Mill Crossing: ‘Green’ housing project proposal comes up for hearing

By Mary Owen

Stayton residents will get another look at the proposed Mill Crossing development during a hearing slated for July 27.

The proposed 54-lot development is sited on the former Paris Woolen Mills grounds on East Florence Street.

If approved, the development will be the first to be processed under Stayton’s Master Planned Development standards, according to Dan Fleishman, the city’s Planning and Development director.

“Our vision is a compact luxury residential development with a target market of young professionals, empty nesters and seniors who are interested in intimate and functional homes,” said Susan Horvat, applicant and member of the Wampler family.

According to Fleishman, the Wamplers have owned the land for about a decade, during which time they mulled over a variety of ideas for developing the property.

“They worked with the city on some ideas in the early 2000s, but never went ahead with anything,” Fleishman said. “They demolished the woolen mill around 2004 or 2005, and in 2005 and early 2006 had some proposals for attached residential development that never went anywhere.”

One of the goals for Mill Crossing is to be LEED-certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), Horvat said.

 “With square footage no longer the holy grail of home improvement, many owners are turning to a new measuring stick – energy performance,” Horvat said. “With the close proximity of downtown, the parks and waterways, this site has all the makings for the premier development in the Willamette Valley.” 

And Mill Crossing will fit into the city’s plans for use of the site, she said.

Two years ago, Stayton leaders began a downtown revitalization process that encompassed using the woolen mill property, and funds were allocated to work with the Wamplers on a market analysis and conceptual plans, Fleishman said. 

“They seemed quite pleased with the work of the city’s consultants,” he said. “However, following adoption of the downtown plan in October 2007, they came in with different designs.”

Pre-application meetings took place in 2008, and the family submitted an application for development in early February of this year, Fleishman said. 

“Going through the Master Planned Development process means they need two public hearings before the Planning Commission,” he said, explaining the process that began in May when the Mill Crossing application was submitted for approval of the development concept. 

At Horvat’s request, the hearing was continued until July 27.

Fleishman expects the development will take the developer four to six months following concept plan approval to submit a detailed development plan. 

“Under the terms of our code, the City Council needs to make some decisions and staff has recommended that the applicant approach the City Council before submitting the detailed plan,” he said. 

Planning Commission approval of the detailed development plan could take another two months, followed by the design of streets, sewer, storm water and water that must be approved by the city engineer and the Public Works Department, Fleishman said. 

“Once that’s all approved, they can start construction on the streets and utilities,” he said. “Once the street construction is approved, they may sell lots or apply for building permits.”

Fleishman expects the first lots to go up for sale in 2010 at the earliest.

“City staff is trying very hard to work with the applicant to produce a development that will be of the highest value for both the community and the developer,” Fleishman said.

“There are a few issues that we have not been able to see eye to eye on and those are the ones still being worked out.”

Once finished, Fleishman expects the development to add to the vitality of the downtown area.

“The construction of 70 or so new homes on the edge of downtown provides a ready market for the stores and offices there,” he said.

Horvat agreed, saying, “This development will increase the tax base, traffic through downtown and jobs.”