Important Meeting

Dave Leland, SilverStar's new consultant, will be making a presentation during the May SROA Board Meeting.  It is anticipated that he will introduce the concept of Floor Area Ratio (FAR) that may be used by SilverStar in their updated Text Amendment language.  It is a new way to measure density, versus the current units per acre standard, and is a major change to the Text Amendment.  We encourage all who can attend to do so.

SROA Board Meeting

May 10, 2008 at 9:00am (Dave Leland is scheduled to repsent at 10:45 and you need only attend that portion if you wish) in the Holy Trinity Church on C ottonwod Road.

Help us to Save Sunriver!

We have set up this website in an effort to preserve Sunriver and what it has stood for over the past 40 years.  This true gem of the Northwest is in great danger of being changed forever by the proposed redevelopment of the Village Mall area by SilverStar Destinations LLC. We are not opposed to a revitalization of the mall.  We are opposed to this dramatic change to the nature of the mall, and indeed to Sunriver, turning it into a condominium complex with minimal ground floor retail. The key element of the proposal is the creation of a new zoning designation, a Town Center district, that would allow for high-density high-rise residential units within what is now the commercial only Village Mall area and common green space.

Please join us and our supporters.  We are made up of owners who have been at Sunriver for over thirty years and less than one, we are full-time and part-time residents, we are parents, grandparents, students, volunteers, accountants, doctors, educators, lawyers, retirees, developers, engineers, gardeners and all proud to be a part of Sunriver.

Important Items:

The Deschutes County Board of Commissioners are holding hearings on the zoning application from SilverStar Destinations.

They have already held two initial work session hearings on Feb. 27th and April 9th and a public testimony hearing April 30th in Sunriver.  The hearing has been continued until June 4th.   SilverStar is expected to complete their Text Amendment language by early May.  Depending upon timng and the nature of the changes a date for another public hearing related to the new text language will be set.  See the Zoning Status page for more information.  Letters can also be sent to the County Commissioners (see the Contact page).

 

Congratulations and Thank You!

The Land Sale and Consolidated Plan Amendment special ballot was defeated.  Over 1,400 fellow Sunriver Homeowners voted against selling our commonly owned property for inclusion in the mall area development and to retain the Consolidated Plan's restriction against selling any commonly owned property.  The vote had a tremendous turnout and shows how deeply Sunriver homeowners care about this very important issue.  We want to thank everyone who participated in the voting process.



NEW: Zoning Proposal Status Page We cannot wait to do something later as has been suggested by some - it may be too late.  The current zoning proposal process before the County Commission is our ONLY guaranteed opportunity for input into the process of what the future of the Sunriver Mall area will become.


Redevelopment Issues
The current proposal is not about revitalizing the retail mall shops. It is about the creation of high-density high-rise condos and a multi-story hotel. Here is a copy of the latest plan from SilverStar showing all of the proposed development (areas highlighted in yellow are currently SROA common area property and will not be sold to SilverStar based upon the failure of the special ballot). We feel a restructured, more conservative plan with a respect for Sunriver and its natural environment would be more appropriate.

There are a significant amount of items - including changes and exemptions from current zoning provisions - contained within the revised zoning application.  Even the Deschutes County Planning Commission Staff Report (link to report) states "This is a complex application".  Many of the items within this zoning code proposal well as other items related to the redevelopment proposal that are significant and have a direct, and very detrimental effect, on Sunriver.  Some of the key items from the new revised proposal and also highlighted by the Planning Commission within the new Staff Report are listed below.  SilverStar is currently in the process of reviewing their application in light of the recent land sale ballot failure which reduces some fo the land that they had been planning on developing (and is still shown on the latest palns that have been published).  As the new plans and proposal are made available we will post it here.  To see a more detailed explanation of each of these items go to the Issues page.

  • Changing the current zoning from a building height limitation of 30 feet to a mix of buildings from 45 to 75 feet high (and actually higher).

  • Permit 22 residences per acre - over 350 residences within the mall area SilverStar currently owns (assuming no further acquisitions).

  • Allowing for an actual reduction in total retail from a currently available 150,000 square feet to as little as 85,000 square feet.

  • Reducing the required parking spaces as called for within Deschutes county code and SROA rules.

  • The SROA and SilverStar Destinations entered into an agreement without any direct input from Sunriver homeowners.

  • No provision for requiring any public green space or open space (as defined by County Code) as called for within the original SROA-SilverStar agreement.

  • Using SROA purchased property, if sale approved by SROA members, to build numerous buildings (seven on the open space between the Abbott House condos and Abbot Drive alone) and part of a two-story parking structure.

  • The proposal calls for no required new recreational facilities.

  • Currently Sunriver has no capacity to provide fire protection for structures of the heights called for within the proposal.