By Mary Owen
The city of Stayton’s comprehensive plan needs a revisit, city officials say.
“The idea was brought up at a Town Hall meeting about the possibility of forming a committee to look at various codes that deal with various issues,” said Don Eubank, city administrator.
These include, he said, “signs, system development charges and other topics that maybe can be changed or improved on to assist current residents and businesses and those wanting to come to Stayton.”
Stayton’s comprehensive plan was drafted in the late 1970s and acknowledged by the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development in 1980, said Public Works Director Dave Kinney.
“A major revision was adopted in the early 1990s, and it has since been modified a number of times,” Kinney said. The plan was revised in April 2006, with the enactment of Ordinance 888 by the Stayton City Council, adopting the Interchange Area Master Plan for the Highway 22 interchange area, Kinney said.
“In October 2007, the Stayton Downtown Transportation and Revitalization Plan was adopted by the city council as an appendix to the Comprehensive Plan,” Kinney added. Both these revisions can be viewed on the city’s Web site.
Additionally, the city also adopted new public facility plans to comply with DLCD Goals 11 and 12: water in 2004; sewer and transportation in 2005; storm drainage in 2009; and a new buildable lands inventory in 2003-2005.
Eubank said the next step will be to form a committee of citizens appointed by Mayor Gerry Aboud to decide on what projects to undertake and the steps to use. Committee members will be guided through the process by the city’s planning and administrative staff.
“No rules or guidelines have been set,” Eubank said. “We hope the committee will be able to review on their own what topics they feel most important, with some guidance from staff. The mayor and city council will be kept informed throughout the entire process.”
No time frame has been set, but Eubank expects the comprehensive plan review to begin a few months from now.
“Depending on what subjects come up,” he said. Eubank said for several years city officials have tried to engage citizens in city government. Stayton residents who attend the city’s Town Hall meetings may be more willing to get involved in the project, “and make the city of Stayton an even better place to work, live and raise a family,” he added. For information call the city at 503-769-3425.
