this much needed protection and I strongly support its passage.
Thank you for supporting this important legislation.
Robert Sims
Maupin, OR
I strongly support Senate Bill 30 because the aquatic health of the Metolius River requires a high quality watershed that is incompatible with the development of nearby destination resorts. The Metolius River’s cold clean water and high quality spawning gravel support a world-class fishery that attracts fisherman from around the United States and the world.
The Metolius currently supports a threatened bull trout population, while the tributary waters, particularly Fly Creek, are exceptionally important because of the existence of isolated populations of native redband trout. These trout are uniquely adapted to the area and are a valuable genetic resource for the state of Oregon. According to the USGS, deep and shallow groundwater from the Colson parcel flows toward, and discharges into, Fly Creek and other Metolius tributaries. Development of destination resorts and associated golf courses is likely to discharge wastewater carrying contaminants such as nitrate into the tributaries of the Metolius. These discharges will damage the pristine water quality of the Metolius and threaten the survival of the trout populations, especially bull trout.
In addition, the water quality of Whychus Creek will be impaired by the development of destination resorts. Sediment from soil erosion during construction, roads and other results of development at the potential destination resorts poses a serious threat to spawning gravel and aquatic health. Since the creek is one of the primary destinations for recently reintroduced native Steelhead, development is incompatible with the reintroduction program. The program is a nationally significant opportunity for re-establishing native fish in habitat that has been blocked from anadromous fish access for decades and is the product of the extensive Pelton–Round Butte relicensing negotiations.
The Metolius River and surrounding area is a pristine nature sanctuary that has been enjoyed by Oregonians since the late 1800’s. To allow the development of nearby destination resorts will irreparably damage one of Oregon’s and the nation’s great natural treasures. Once this treasure is lost, it can never be recreated and Oregon will be much poorer for the loss. The watersheds of the Metolius including Fly Creek, and Whychus Creek, are of such high quality that they deserve to be protected forever. Senate Bill 30 creates this much needed protection and I strongly support its passage.
Thank you for supporting this important legislation.
Robert Sims
Maupin, OR
One Of The Last Great Ecosystems - Sean Johnson, Portland
Senator Metsger-
I urge you to vote yes on Senate bill 30 when it comes up for a vote on Thursday night. The Metolius River is one of the last great ecosystems that is unspoiled by too much commercial exploitation. Resorts in the Metolius basin would undoubtedly have a negative impact on the river and further crowd an area that has maintained its beauty despite heavy use. Please help protect one of the crown jewels of Oregon's environment and preserve it for future generations.
Sincerely,
Sean Johnson
Portland, OR
I urge you to vote yes on Senate bill 30 when it comes up for a vote on Thursday night. The Metolius River is one of the last great ecosystems that is unspoiled by too much commercial exploitation. Resorts in the Metolius basin would undoubtedly have a negative impact on the river and further crowd an area that has maintained its beauty despite heavy use. Please help protect one of the crown jewels of Oregon's environment and preserve it for future generations.
Sincerely,
Sean Johnson
Portland, OR
Compelled To Write - Julia Clark, Eugene
[Sent to Rep. John Dallum, Senators Westlund, Walker, Kruse, Metsger, Morse, Kruse, Gov. Ted Kulongoski, and Mike Carrier:]
Hello,
My name is Julia Clark and I am writing in support of SB 30, which would prohibit destination resorts in the Metolius Basin. When I learned of this bill, I felt compelled to write and ask for your support in this matter.
My parents, Chapin and Dorothy Clark, owned a cabin on the Metolius River. What a beautiful, peaceful area it is! We spent so much time up at the cabin throughout the years and it would be an awful mark on the land to have resorts built on it.
Memories of hearing the wind blowing through ponderosa branches, listening to the rush of the river as I drifted off to sleep at night, savoring the multitude of wildflowers growing along the banks of the river and wading in the fresh cold water on a hot summer day are all fresh in my mind. I cannot picture resorts where we once enjoyed peaceful hikes; where often we saw few if any other hikers.
One of my father's passions was preserving and protecting rivers and waterways. He loved the Metolius Basin. Please, join me in supporting Senate Bill 30!
Respectfully yours,
Julia Clark
Eugene, OR
Hello,
My name is Julia Clark and I am writing in support of SB 30, which would prohibit destination resorts in the Metolius Basin. When I learned of this bill, I felt compelled to write and ask for your support in this matter.
My parents, Chapin and Dorothy Clark, owned a cabin on the Metolius River. What a beautiful, peaceful area it is! We spent so much time up at the cabin throughout the years and it would be an awful mark on the land to have resorts built on it.
Memories of hearing the wind blowing through ponderosa branches, listening to the rush of the river as I drifted off to sleep at night, savoring the multitude of wildflowers growing along the banks of the river and wading in the fresh cold water on a hot summer day are all fresh in my mind. I cannot picture resorts where we once enjoyed peaceful hikes; where often we saw few if any other hikers.
One of my father's passions was preserving and protecting rivers and waterways. He loved the Metolius Basin. Please, join me in supporting Senate Bill 30!
Respectfully yours,
Julia Clark
Eugene, OR
Heed Lessons Learned In Colorado - Trina Van Patton, Louisville, CO
To: Oregon Senators:Dear Senator __________,
My relationship with the Metolius Basin goes back over 40 years, before there was a Black Butte Ranch or even a Metolius Meadows development. I considered my childhood summer visits to this area to be the best part of the whole year, even better than Christmas! I knew, even as a child, that the forests, wildlife, springs, creeks and river of the Metolius Basin were magical, wonderful and irreplaceable. I felt that way as a young person, and I feel the same way today as a 50-year-old.
The additions of the Metolius Meadows development and Black Butte Ranch have already had a noticeable impact on the Basin from when I was a child -- these days, wherever you go in the Basin, there are more people, especially between the headwaters and Bridge 99 in the summertime. When I was little, my family and I would hike, ride, camp and picnic and hardly ever see other people -- and that is the way an area like this should be.
I cannot begin to imagine the numbers of people flooding the basin with the addition of more destination resorts added to this area. One of which is so massive it is beyond imagination, beyond responsible planning, and far beyond the ability of the infrastructure of this quiet rural area to support it. I live in Colorado now, and I know what massive resorts and the in-flux of thousands of people can do to the surrounding mountain forest habitat. It can be trashed. It can be trampled. It can be destroyed. People arrive with their 4-wheel drives, all-terrain vehicles, dirt bikes and snowmobiles and find a close area to “recreate” in, and you know that is going to be the Metolius Basin with its wealth of logging roads and pretty little creeks and springs. I have already seen forest areas in the Metolius Basin crisscrossed with dirt bike trails, the delicate plants and flowers replaced by dusty ruts, and I have found (and picked-up) trash, beer cans and bottles left in woods. I have heard the sounds of roaring dirt bikes drown out the sounds of the birds and bugs. It makes me sad to see this happening already, and it will be far worse with thousands more people living and vacationing right next door.
Also, where does the water come from for a destination resort of thousands of acres of homes, hotels and golf courses? What would be the impact on the springs, plants and wildlife of the Metolius Basin if some (or most) of its water source was diverted and/or pumped to serve destination resorts? Will the Metolius River become just another muddy streambed?
It is one thing to look at a map and point out an area that seems acceptable for a destination resort, but it is far different to be intimately aware of a place, a very special place, from hours spent playing in the woods, building forts, catching frogs and fish, watching a porcupine, coyote or doe and her fawn cross a road, toasting a marshmallow over a fire or freezing your toes in ice-cold Canyon Creek on a hot summer day. I know that there has been talk of compromise. Is that really a word that should be used in conjunction with the Metolius area? Aren’t there places in this world that should never be compromised -- the Metolius included? Please find a way to halt this development before the magic of the Metolius is gone forever. I fully support SB 30.
Thank you for your time, consideration, and efforts,
Sincerely,
Trina Van Patten
Louisville, CO
A Day On the Metolius - Pat Krause, Portland
[Sent To Senator Vicki Walker, Chair; Senator Jeff Kruse, Vice-Chair; Senator Rick Metsger; Senator Frank Morse; Senator Ben Westlund; Representative John Dallum:]Dear Members of the Senate Education and General Government Committee and Sponsors of SB-30:
I request that this letter be submitted as written testimony for the SB-30 hearing scheduled for April 26, 2007.
I am writing to you all, again to thank you for your responses to my first letter. I especially want to thank you for the time and effort you are putting into gathering information and being knowledgeable about the Metolius River Basin before making a decision regarding SB 30.
I am also writing to express my love of the Metolius River. I attended the April [5], 2007 hearing and became aware that some of you may have not spent time in the Metolius River Basin and may not fully understand the impact the river has on those of us who hike, camp, fish, own summer cabins on leased forest service land, or are part of the small local population. For the record, I do not own property in Jefferson County.
I grew up in the Midwest with a mother and father who loved to fly fish more than eat or sleep. My father took a month off each summer and we would pack up the car and head for the mountain rivers and streams. My parents also believed these vacations were an opportunity for me to expand my knowledge and appreciation of our beautiful country. As a result, I have been in most of the states west of the Mississippi River and explored many of the rivers and streams in the Colorado Rockies, Yellowstone, the Tetons, and the Black Hills as well as many other beautiful places.
I moved from the Midwest to Portland in 1973. I knew the minute I saw Oregon I wanted to live here permanently. I arrived at the time Governor McCall was encouraging people to “visit Oregon, but don’t stay”. It was exciting to be part of state that was ahead of every other state in protecting its beaches, cleaning up its waterways, and protecting the Columbia Gorge for future generations to enjoy.
My first visit to the Metolius River and Camp Sherman was shortly after moving here. I immediately knew this was one of the very few unique and mystical places in our country. I knew I was finally “home”. Thirty-four years later I feel that even more strongly.
A DAY ON THE METOLIUS
A day at the Metolius is a day of simple pleasures. I wake up early to the birds chirping and the sound of the rippling water. It is a beautiful morning, cool, crisp air and wonderful sunshine!
A walk along the river awakens my senses. I can smell the clean air, the pine, incense cedar and Douglas fir trees. I watch the sun dance off the crystal clear waters. I nod to the fly-fishermen who wade right into the cold water, and catch and release year-round. Are they using the stone flies for bait that my daughter loves to catch and feed to the fish? I continue along the river path past the historic cabins, each one charming and unique. One cabin has crystal glassware sitting on a tree stump. Soon the sun will turn it a beautiful shade of lavender. Another cabins’ deck is ready for lunch. The table is covered with a vintage kitchen tablecloth and an ironstone pitcher holds wildflowers. Already, people are laughing and squealing as they float down the river, oblivious to the coldness of the water. I pass several water wheels that no longer function, wondering what stories they could tell. I pass wildflowers, squirrels, and deer along the way. People are walking their dogs and it is hard to tell who enjoys it the most. I arrive at the Camp Sherman store and decide to linger with a latte on the bench.
The Camp Sherman store along with the post office and “honor” library are in one long, wooden building located a few steps from the river, shaded by pine trees. The store is a deli, a grocery store, a hardware store, a wine store and a gift store all rolled into one. People come and go all day – a hub of activity. My daughters and their friends, as youngsters, loved to stop there for treats. Now it is for a latte and newspaper. The store is the place to be on Independence Day for the Camp Sherman Independence Day barbeque and music festivities. The library has books and magazines for the taking – “on your honor” you will return when read. The store pay phone comes in handy as cell phone service leaves much to be desired! I watch the children on the bridge in front of the store feed the fish below and the chipmunks nearby. I wonder if they will make boats from sticks and bark, as my daughters did, and race them down the river. Or if they will learn to fish on the Metolius as my younger daughter did. Do they know about the Osprey that dives into the river to catch fish?
I continue on toward the Head of the Metolius. I remember how my oldest daughter was fascinated with the water bubbling up from under the ground. I stop near the Johnson family property and quietly thank the family for their part in protecting this special spot. I think about a memorial service for a good friend that was on the Johnson property and remember his hard work through the years to save and preserve the Metolius for future generations.
I head back for lunch and think about the afternoon ahead. It is starting to get warm. Maybe I will just hang out at the rivers edge with my feet in the water, camera in hand and a good book. A nap is not out of the question! I could go for a bike ride, visit the Wizard Falls Fish Hatchery, or just do nothing which is always allowed at the Metolius!
After dinner it’s time for good conversation, board games, or a good book – and maybe some popcorn or hot chocolate. It’s also a good time to watch for deer. No need for television, DVDs’, computers and computer games – they are not missed by young or old. Before bedtime, a quick walk to “the meadow” to see the brightest stars in the darkest sky I know. If we’re lucky we may see a few shooting stars.
The night is crisp and cold and the warm covers feel good. I am so thankful for this beautiful place that makes me complete and restored, where life is simple and we are reminded of what is truly important. This is the place where we reconnect with family, friends and nature. I fall asleep to the sound of the river remembering that we are the stewards of the Metolius River Basin. We must be the voice of the river and hear its’ cry to preserve this pristine, clean and unique habitat for fish and wildlife. This magical place belongs to nature – the river, the fish and the wildlife. We are the guests and we should be able to visit as long as we tread lightly and respect the land. This fragile Crown Jewel of Oregon needs to be managed carefully. It needs full protection from growth and development. There is a price to pay for beautiful places. We need to step up to the plate and preserve the Metolius River Basin before it is too late.
Thank you
Pat Krause
Portland, Oregon
Never Seen Anything Like It - Zygmunt Plater, Newton Centre MA
[Sent to Senators Westlund, Brown, Walker, Metsger, Morse, Kruse, and Johnson:]
I was one of thousands of touring Americans lured each year to the Metolius by its reputation as a unique “place apart” from the creeping degradation and exploitation of so much of this great country’s great places. My Oregon friends found it hard to describe the Metolius to my family and me. “Just go there, and you’ll realize why you’ve never seen anything like it.”
We went to the Metolius a week after 9-11, a time when the world writhed in pain and parents like us felt gut-sickened that their children’s future might forever be burdened by evil. Two of the highjackers had departed from an airfield nearby in the Oregon high country. It seemed as if everything hopeful was tainted.
And then one early morning we turned down the road to Camp Sherman, where we found a community breakfast going on at the fire hall — almost every living soul in the valley had gathered for a breakfast to raise money for the victims of 9-11. From the breakfast table we went on to the glades along that magic river, from where it pours forth from the mountain to the stretches where it opens out into lush meadows. An unspeakably beautiful river, unique, more intimate and calming than any other I have ever known. The Metolius gave us a measure of peace and joy at things timeless. To one of the children it was a river straight out of the Shire in the Lord of the Rings.
Oregon, and no place else on earth, has had the Metolius for aeons. It would be such a desecration to turn it into just one more preclusive real estate development destination. For Oregonians of future generations, and generations of other Americans from afar like me and my family, I ask you please to pass the Senate bill into law.
................................................................................................................
Zygmunt J.B. Plater
Boston College Law School
Newton Centre, Mass.
I was one of thousands of touring Americans lured each year to the Metolius by its reputation as a unique “place apart” from the creeping degradation and exploitation of so much of this great country’s great places. My Oregon friends found it hard to describe the Metolius to my family and me. “Just go there, and you’ll realize why you’ve never seen anything like it.”
We went to the Metolius a week after 9-11, a time when the world writhed in pain and parents like us felt gut-sickened that their children’s future might forever be burdened by evil. Two of the highjackers had departed from an airfield nearby in the Oregon high country. It seemed as if everything hopeful was tainted.
And then one early morning we turned down the road to Camp Sherman, where we found a community breakfast going on at the fire hall — almost every living soul in the valley had gathered for a breakfast to raise money for the victims of 9-11. From the breakfast table we went on to the glades along that magic river, from where it pours forth from the mountain to the stretches where it opens out into lush meadows. An unspeakably beautiful river, unique, more intimate and calming than any other I have ever known. The Metolius gave us a measure of peace and joy at things timeless. To one of the children it was a river straight out of the Shire in the Lord of the Rings.
Oregon, and no place else on earth, has had the Metolius for aeons. It would be such a desecration to turn it into just one more preclusive real estate development destination. For Oregonians of future generations, and generations of other Americans from afar like me and my family, I ask you please to pass the Senate bill into law.
................................................................................................................
Zygmunt J.B. Plater
Boston College Law School
Newton Centre, Mass.
Owned Metolius Property Since 1918 - Erskine and Sandy Wood, Vancouver WA
[Sent to Senators Metsger, Westlund, Walker, Morse, Kruse, Johnson, Brown:]
Dear Senator Metsger,
My name is Erskine Wood and my family (the Erskine Wood (Sr.) family has owned approximately 80 acres of property on the Metolius River since 1918. Charles W. Allan and his wife, Florence, were homesteaders on the original property. Unfortunately, several years of farming in what we call the Meadow proved too lean to sustain a living. With reluctance, he decided to sell. My grandfather had the foresight to purchase this pristine parcel of land reminiscent of his youth. When he was in his teens he went by arrangement between his father, Lt. C.E.S. Wood, and Chief Joseph to spend two summers to live in Joseph’s teepee on the Colville reservation. Settling in Portland as a prominent attorney, he sought to find a retreat not unlike those youthful days in Eastern Washington. Truly, the crystal clear waters and magnificent ponderosa pine of the Metolius River Basin captured this vision.
This land has passed from Erskine Wood, Sr. to his son, Erskine B. Wood, and now onto the five adult children of Erskine B. Wood. I know that that I can speak for my brother and three sisters to say we recognize the value of such pristine land and intend keep it unspoiled and away from developers. We have often taken our children and now our grandchildren to camp on the Metolius and hike Green Ridge to see the magnificent views of the Cascades. These experiences now are open to all who visit the Metolius area. To bulldoze, log, pave, and build on parts of Green Ridge would be so contrary to this natural landscape. Yes it is desirable by many to have their own trophy homes in this small paradise. What some fail to see is the increased density, increased traffic, loss of natural areas, will destroy exactly what people are coming to see and experience.
Is the profit of a few developers, the filling of county coffers with increased taxes, worth the immense loss this development would be to the State of Oregon.
I urge you to take every action possible to prevent the proposed development in the Metolius River area and to support and pass SB 30.
Please keep us informed on your position on this bill by sending updates to our email address at erskine42@msn.com
Thank you.
Erskine Wood
Sandy Wood
P.S. Our recent move to Vancouver after 65 years an Oregon resident allowed us to save an endangered salmon spawning site, protect valuable wetlands, and restore a family home.
Dear Senator Metsger,
My name is Erskine Wood and my family (the Erskine Wood (Sr.) family has owned approximately 80 acres of property on the Metolius River since 1918. Charles W. Allan and his wife, Florence, were homesteaders on the original property. Unfortunately, several years of farming in what we call the Meadow proved too lean to sustain a living. With reluctance, he decided to sell. My grandfather had the foresight to purchase this pristine parcel of land reminiscent of his youth. When he was in his teens he went by arrangement between his father, Lt. C.E.S. Wood, and Chief Joseph to spend two summers to live in Joseph’s teepee on the Colville reservation. Settling in Portland as a prominent attorney, he sought to find a retreat not unlike those youthful days in Eastern Washington. Truly, the crystal clear waters and magnificent ponderosa pine of the Metolius River Basin captured this vision.
This land has passed from Erskine Wood, Sr. to his son, Erskine B. Wood, and now onto the five adult children of Erskine B. Wood. I know that that I can speak for my brother and three sisters to say we recognize the value of such pristine land and intend keep it unspoiled and away from developers. We have often taken our children and now our grandchildren to camp on the Metolius and hike Green Ridge to see the magnificent views of the Cascades. These experiences now are open to all who visit the Metolius area. To bulldoze, log, pave, and build on parts of Green Ridge would be so contrary to this natural landscape. Yes it is desirable by many to have their own trophy homes in this small paradise. What some fail to see is the increased density, increased traffic, loss of natural areas, will destroy exactly what people are coming to see and experience.
Is the profit of a few developers, the filling of county coffers with increased taxes, worth the immense loss this development would be to the State of Oregon.
I urge you to take every action possible to prevent the proposed development in the Metolius River area and to support and pass SB 30.
Please keep us informed on your position on this bill by sending updates to our email address at erskine42@msn.com
Thank you.
Erskine Wood
Sandy Wood
P.S. Our recent move to Vancouver after 65 years an Oregon resident allowed us to save an endangered salmon spawning site, protect valuable wetlands, and restore a family home.
Soaking In The Beauty and Solitude - Tom Wood, Hood River
[Sent to Senators Metsger, Walker, Westlund, Johnson, Brown, Morse, and Kruse:]
I please implore that you support senate bill 30 and expedite its passing through congress. My entire 34yr life I have enjoyed the lands of the Metolius River as a sacred natural sanctuary that has been saved from extensive development. I have sat in a chair by the river in a place where my grandmother, grandfather, great grandfather, and Great Great Grandfather C.E.S Wood have all sat and soaked in the beauty and solitude of this natural sanctuary. Please help us protect this place for generations to come so that my Great,Great Grandchildren may enjoy it, just as it is now, in 100years!
Tom Wood
Hood River, OR
I please implore that you support senate bill 30 and expedite its passing through congress. My entire 34yr life I have enjoyed the lands of the Metolius River as a sacred natural sanctuary that has been saved from extensive development. I have sat in a chair by the river in a place where my grandmother, grandfather, great grandfather, and Great Great Grandfather C.E.S Wood have all sat and soaked in the beauty and solitude of this natural sanctuary. Please help us protect this place for generations to come so that my Great,Great Grandchildren may enjoy it, just as it is now, in 100years!
Tom Wood
Hood River, OR
Preserve This Treasure - Peter Cornelison, Hood River
[Sent to Senator Rick Metsger]
Dear Rick,
It was a pleasure to see you in Salem at your office earlier this month on Environmental Lobby Day.
I am writing today in hopes that you will support Senate bill 30, introduce by Ben Westlund, which would prohibit destination resorts within three miles of the Metolius River Basin.
The Metolius Basin is one of Oregon’s natural wonders. I have rafted and kayaked the river many times and am always amazed by its beauty. Please vote in favor of SB 30 to preserve this treasure for all Oregonians, current and future.
Regards,
Peter Cornelison
Hood River, OR
Dear Rick,
It was a pleasure to see you in Salem at your office earlier this month on Environmental Lobby Day.
I am writing today in hopes that you will support Senate bill 30, introduce by Ben Westlund, which would prohibit destination resorts within three miles of the Metolius River Basin.
The Metolius Basin is one of Oregon’s natural wonders. I have rafted and kayaked the river many times and am always amazed by its beauty. Please vote in favor of SB 30 to preserve this treasure for all Oregonians, current and future.
Regards,
Peter Cornelison
Hood River, OR
The New Scottsdale? - Janice Druian, Terrebonne
[Sent to Senators Westlund, Walker, Johnson, Morse, Kruse, and Metsger:]
I too am in support of Senate Bill 30. Having just read in the Bulletin that there is a chance that there will be over [5,500] homes built in the beautiful ranch land near Ashwood due to the criminal land use changes being brought about by Measure 37….and knowing how this desert and the surrounding Cascades are about to be turned into the new Scottsdale, I am even more concerned about the Metolius. If for some reason you have never traveled to the mouth of the Metolius you owe it to yourself, your constituents and your children’s children to do so. Then you too will realize that our unique Oregon is being sacrificed for short sighted greed. We can’t turn the clock back and save the already sacrificed beauty…but we can make a stand now.
Janice Druian
Terrebonne, Oregon
I too am in support of Senate Bill 30. Having just read in the Bulletin that there is a chance that there will be over [5,500] homes built in the beautiful ranch land near Ashwood due to the criminal land use changes being brought about by Measure 37….and knowing how this desert and the surrounding Cascades are about to be turned into the new Scottsdale, I am even more concerned about the Metolius. If for some reason you have never traveled to the mouth of the Metolius you owe it to yourself, your constituents and your children’s children to do so. Then you too will realize that our unique Oregon is being sacrificed for short sighted greed. We can’t turn the clock back and save the already sacrificed beauty…but we can make a stand now.
Janice Druian
Terrebonne, Oregon
Quite Possibly the Most Unique River in the World - Tracy Boyer, Bend
[Sent to Senators Westlund, Johnson, Walker, Metsger, Morse, and Kruse:]
Quite Possibly the Most Unique River in the World
I am IMPLORING all of our elected officials step up to the plate in Support of SB30 to Protect and Preserve this amazing place we call the Metolius River Basin.
It comes right down to not just the spectacular beauty of the place, not just the mesmerizing, jewel colored river, but the type of leaders we have in office and how they will be remembered for generations to come. It takes strength and courage, the likes of which we have not seen since Theodore Roosevelt - who created over 150 National Forests, 18 National Monuments and 5 National Parks - to preserve such a place. We have seen greed and growth run rampant in this state, with little or no effort to conserve what special places we have left. Where are the Tom McCall "conservatives" when we need them??
I ask you straightforwardly Senators and Congressmen, How will you be remembered and will you do the right thing when it comes to this most spectacular and special place ~ The Metolius River and its Basin?
Tracy Boyer
Bend Resident
Quite Possibly the Most Unique River in the World
I am IMPLORING all of our elected officials step up to the plate in Support of SB30 to Protect and Preserve this amazing place we call the Metolius River Basin.
It comes right down to not just the spectacular beauty of the place, not just the mesmerizing, jewel colored river, but the type of leaders we have in office and how they will be remembered for generations to come. It takes strength and courage, the likes of which we have not seen since Theodore Roosevelt - who created over 150 National Forests, 18 National Monuments and 5 National Parks - to preserve such a place. We have seen greed and growth run rampant in this state, with little or no effort to conserve what special places we have left. Where are the Tom McCall "conservatives" when we need them??
I ask you straightforwardly Senators and Congressmen, How will you be remembered and will you do the right thing when it comes to this most spectacular and special place ~ The Metolius River and its Basin?
Tracy Boyer
Bend Resident
To Jefferson County: Be Creative - Katherine Livingston, Camp Sherman
Dear Senator Kruse,
I am writing to ask you to please vote in favor of SB 30---the bill that will protect the Metolius River Basin from Destination resorts, those proposed now, and those that are bound to be proposed in the future. You have head from many people, both residents of Camp Sherman, and lifelong campers and fisherman, hikers and nature lovers throughout the land protesting the idea of huge developments in this precious and fragile area.
We understand the need for a tax source for Jefferson County. We urge both the Commissioners of the county and the legislators of the State to work together and creatively ( special environment assessment, lottery etc) to establish a tax base that will be to the benefit of all the beautiful places in the state that need protection ----our forests, our ocean, our deserts, our mountains and rivers, and at this particular moment, the Metolius River Basin.
Please do all you can to preserve this most remarkable place, and vote Yes on SB 30.
Thank you,
Katherine S. Livingston
Camp Sherman, OR
I am writing to ask you to please vote in favor of SB 30---the bill that will protect the Metolius River Basin from Destination resorts, those proposed now, and those that are bound to be proposed in the future. You have head from many people, both residents of Camp Sherman, and lifelong campers and fisherman, hikers and nature lovers throughout the land protesting the idea of huge developments in this precious and fragile area.
We understand the need for a tax source for Jefferson County. We urge both the Commissioners of the county and the legislators of the State to work together and creatively ( special environment assessment, lottery etc) to establish a tax base that will be to the benefit of all the beautiful places in the state that need protection ----our forests, our ocean, our deserts, our mountains and rivers, and at this particular moment, the Metolius River Basin.
Please do all you can to preserve this most remarkable place, and vote Yes on SB 30.
Thank you,
Katherine S. Livingston
Camp Sherman, OR
Resident Since '50s, Vacationer Since '20s - Katherine Livingston, Camp Sherman
Dear Senator Morse,
As a resident of Camp Sherman since the fifties, and a vacationer since the twenties, I am naturally very concerned about the future of the Metolius River Basin.
I am sure you have heard from many of us who hope you will support SB 30 which will prohibit destination resorts in the basin. The area already has several modest and appropriate vacationer accommodations which are in keeping with the fragile Metolius environment. I don't believe there is any way that it can adjust to the enormous development currently being proposed for Green Ridge, nor even the smaller one proposed by Shane Lundgren.
The real problem appears to be the need for taxes for Jefferson County. None of us who live in Jeffeerson county denies those needs, but we do believe a far more constructive tax base than destination resorts in the Metolius Basin can be found
Would it not make sense to have a special tax or lottery, statewide, to protect all of the incredible places of beauty in Oregon. We are blessed with a unique state, and why try to make it anything less than that?
Thank you for considering voting in favor of SB 30.
Katherine S. Livingston
(Camp Sherman, OR)
As a resident of Camp Sherman since the fifties, and a vacationer since the twenties, I am naturally very concerned about the future of the Metolius River Basin.
I am sure you have heard from many of us who hope you will support SB 30 which will prohibit destination resorts in the basin. The area already has several modest and appropriate vacationer accommodations which are in keeping with the fragile Metolius environment. I don't believe there is any way that it can adjust to the enormous development currently being proposed for Green Ridge, nor even the smaller one proposed by Shane Lundgren.
The real problem appears to be the need for taxes for Jefferson County. None of us who live in Jeffeerson county denies those needs, but we do believe a far more constructive tax base than destination resorts in the Metolius Basin can be found
Would it not make sense to have a special tax or lottery, statewide, to protect all of the incredible places of beauty in Oregon. We are blessed with a unique state, and why try to make it anything less than that?
Thank you for considering voting in favor of SB 30.
Katherine S. Livingston
(Camp Sherman, OR)
To Senator Metsger: Hope You Will Support SB 30 - Ken Maddox
Rick,
I know your help with the proposed Cooper Spur destination resort made a big difference in that outcome, and so am writing you about Senate bill 30, introduce by Ben Westlund, which would prohibit such resorts within and within three miles of the Metolius River Basin.
I understand you are a key vote on this matter, and hope you will support SB30. Resorts ought to be sited to avoid impacting environmental treasures such as Mt. Hood or the Metolius River.
Ken
I know your help with the proposed Cooper Spur destination resort made a big difference in that outcome, and so am writing you about Senate bill 30, introduce by Ben Westlund, which would prohibit such resorts within and within three miles of the Metolius River Basin.
I understand you are a key vote on this matter, and hope you will support SB30. Resorts ought to be sited to avoid impacting environmental treasures such as Mt. Hood or the Metolius River.
Ken
Jefferson County Has Options - Erik Kancler, Bend
[Sent to Senators Westlund, Walker, Metsger, Morse, Kruse, and Johnson:]
I would like to see the following Bulletin article (dated 4/24/07) submitted to the record on SB 30.
The purpose of doing so is to illustrate that Jefferson County need not rely solely on the Metolius for an infusion of resort-oriented dollars. Although the development discussed in the article would not technically be a “destination resort,” its 5,500 units (if ever built) would provide roughly the same level of property tax income as would a Goal 8 resort of the same size.
By no means am I supportive of this development, which is being spawned out of a Measure 37 claim, but it does show that someone thinks there’s a lot of potential to the north and east of Madras along Trout Creek.
Bottom line: the argument that Jefferson County must rely solely on the Metolius Basin for an economic boost is a tenuous one at best, and I would hope that it be dismissed. If need be, Jefferson County – upon passage of SB 30 – could be offered a waiver so that it doesn’t have to wait 30 months before pursuing another resort remapping process.
Yours,
-Erik Kancler
Article:
Big plans for tiny Ashwood
Longtime landowners' proposal calls for 5,500-homesite recreational community
By Jeff McDonald / The Bulletin
Published: April 24. 2007 5:00AM PST
[To save on space, only selected passages are posted.]
...
"The former mining community of Ashwood, with a population of about 50 people, could undergo a massive transformation in years ahead if longtime Jefferson County residents' plans are realized.
Tom and Marian McDonald, who have a family history in the Ashwood area dating back four generations to the late 1800s, have plans to convert their 6,240 acres near the one-time gold- and mercury-mining town into a residential or recreational community, said Jeff Myhre, a designer and consultant with Portland-based Myhre Group Architects Inc.
The Ashwood development, marked by ample sagebrush, juniper, rock formations and cattle, could include up to 5,500 homesites about 20 miles northeast of Madras, according to a Measure 37 claim filed with Jefferson County's Planning Department."
...
"'They want to create a community that offers people more affordable rural living similar to destination resort projects in Central Oregon, but without the bells and whistles,' Jeff Myhre said. 'The greatest amenity is the surrounding natural area.'
The Ashwood development could include equestrian trails, a swimming pool, tennis courts and a dance hall, according to plans submitted by the Myhre Group."
...
"The Ashwood project would include homesites ranging in size from a quarter-acre to 5.5 acres, according to the Measure 37 claims form filed with the county's Planning Department.
Because it would not have overnight lodging and other tourism-related amenities, Myhre would not call the planned project a destination resort.
'We're not looking at creating a manmade environment with golf courses or anything of the sort,' Myhre said. 'We want a rural recreational community with high-quality architecture that would give its residences seclusion and privacy and provide services - if they are sustainable.'
By comparison, Black Butte Ranch west of Sisters is 1,830 acres; Sunriver Resort, 3,800 acres; and Crooked River Ranch, about 11,000 acres.
'It is significant because of the size, the location is very unique and it's located in a canyon on a hillside with views and natural features,' Myhre said."
[The full article can be seen at http://www.bendbulletin.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070424/NEWS01/704240368/1011&nav_category= (subscription required)]
I would like to see the following Bulletin article (dated 4/24/07) submitted to the record on SB 30.
The purpose of doing so is to illustrate that Jefferson County need not rely solely on the Metolius for an infusion of resort-oriented dollars. Although the development discussed in the article would not technically be a “destination resort,” its 5,500 units (if ever built) would provide roughly the same level of property tax income as would a Goal 8 resort of the same size.
By no means am I supportive of this development, which is being spawned out of a Measure 37 claim, but it does show that someone thinks there’s a lot of potential to the north and east of Madras along Trout Creek.
Bottom line: the argument that Jefferson County must rely solely on the Metolius Basin for an economic boost is a tenuous one at best, and I would hope that it be dismissed. If need be, Jefferson County – upon passage of SB 30 – could be offered a waiver so that it doesn’t have to wait 30 months before pursuing another resort remapping process.
Yours,
-Erik Kancler
Article:
Big plans for tiny Ashwood
Longtime landowners' proposal calls for 5,500-homesite recreational community
By Jeff McDonald / The Bulletin
Published: April 24. 2007 5:00AM PST
[To save on space, only selected passages are posted.]
...
"The former mining community of Ashwood, with a population of about 50 people, could undergo a massive transformation in years ahead if longtime Jefferson County residents' plans are realized.
Tom and Marian McDonald, who have a family history in the Ashwood area dating back four generations to the late 1800s, have plans to convert their 6,240 acres near the one-time gold- and mercury-mining town into a residential or recreational community, said Jeff Myhre, a designer and consultant with Portland-based Myhre Group Architects Inc.
The Ashwood development, marked by ample sagebrush, juniper, rock formations and cattle, could include up to 5,500 homesites about 20 miles northeast of Madras, according to a Measure 37 claim filed with Jefferson County's Planning Department."
...
"'They want to create a community that offers people more affordable rural living similar to destination resort projects in Central Oregon, but without the bells and whistles,' Jeff Myhre said. 'The greatest amenity is the surrounding natural area.'
The Ashwood development could include equestrian trails, a swimming pool, tennis courts and a dance hall, according to plans submitted by the Myhre Group."
...
"The Ashwood project would include homesites ranging in size from a quarter-acre to 5.5 acres, according to the Measure 37 claims form filed with the county's Planning Department.
Because it would not have overnight lodging and other tourism-related amenities, Myhre would not call the planned project a destination resort.
'We're not looking at creating a manmade environment with golf courses or anything of the sort,' Myhre said. 'We want a rural recreational community with high-quality architecture that would give its residences seclusion and privacy and provide services - if they are sustainable.'
By comparison, Black Butte Ranch west of Sisters is 1,830 acres; Sunriver Resort, 3,800 acres; and Crooked River Ranch, about 11,000 acres.
'It is significant because of the size, the location is very unique and it's located in a canyon on a hillside with views and natural features,' Myhre said."
[The full article can be seen at http://www.bendbulletin.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070424/NEWS01/704240368/1011&nav_category= (subscription required)]
Strong Support for SB 30 From Camp Sherman
35 people signed the petition shown in the graphics within this post last week to support SB 30 at a meeting held in Camp Sherman. Thanks to Doug Hancock for forwarding.
An Area That Time Seems To Have Forgotten - Mary Jane K. Govaerts, Foster City, CA
Dear Senator Westlund:
I’m writing in support of SB 30 to provide any assistance that I can to help the save the Metolius River Basin. This pristine area has become a very special place to my family and I over the past many years. I am currently a resident of Foster City, California (Senator Tom Lantos' district), but spend each summer in Central Oregon with my family and friends enjoying the beauty of this rich area.
My time along the Metolius River is always a time of nourishment for my body and my soul. I have the great gift of being invited to share a week of rest literally along the banks of the Metolius River in the town of Camp Sherman. Having found this beautiful area that time seems to have forgotten was a blessing that I’ve had the opportunity to share with my family members, many of whom are residents of Oregon. As a matter of fact, I am careful in who I share my knowledge of this area with in fear that it will become over visited, over populated, and thus exposed to those who might not respect or appreciate its uniqueness and vulnerability.
The people of Camp Sherman (residents, property owners, and the public servants) are so commitment to its beauty, history and preservation that it reminds me of what is missing from many communities, and certainly my own, which is the agreement that the Metolius Basin is a gift from God and that as caretakers, they each have the responsibility to share it’s beauty while preserving it from being exploited and turned into yet another place for commerce to take over.
I greatly appreciate your support of the ORIGINAL version of SB 30 and although I’m not a registered voter in your District I will continue to support SB 30 in any manner that I am able.
Sincerely,
Mary Jane K. Govaerts
Foster City, CA
I’m writing in support of SB 30 to provide any assistance that I can to help the save the Metolius River Basin. This pristine area has become a very special place to my family and I over the past many years. I am currently a resident of Foster City, California (Senator Tom Lantos' district), but spend each summer in Central Oregon with my family and friends enjoying the beauty of this rich area.
My time along the Metolius River is always a time of nourishment for my body and my soul. I have the great gift of being invited to share a week of rest literally along the banks of the Metolius River in the town of Camp Sherman. Having found this beautiful area that time seems to have forgotten was a blessing that I’ve had the opportunity to share with my family members, many of whom are residents of Oregon. As a matter of fact, I am careful in who I share my knowledge of this area with in fear that it will become over visited, over populated, and thus exposed to those who might not respect or appreciate its uniqueness and vulnerability.
The people of Camp Sherman (residents, property owners, and the public servants) are so commitment to its beauty, history and preservation that it reminds me of what is missing from many communities, and certainly my own, which is the agreement that the Metolius Basin is a gift from God and that as caretakers, they each have the responsibility to share it’s beauty while preserving it from being exploited and turned into yet another place for commerce to take over.
I greatly appreciate your support of the ORIGINAL version of SB 30 and although I’m not a registered voter in your District I will continue to support SB 30 in any manner that I am able.
Sincerely,
Mary Jane K. Govaerts
Foster City, CA
The Crown Jewel of Oregon - Jeff Boyer, Bend
[Sent to Senators Westlund, Johnson, Walker, Metsger, Morse, and Kruse:]
The Crown Jewel of Central Oregon:
The Metolius river is one of the most amazing rivers in the world. This river and the ecosystem of the Metolius basin deserves strong and permanent protection. The river level has dropped substantially over the past few years due to drought. I fish and kayak this river and have witnessed this disturbing fact in a very personal way. Snow packs in the Cascades will continue to be depleted in the future due to climate change - this makes it even more critical to protect our rivers and their habitat. The wonderful and expensive public and private effort to put steelhead and salmon back into this basin now requires protecting the streamflows. The Metolius is sacred and needs our protection now, no compromise is acceptable. Please support legislation which will protect the Metolius basin now and for all future generations of Oregonians who do not yet have a say in this issue.
Jeff Boyer
Fisherman, Kayaker and Retired Professional Planner
Bend
The Crown Jewel of Central Oregon:
The Metolius river is one of the most amazing rivers in the world. This river and the ecosystem of the Metolius basin deserves strong and permanent protection. The river level has dropped substantially over the past few years due to drought. I fish and kayak this river and have witnessed this disturbing fact in a very personal way. Snow packs in the Cascades will continue to be depleted in the future due to climate change - this makes it even more critical to protect our rivers and their habitat. The wonderful and expensive public and private effort to put steelhead and salmon back into this basin now requires protecting the streamflows. The Metolius is sacred and needs our protection now, no compromise is acceptable. Please support legislation which will protect the Metolius basin now and for all future generations of Oregonians who do not yet have a say in this issue.
Jeff Boyer
Fisherman, Kayaker and Retired Professional Planner
Bend
Monday, April 23, 2007
The Metolius Is Huge in Korea - Bill Failing, Portland
[Sent to Senators Bend Westlund, Vicki Walker, and Diane Rosenbaum:]
The Metolius: I attended the hearing in Salem two weeks ago, but time did not allow me to testify. Let this written testimony add to that of those who foresee the potential ruin of this pristine paradise. In short, keep development out!
A quick story: I was a participant with the Governor’s Trade Mission to Korea and Japan this past summer. In Seoul, I sat next to a young gentleman who spoke excellent English….I complemented him on it…he replied: “It ought to be good…I studied at Lewis and Clark in Portland…” I continued, “How often do you get to Oregon:” “We have a place at Black Butte.” “Do you ever go to Camp Sherman?” “Oh yes, it is one of the most beautiful spots in the world…” Imagine: here we are on the other side of the world talking about Camp Sherman, Oregon! (I should add that he is part of one of Korea’s eminent industrial families also doing business in Oregon.)
My point: The Metolius, from the Head to the Lake BC, is not just a Jefferson County treasure, it is an Oregon treasure, a National treasure, and after the above story, an International treasure! We cannot allow Jefferson County’s financial woes, and its accompanying myopia, compromise this special Oregon paradise.
Jefferson County does not impress any of us---at the hearing especially, with its continued lack of vision evidenced in its presentation, and being part of the obvious planning chaos endemic to Central Oregon generally. Can we let these shortcomings drive this initiative? Keep in mind that a “little development” leads to “more development.” Look at Mt. Hood vs. Hood River Valley, for example. While I think the Lundgren’s have some sensitivity to the area via experience, it is too much a temptation to open the door a crack, which lets the others stampede through it also. Look at Measure 37.
Natural beauty helps define Oregon---do not allow one county’s financial issues transcend the greater value. My family has been visiting the Metolius for almost 100 years. I have photos taken in the 1920’s that are recognizable today. Let’s keep the Metolius recognizable 100 years from now!
Thanks for your leadership in what should be a no-brainer.
With my total support,
Bill Failing
An Oregon native
Camp Sherman leaser for 25 years
The Metolius: I attended the hearing in Salem two weeks ago, but time did not allow me to testify. Let this written testimony add to that of those who foresee the potential ruin of this pristine paradise. In short, keep development out!
A quick story: I was a participant with the Governor’s Trade Mission to Korea and Japan this past summer. In Seoul, I sat next to a young gentleman who spoke excellent English….I complemented him on it…he replied: “It ought to be good…I studied at Lewis and Clark in Portland…” I continued, “How often do you get to Oregon:” “We have a place at Black Butte.” “Do you ever go to Camp Sherman?” “Oh yes, it is one of the most beautiful spots in the world…” Imagine: here we are on the other side of the world talking about Camp Sherman, Oregon! (I should add that he is part of one of Korea’s eminent industrial families also doing business in Oregon.)
My point: The Metolius, from the Head to the Lake BC, is not just a Jefferson County treasure, it is an Oregon treasure, a National treasure, and after the above story, an International treasure! We cannot allow Jefferson County’s financial woes, and its accompanying myopia, compromise this special Oregon paradise.
Jefferson County does not impress any of us---at the hearing especially, with its continued lack of vision evidenced in its presentation, and being part of the obvious planning chaos endemic to Central Oregon generally. Can we let these shortcomings drive this initiative? Keep in mind that a “little development” leads to “more development.” Look at Mt. Hood vs. Hood River Valley, for example. While I think the Lundgren’s have some sensitivity to the area via experience, it is too much a temptation to open the door a crack, which lets the others stampede through it also. Look at Measure 37.
Natural beauty helps define Oregon---do not allow one county’s financial issues transcend the greater value. My family has been visiting the Metolius for almost 100 years. I have photos taken in the 1920’s that are recognizable today. Let’s keep the Metolius recognizable 100 years from now!
Thanks for your leadership in what should be a no-brainer.
With my total support,
Bill Failing
An Oregon native
Camp Sherman leaser for 25 years
Where Is Land Use Planning? - Hal Darst, Eugene
[Sent to Senators Ben Westlund, Kate Brown, Vicki Walker, Rick Metsger, Frank Morse, Jeff Kruse, and Bestsy Johnson:]
I am writing out of sense of complete outrage and dismay at the possible development of the Metolius. I am a native Oregonian who has experienced tremendous amounts of backcountry throughout the Cascades, Wallowa's, Kalmiopsis and most of Oregon. Further I have led numerous 20 plus day backpacking trips in Yosemite, Death Valley, the Appalachian Trail of both Maine and New Hampshire, as well as trips in Vermont, Alaska and Utah. Of the many places I have been blessed to experience, no place, - NO place, is more dear and cherished to me than the Metolius and Three Sisters Wilderness. I could try to bolster my argument with descriptions or comparisons, but let me be forthcoming and say I honestly don't know why - it is simply something one feels in the heart. If one has any ability to feel a connection with the land, (and this ability has nearly gone extinct in our species I believe), there is just something profoundly special about that area.
It has been excruciating to watch this endless paving of Oregon, from abundant ecological wilderness to greed-stained wasteland, over my 54 years. The hopes many of us had in the McCall era with the passage of Senate Bill 100 and the onset of Land Use Planning, has been bulldozed over. What happened to the strength of character in individual legislators who could STAND UP to shortsighted, monied interests trying to sacrifice public benefit for private gain?!!! Back then legislators worked to create whole systems such as the Bottle Bill, the Willamette Greenway and Land Use Planning. Nationally efforts were made to enact the Wild and Scenic Rivers bill, the Clean Water and Clean Air Act, the National Environmental Protection Act. Some courageous efforts, albeit flawed and imperfect legislation, were put forward by truly heroic and memorable legislators. Bipartisan efforts with people like Gov's McCall, Straub, Sen Hallock, Sen MacPherson, who used genuine passion and power of belief in the rightness of the cause, to persuad their peers to enact STATEWIDE, systematic legislation to comprehensively address the onslaught of developers and mindless consumerism.
And now legislators and citizens are reduced to fighting over this incessant incremental erosion by 100 acre parcels in a thousand different places, and civic government today even gets bulldozed over by these single penny-ante developers. I place a call for the return of some courageous legislators with the strength to hold the line set forth by those who brought forth the vision of an unspoiled state, saved from the fate of New Jersey and California. Those who once called this state the "Pacific Wonderland".
Truly, if these beautiful ridges and slopes of the Metolious die under the pavement and plastic, there will be a part of me that dies as well. I plead for some legislators and legislation that will stop this cancerous assault on our wildlands. Protect the Metolius, and lets get development back into the cities, where it belongs!!!!
Most sincerely yours,
Hal C. Darst
Eugene, OR
I am writing out of sense of complete outrage and dismay at the possible development of the Metolius. I am a native Oregonian who has experienced tremendous amounts of backcountry throughout the Cascades, Wallowa's, Kalmiopsis and most of Oregon. Further I have led numerous 20 plus day backpacking trips in Yosemite, Death Valley, the Appalachian Trail of both Maine and New Hampshire, as well as trips in Vermont, Alaska and Utah. Of the many places I have been blessed to experience, no place, - NO place, is more dear and cherished to me than the Metolius and Three Sisters Wilderness. I could try to bolster my argument with descriptions or comparisons, but let me be forthcoming and say I honestly don't know why - it is simply something one feels in the heart. If one has any ability to feel a connection with the land, (and this ability has nearly gone extinct in our species I believe), there is just something profoundly special about that area.
It has been excruciating to watch this endless paving of Oregon, from abundant ecological wilderness to greed-stained wasteland, over my 54 years. The hopes many of us had in the McCall era with the passage of Senate Bill 100 and the onset of Land Use Planning, has been bulldozed over. What happened to the strength of character in individual legislators who could STAND UP to shortsighted, monied interests trying to sacrifice public benefit for private gain?!!! Back then legislators worked to create whole systems such as the Bottle Bill, the Willamette Greenway and Land Use Planning. Nationally efforts were made to enact the Wild and Scenic Rivers bill, the Clean Water and Clean Air Act, the National Environmental Protection Act. Some courageous efforts, albeit flawed and imperfect legislation, were put forward by truly heroic and memorable legislators. Bipartisan efforts with people like Gov's McCall, Straub, Sen Hallock, Sen MacPherson, who used genuine passion and power of belief in the rightness of the cause, to persuad their peers to enact STATEWIDE, systematic legislation to comprehensively address the onslaught of developers and mindless consumerism.
And now legislators and citizens are reduced to fighting over this incessant incremental erosion by 100 acre parcels in a thousand different places, and civic government today even gets bulldozed over by these single penny-ante developers. I place a call for the return of some courageous legislators with the strength to hold the line set forth by those who brought forth the vision of an unspoiled state, saved from the fate of New Jersey and California. Those who once called this state the "Pacific Wonderland".
Truly, if these beautiful ridges and slopes of the Metolious die under the pavement and plastic, there will be a part of me that dies as well. I plead for some legislators and legislation that will stop this cancerous assault on our wildlands. Protect the Metolius, and lets get development back into the cities, where it belongs!!!!
Most sincerely yours,
Hal C. Darst
Eugene, OR
So Our Children Can Enjoy It - Ervin Siverson, Portland
(Sent to the Oregonian:)
In response to Senate Bill 30 that would eliminate destination resorts in the Metolius River basin, Jefferson County Commissioner Bill Bellamy is quoted as saying (Oregonian, 3/25/07) "Whether you like what destination resorts have done, it's phenomenally significant what they do to property tax revenues." In other words, if the building of trophy homes and golf courses next to the Metolius River, a federally designated Wild and Scenic River, can be tolerated, we can make tax revenue off the destruction of pristine forestland and have another playground for the rich and famous. I urge my fellow Oregonians to write their legislators to support Senate Bill 30, so our children may have the ability to experience the unique beauty of a place like the Metolius Basin, because once it is gone, it's gone.
Ervin Siverson
Portland, OR
In response to Senate Bill 30 that would eliminate destination resorts in the Metolius River basin, Jefferson County Commissioner Bill Bellamy is quoted as saying (Oregonian, 3/25/07) "Whether you like what destination resorts have done, it's phenomenally significant what they do to property tax revenues." In other words, if the building of trophy homes and golf courses next to the Metolius River, a federally designated Wild and Scenic River, can be tolerated, we can make tax revenue off the destruction of pristine forestland and have another playground for the rich and famous. I urge my fellow Oregonians to write their legislators to support Senate Bill 30, so our children may have the ability to experience the unique beauty of a place like the Metolius Basin, because once it is gone, it's gone.
Ervin Siverson
Portland, OR
Rarity of Such Places - Steve Mann, Bend
(Sent to Senators Betsy Johnson, Ben Westlund, Vicki Walker, Rick Metsger, Frank Morse, and Jeff Kruse:)
Dear Senators,
As a native Coloradoan who has sought the refuge of Oregon, the Alps and the Himalayas for inspiration I must voice my support of SB 30. There are few places in this world of such pristine beauty as the Metolius basin. Protection from resort development must supersede local politics and must be weighed against the rarity of such places remaining in the world. In Oregon we need to renew our place as stewards of our gift of incredible natural beauty. I cannot think of a place more deserving. Please take a deep breath, really think backwards a century from now and do what is right.
Steve Mann
Bend, OR
Dear Senators,
As a native Coloradoan who has sought the refuge of Oregon, the Alps and the Himalayas for inspiration I must voice my support of SB 30. There are few places in this world of such pristine beauty as the Metolius basin. Protection from resort development must supersede local politics and must be weighed against the rarity of such places remaining in the world. In Oregon we need to renew our place as stewards of our gift of incredible natural beauty. I cannot think of a place more deserving. Please take a deep breath, really think backwards a century from now and do what is right.
Steve Mann
Bend, OR
Land Use Planning At Its Worst - James Olmstead, Eugene
(Sent to Senators Kate Brown, Betsy Johnson, Ben Westlund, Vick Walker, Frank Morse, Jeff Kruse, Rick Metsger:)
Dear Elected Officials:
I am writing to urge you to adopt and put into law SB 30 for the protection of the Metolius River and its environs. That large scale residential development would be allowed in this pristine area is land use planning at its worst. Development should be concentrated in metropolitan areas and not allowed to spill into the natural areas that provide us with the water, clean air and topsoil we need to live. It is equally a travesty of land use planning to destroy such remarkable and unique scenic values as those possessed by the Metolius. Do you really want to be remembered for participating in such short sighted and greed driven development? The stain of greed and corruption of values that will result from this development will not be one which can be washed away with time. It will exist forever, and will call into question the absence of morality, paucity of judgment and lack of concern for future generations of those elected officials who would allow such mean and wasteful actions. Don't let such judgments of future generations be your heritage. Please do the right thing, for now and forever, and pass SB 30.
My thanks for your consideration of this letter.
Best Regards,
James L. Olmsted, Esq.*
Conservation & Preservation Counsel, L.L.C.
Eugene, OR
*Admitted to practice law in:
California (active), Nevada (active),
Oregon (active) and Washington (active).
Dear Elected Officials:
I am writing to urge you to adopt and put into law SB 30 for the protection of the Metolius River and its environs. That large scale residential development would be allowed in this pristine area is land use planning at its worst. Development should be concentrated in metropolitan areas and not allowed to spill into the natural areas that provide us with the water, clean air and topsoil we need to live. It is equally a travesty of land use planning to destroy such remarkable and unique scenic values as those possessed by the Metolius. Do you really want to be remembered for participating in such short sighted and greed driven development? The stain of greed and corruption of values that will result from this development will not be one which can be washed away with time. It will exist forever, and will call into question the absence of morality, paucity of judgment and lack of concern for future generations of those elected officials who would allow such mean and wasteful actions. Don't let such judgments of future generations be your heritage. Please do the right thing, for now and forever, and pass SB 30.
My thanks for your consideration of this letter.
Best Regards,
James L. Olmsted, Esq.*
Conservation & Preservation Counsel, L.L.C.
Eugene, OR
*Admitted to practice law in:
California (active), Nevada (active),
Oregon (active) and Washington (active).
Is There No Sacred Ground Left in Central Oregon? - Joe Fox
(Sent to Senators Kate Brown, Betsy Johnson, Ben Westlund, Vicki Walker, Frank Morse, Jeff Kruse, and Rick Metsger:)
Senators: Please support SB 30 to protect the Metolius Basin from
destination resorts. The proposals are appalling. Is there no
sacred ground left in Oregon? The Metolius is a quiet basin, with
small cabins and scattered campgrounds. It will be overloaded with
people and cars if any destination resort sites there. The Metolius
is an Oregon treasure. It is your responsibility to protect it for
future generations. I go there with my family every year and don't
want to see it destroyed. Thank you. Joe Fox.
Senators: Please support SB 30 to protect the Metolius Basin from
destination resorts. The proposals are appalling. Is there no
sacred ground left in Oregon? The Metolius is a quiet basin, with
small cabins and scattered campgrounds. It will be overloaded with
people and cars if any destination resort sites there. The Metolius
is an Oregon treasure. It is your responsibility to protect it for
future generations. I go there with my family every year and don't
want to see it destroyed. Thank you. Joe Fox.
Keep Pressing - Martha and John Lussenhop, Sisters
Dear Senator Westlund:
We are so grateful to you for proposing Senate Bill 30. Please do not yield to pressure to compromise the protection your bill offers. The Camp Sherman area is too precious a place to let any potential harm come to the Metolius and surrounding areas. Whenever visitors come to see us, I take them to the Metolius headwaters and to the Camp Sherman store and post office. They are so heartened to discover that a place like it still survives in this over-developed world. I have also taken students in the Wolftree program to do studies of the water chemistry and biology in the Metolius River. The kinds of organisms that survive there would not survive in waters less pristine. We encourage you to keep pressing on that bill as you wrote it.
Martha and John Lussenhop
Sisters, OR
We are so grateful to you for proposing Senate Bill 30. Please do not yield to pressure to compromise the protection your bill offers. The Camp Sherman area is too precious a place to let any potential harm come to the Metolius and surrounding areas. Whenever visitors come to see us, I take them to the Metolius headwaters and to the Camp Sherman store and post office. They are so heartened to discover that a place like it still survives in this over-developed world. I have also taken students in the Wolftree program to do studies of the water chemistry and biology in the Metolius River. The kinds of organisms that survive there would not survive in waters less pristine. We encourage you to keep pressing on that bill as you wrote it.
Martha and John Lussenhop
Sisters, OR
No Cash Cows in the Metolius - Carol Routh, Portland
(Sent to Senators Morse, Metsger, Kruse, and Walker:)
the incredible metolius basin should not have to serve as jefferson
county's cash cow. it's a state/regional/national treasure which
deserves protection in perpetuity.
central oregon is a big -- and beautiful -- place, and there are
plenty of other options for building huge destination resorts. with
some wisdom, jeffco could still have a cash cow or two -- just not in
the most treasured and fragile places.
carol routh
portland, or
the incredible metolius basin should not have to serve as jefferson
county's cash cow. it's a state/regional/national treasure which
deserves protection in perpetuity.
central oregon is a big -- and beautiful -- place, and there are
plenty of other options for building huge destination resorts. with
some wisdom, jeffco could still have a cash cow or two -- just not in
the most treasured and fragile places.
carol routh
portland, or
Very important Bill - Nancy Graham, Portland
Dear Senator Morse,
I am one more voice supporting this very important SB 30. Please give the Senate the opportunity to vote on this bill.
The Metolius basin is an amazing place, enjoyed by campers, hikers, fishermen, the very small local population, summer cabin and RV dwellers. The natural beauty of the river is unsurpassed. The air is clean. The water is crystal clear. Life in Camp Sherman is simple. There are community pancake breakfasts and annual barbeques at the Camp Sherman Store which is on Forest Service land. There is a volunteer fire department and the garbage disposal site
is operated by volunteers as well. How could the addition of a resort development of 3000 homes be any thing but devastating to this pristine, place?
Have you ever watched an osprey dive for fish in a river? Have you ever looked up to see 30 turkey vultures spreading their wings in the tree tops? These are the things I share with my grandchildren each summer. Camp Sherman is a world away form the more populated areas of the county. The Jefferson County Commissioners failed to listen to the people who really care. I hope you will.
Nancy A. Graham
Portland
I am one more voice supporting this very important SB 30. Please give the Senate the opportunity to vote on this bill.
The Metolius basin is an amazing place, enjoyed by campers, hikers, fishermen, the very small local population, summer cabin and RV dwellers. The natural beauty of the river is unsurpassed. The air is clean. The water is crystal clear. Life in Camp Sherman is simple. There are community pancake breakfasts and annual barbeques at the Camp Sherman Store which is on Forest Service land. There is a volunteer fire department and the garbage disposal site
is operated by volunteers as well. How could the addition of a resort development of 3000 homes be any thing but devastating to this pristine, place?
Have you ever watched an osprey dive for fish in a river? Have you ever looked up to see 30 turkey vultures spreading their wings in the tree tops? These are the things I share with my grandchildren each summer. Camp Sherman is a world away form the more populated areas of the county. The Jefferson County Commissioners failed to listen to the people who really care. I hope you will.
Nancy A. Graham
Portland
Nowhere Quite Like It - Nancy Graham, Portland
Dear Senator Metsger,
I am one more voice supporting this very important SB 30. Please give the Senate the opportunity to vote on this issue.
The Metolius basin is an amazing place. Camp Sherman is a tiny community in the midst of forest service land. As far as I am concerned, there is no where quite like it. The residents, the forest homeowners, the campers, and the day trippers have an awe and respect for the unique beauty of this place. Nothing would be worse than a resort development with 3000 homes and their occupants.
Have you ever watched an osprey dive for fish in a river? Have you ever looked up to see 30 turkey vultures spreading their wings in the tree tops? These are the things I share with my grandchildren each summer. Camp Sherman is a world away from the more populated areas of the county. The Jefferson County Commissiners failed to listen to the people who really care. I hope you will.
Nancy A. Graham
Portland (Washington County)
I am one more voice supporting this very important SB 30. Please give the Senate the opportunity to vote on this issue.
The Metolius basin is an amazing place. Camp Sherman is a tiny community in the midst of forest service land. As far as I am concerned, there is no where quite like it. The residents, the forest homeowners, the campers, and the day trippers have an awe and respect for the unique beauty of this place. Nothing would be worse than a resort development with 3000 homes and their occupants.
Have you ever watched an osprey dive for fish in a river? Have you ever looked up to see 30 turkey vultures spreading their wings in the tree tops? These are the things I share with my grandchildren each summer. Camp Sherman is a world away from the more populated areas of the county. The Jefferson County Commissiners failed to listen to the people who really care. I hope you will.
Nancy A. Graham
Portland (Washington County)
One More Voice - Nancy Graham, Portland
Dear Senator Kruse,
I am one more voice, begging you, as Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Education and General Government, to support and encourage others to support this bill. Please allow the Senate to do what the Jefferson County commissioners failed to do.
The Metolius basin is a treasured, unique, pristine place. Camp Sherman is a tiny little community amongst the tall pines, forest service land, and with the crystal clear waters of the amazing Metolius River. How in the world could the proposed development of 3000 homes on 3500 acres so close to this spot be anything but destructive?
Have you ever watched an osprey dive for fish in a river? Have you ever looked up to see 30 turkey vultures spreading their wings in the tree tops? These are the things I share with my grandchildren each summer. Camp Sherman is a world away from the more populated areas of the county. The State Senate needs to see that it is protected.
Nancy A. Graham
Portland
I am one more voice, begging you, as Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Education and General Government, to support and encourage others to support this bill. Please allow the Senate to do what the Jefferson County commissioners failed to do.
The Metolius basin is a treasured, unique, pristine place. Camp Sherman is a tiny little community amongst the tall pines, forest service land, and with the crystal clear waters of the amazing Metolius River. How in the world could the proposed development of 3000 homes on 3500 acres so close to this spot be anything but destructive?
Have you ever watched an osprey dive for fish in a river? Have you ever looked up to see 30 turkey vultures spreading their wings in the tree tops? These are the things I share with my grandchildren each summer. Camp Sherman is a world away from the more populated areas of the county. The State Senate needs to see that it is protected.
Nancy A. Graham
Portland
LUCY ELIZABETH GRAHAM - Nancy Graham, Portland
LUCY ELIZABETH GRAHAMJuly 7, 2003-August 21, 2005
ALWAYS SAY YES TO A POP-UP
Our precious Lu traveled from Pennsylvania to spend a couple of weeks at the Graham cabin in Tract O in July 2005.
During the Camp Sherman Store Barbecue, she enjoyed a Pop-Up. On July 4, her Nana took her to the store for another and settled on the famous bench to “savor the moment”. A visiting couple came along and suggested they take a photo of “Miss Lucy” and then send it on by e-mail. In the next month, Lucy would perish in a tragic auto accident. This photo, taken by the couple, reminds her father of the “power of a happy smile, the value of human connection, and the fact that Lucy spread joy with her cherubic charms.”
Take the time to capture memories in this most treasured spot. And when children ask, ALWAYS SAY YES TO A POP-UP
I Hope The Senate Will Do What Is Right - Nancy Graham, Portland
Dear Senator Walker,Thank you for your support of Senate Bill 30.
Our family has had the privilege to being a forest cabin owner for 30 years. It has come to my attention that you have never been to the Metolius or Camp Sherman. A few years ago, our homeowner's association encouraged cabin owners to write cabin histories. I am attaching the history that I submitted for our cabin. Perhaps it will give you a sense of this amazing place and why the effects of large developments, would be so destructive. I'm also sending a very personal item that is on the bulletin board inside the Camp Sherman Store.
I know you will continue to encourage your fellow Committee on Education and General Government members to vote to get this bill to the floor. The Jefferson County Commission failed the people of Camp Sherman. I hope the State Senate will do what is right.
Nancy A. Graham
Portland
Thank You - Nancy Graham, Portland
Dear Senator Johnson,
For 30 years our family has had the privilege of being a forest homeowner on the Metolius River. I don't need to remind you of what an amazing place it is. We have spent many a memorable Labor Day week-end, picnicking on the "Johnson" property and treasure the generosity of your family. Our family life has been enriched by the simplicity of our cabin life in Camp Sherman. And now our grandchildren are growing up with the appreciation of life's simple pleasures: the sound of the river, the osprey diving for fish, the turkey vultures that land in our trees, the chipmunks, the deer, the wind through the trees.
The Metolius basin could never stand the invasion of 3000 homes and the occupants within. Camp Sherman can never become a "gated" community but up to this point, I believe that most people that live, visit, camp, or fish there, recognize what a special place it is and treat the area with respect and awe.
Thank you for supporting Senate Bill 30. I know you will continue to encourage your fellow Committee on Education and General Government members to agree and get this bill out to the floor for a vote.
Nancy A. Graham
Portland
For 30 years our family has had the privilege of being a forest homeowner on the Metolius River. I don't need to remind you of what an amazing place it is. We have spent many a memorable Labor Day week-end, picnicking on the "Johnson" property and treasure the generosity of your family. Our family life has been enriched by the simplicity of our cabin life in Camp Sherman. And now our grandchildren are growing up with the appreciation of life's simple pleasures: the sound of the river, the osprey diving for fish, the turkey vultures that land in our trees, the chipmunks, the deer, the wind through the trees.
The Metolius basin could never stand the invasion of 3000 homes and the occupants within. Camp Sherman can never become a "gated" community but up to this point, I believe that most people that live, visit, camp, or fish there, recognize what a special place it is and treat the area with respect and awe.
Thank you for supporting Senate Bill 30. I know you will continue to encourage your fellow Committee on Education and General Government members to agree and get this bill out to the floor for a vote.
Nancy A. Graham
Portland
From A Forest Homeowner - Nancy Graham, Portland
Dear Senator Westlund,
I am writing in support of your efforts to protect the Metolius basin from the potential encroachment of large resorts in this beautiful, pristine area of our state. I cannot imagine how destructive these developments would be to this area.
Our family became a forest homeowner 30 years ago. Our life has been enriched tremendously by the natural environment: the birds, the wild flowers, the deer, and the crystal clear waters of the river. The full time residents, the summer residents, and the campers in the camp grounds have been and continue to be "stewards of this basin". The little Black Butte School in Camp Sherman is like none other, as is the Camp Sherman Store.
The Jefferson County Commissioners have been totally insensitive to this community. I know you will continue to encourage your fellow Committee on Education and General Government members to agree and get this bill out to the floor for a vote.
Nancy A. Graham
Portland
I am writing in support of your efforts to protect the Metolius basin from the potential encroachment of large resorts in this beautiful, pristine area of our state. I cannot imagine how destructive these developments would be to this area.
Our family became a forest homeowner 30 years ago. Our life has been enriched tremendously by the natural environment: the birds, the wild flowers, the deer, and the crystal clear waters of the river. The full time residents, the summer residents, and the campers in the camp grounds have been and continue to be "stewards of this basin". The little Black Butte School in Camp Sherman is like none other, as is the Camp Sherman Store.
The Jefferson County Commissioners have been totally insensitive to this community. I know you will continue to encourage your fellow Committee on Education and General Government members to agree and get this bill out to the floor for a vote.
Nancy A. Graham
Portland
Metolius Area: Environmental Treasure - Michel Bayard, Bend
(Sent to Senators Johnson, Morse, Kruse, Metsger, Walker, and Westlund:)
I am a long time resident of Central Oregon, among many, who has seen one environmental treasure after another destroyed or severely damaged by uncontrolled development, resulting from greed and a lack of concern for our desire to preserve our wonderful environment. We live here because we love this environment and the passage of bill SB30 would help protect one of our last environmental treasure, the Metolius area.
Please help us pass this bill.
Thank you.
Michel Bayard
Bend, OR
I am a long time resident of Central Oregon, among many, who has seen one environmental treasure after another destroyed or severely damaged by uncontrolled development, resulting from greed and a lack of concern for our desire to preserve our wonderful environment. We live here because we love this environment and the passage of bill SB30 would help protect one of our last environmental treasure, the Metolius area.
Please help us pass this bill.
Thank you.
Michel Bayard
Bend, OR
