One Of Many Letters - The Schay Family, Camp Sherman

[Sent to all State Representatives:]

We hope this is only one of many letters you will receive supporting SB 30 that will preserve the Metolius Basin. There are a few special places in Oregon where destination resorts should not be allowed and the Metolius Basin is one of them. This bill should be passed without compromise.

The Metolius River has been enjoyed by thousands of visitors every year because of it's quiet beauty, clear water and magnificent forests. It has remained this way because it is mostly federal land well managed by the US Forest Service. The private inholdings are mostly occupied by small cabins and houses on large lots and the locals, about 250 residents, are good stewards of the land. Their presence does not degrade the area.Large destination resorts with hundreds of homes and rental units would destroy the charm of the village and absolutely affect the ambiance of the Wild and Scenic river.

The developers' and Jefferson county's desire for money should not be allowed to carry the day on this issue. Central Oregon is chock-a-block with destination resorts which in actuality are towns outside the urban growth boundaries of Bend, Redmond, Sisters, etc. The proposed resort on the east boundary of the Metolius Basin would be many times larger than Sisters only 10 miles away. The impact on water, roads, traffic, schools, wildlife habitat would be huge! The smaller proposed resort is right smack in the middle of Forest Service land. The Deschutes Forest Plan recognizes the special values of the basin and Sisters Ranger District does an excellent job implementing the plan. This private 627 acre parcel should be part of the National Forest and certainly not some sort of major development dressed in ecological clothes.

We urge your support. If paved and developed, Oregon will have lost a natural treasure enjoyed by many for the use and short term financial benefit of a few.

Pete and Magda Schay
Camp Sherman, Oregon