Public Voices Opposition To High Density Development

    A raucous meeting was convened last Wednesday night, February 8, at the Cadwell Park community building in Umatilla. Developers of a proposed high-density apartment complex on Fletcher Road hosted a public meeting to solicit input on their plans to place a 116-unit apartment complex at the CR 450NE intersection, but the estimated 100 people in attendance were far more interested in discussing scuttling the project.
   Just five minutes into the meeting, which was led by attorney Alison Yurko on behalf of the developer, Umatilla resident Mary Johnson drew a large round of applause by succinctly voicing the group’s feelings on the project.
   “That’s not the direction that our town really wants to go in,” she said. “As a citizen, that’s not where I want to go.”
   Yurko, as well as an engineer connected with the project appeared willing to discuss potential changes to the projects, but their ideas of thicker tree lines and turn lanes ran opposed to the group's overarching complaint that the development itself is ill-suited for the location.
   "You're going to put all those people on two-lane roads?" asked area resident Jason Kerley, sparking discussions about Fletcher Road's status as a residential road and CR 450 NE's already growing traffic that has resulted in more pressure at the CR 450 NE and SR 19 intersection.
   Indeed, Umatilla Saw and Mower owner Dawn McNulty Simon, whose business is at the intersection, said adding that much more traffic would cause problems.
   “That is the worst design of an intersection. It can’t handle it.”
   Olde Mill Stream RV Resort manager Wally Medley said he fears the ability to rent sites along the property line adjoining the proposed apartment site, as the park's renters prefer a quiet location that may not be available next to high-density housing.
   “Your taking this area and putting a bunch of kids there. Who is going to reimburse me for those sites?”
   While declining to offer any major changes, Yurko said the developer is aware of resident concerns, adding, though, that the developer’s data indicates traffic would not be impacted in a major, negative, way should the project be built.
   “We got word you had a lot of concerns,” she said. “We get it.”
   Previous to last Wednesday’s meeting, Yurko said a second meeting was slated for February 28 to follow up with ideas from the first meeting. However, at this time it is unknown if that meeting will happen.
   “They haven’t contacted us about the next meeting yet,” said Scott Ede, a resident near the proposed development who is helping head up opposition to the proposal. It wouldn’t surprise me if it didn’t happen.”
   Officially, the project is set to come back to the Umatilla City Council for consideration on March 7.
   At least one gathering will occur before then, however. Ede said his group is welcoming anyone who would is opposed to the development is invited to attend a gathering at the North Lake Regional Park on February 21. That gathering will convene at 6 p.m.
   “The meeting is open to anyone who has an interest in discussing strategy.”
   The group is also circulating petitions in town in opposition to the development, and those are available at A&M NAPA auto parts downtown, as well as at Sunsational Farms, next to the North Lake park.
   Finally, Ede has printed up yard signs that will be going out in the area opposing the development.