Thursday, December 24, 2015
Monday, December 14, 2015
Sunday, December 6, 2015
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Planning Commission Meeting Initial Report
This is the initial report from John Black following the Klamath County Planning Commission meeting held February 25, 2014. There will be more details to come
soon in the Gazette.
---
Tonight the Klamath County Planning
Commission (5 out of 7 present) and the Klamath County Commissioners (2 out of
3 present) held a joint meeting to consider TM's request that a Train Park Zone
be created to allow :
---- a 39 acre Train Park Support area
---- a 129 acre Track Connected Residential Community with 2+ acre lots.
About 60 TM members attended…. some neighbors… and some other interested parties. The crowd spilled out into the hall and was standing room only. The crowd clearly communicated that there was strong public support. THANK YOU to everyone who attended.
Justin Throne and I spoke FOR the proposal.
Speaking AGAINST were 2 neighbors just south of the proposed residential community and 2 neighbors that lived west of Highway 62.
Speaking with no position were Sharon Breen and The Fire Dept.
There was a lot of discussion about DLCD's 13 page letter which had little support. DLCD is the Dept of Land Conservation and Development… the Oregon State agency that oversees land use decisions.
Everyone expressed support for the 39 acre Train Park Support Area…. even DLCD. The only reservations were about the Track Connected Residential Community.
There was a debate about whether the best way to do it was a New Zone or an Overlay of the Forestry Zone that allowed all the same things. There was discussion about whether a zone could grant special privileges to a single property owner. There are other examples of zoning for a single property in Oregon.
Finally a Planning Commissioner moved to disapprove the proposal. That was voted down 3 to 2. Then the Planning Commission voted to recommend that the County Commissioners continue the hearing to March 25, 2014…. to give time to get clarifications of the law and DLCD's position. Then both County Commissioners spoke in favor of the proposal and voted to Table the issue until March 25, 2014.
The majority want to be sure that the proposal is adopted in a form that is likely to withstand any appeal. The next step is a meeting with DLCD to clarify their position.
It will not be necessary for people to travel from out of state to attend the hearing March 25. We have delivered the message that there is Significant Support. I would like people that live in Klamath County to come see the show on March 25. We cannot have an empty room.
We need the Residential Community to attract and retain Long Term Volunteers. We need the freedom to do what we need to do in the Train Park Support Area. Stay tuned as the process continues.
It is Sunny and Warm. Everyone had a great time at the Train Meet.
John
---- a 39 acre Train Park Support area
---- a 129 acre Track Connected Residential Community with 2+ acre lots.
About 60 TM members attended…. some neighbors… and some other interested parties. The crowd spilled out into the hall and was standing room only. The crowd clearly communicated that there was strong public support. THANK YOU to everyone who attended.
Justin Throne and I spoke FOR the proposal.
Speaking AGAINST were 2 neighbors just south of the proposed residential community and 2 neighbors that lived west of Highway 62.
Speaking with no position were Sharon Breen and The Fire Dept.
There was a lot of discussion about DLCD's 13 page letter which had little support. DLCD is the Dept of Land Conservation and Development… the Oregon State agency that oversees land use decisions.
Everyone expressed support for the 39 acre Train Park Support Area…. even DLCD. The only reservations were about the Track Connected Residential Community.
There was a debate about whether the best way to do it was a New Zone or an Overlay of the Forestry Zone that allowed all the same things. There was discussion about whether a zone could grant special privileges to a single property owner. There are other examples of zoning for a single property in Oregon.
Finally a Planning Commissioner moved to disapprove the proposal. That was voted down 3 to 2. Then the Planning Commission voted to recommend that the County Commissioners continue the hearing to March 25, 2014…. to give time to get clarifications of the law and DLCD's position. Then both County Commissioners spoke in favor of the proposal and voted to Table the issue until March 25, 2014.
The majority want to be sure that the proposal is adopted in a form that is likely to withstand any appeal. The next step is a meeting with DLCD to clarify their position.
It will not be necessary for people to travel from out of state to attend the hearing March 25. We have delivered the message that there is Significant Support. I would like people that live in Klamath County to come see the show on March 25. We cannot have an empty room.
We need the Residential Community to attract and retain Long Term Volunteers. We need the freedom to do what we need to do in the Train Park Support Area. Stay tuned as the process continues.
It is Sunny and Warm. Everyone had a great time at the Train Meet.
John
Sunday, January 12, 2014
Bonus Free Meet Added for 2014
Save the Date -- Feb 25
WE NEED YOUR HELP NOW !!!
Train Mountain has applied
to Klamath County to create a new Train Park Zone that
1)
allows TM to create about 50 lots of 2+ acres for a Train
Connected
Community
on the west side of Railroad Ridge, and
2)
allows TM to conduct the Train Park Support activities it needs as
permitted
land uses
as opposed to non-conforming or conditional land uses which have more limits.
“What can I do to help?” - -
- SEND EMAILS!
Please send an email
supporting the Train Mountain Application. The email
should go to Mark
Gallagher, Planning Director...
mgallagher@co.klamath.or.us
Sample Text:
Dear Mr. Gallagher,
I am writing to support
Train Mountain's application to allow a Train
Connected Residential
Community for volunteer workers and to allow
the activities necessary
to support the Train Park.
Sincerely,
John Q. TrainNut
If you have volunteered at
TM, talk about that. If you think about having a
place at TM and building a
life that includes working on TM, talk about that.
And talk about why Train
Mountain is important to you.
Oregon land use law allows
a County to approve residential development on
Resource Lands (TM is
Forestry) outside a designated Urban Growth Area
(like Chiloquin) to house
Workers for an established Economic Activity. Here
we are creating housing for
Volunteer Workers that will help Train Mountain.
“What else can I do?” - -
- ATTEND THE HEARING!
The proposal will be heard
by the Klamath County Planning Commission and
Klamath County
Commissioners on Tuesday Feb 25th at 6:00pm in the
Klamath County Government Center, 305 Main Street, Klamath
Falls, Oregon.
For those who wish to
help support the mission, Train Mountain is hosting a
FREE
OPEN
HOUSE MEET
Sat
Feb 22 to Tuesday Feb 25
Members and
non-members are invited to a Free Open House Meet. The Meet will end with the
planning commission hearing at 6:00pm on Tuesday Feb 25.
In the Hearing we are asking Klamath
County to:
1. Amend the Klamath County
Comprehensive Plan
2. Amend the Land Development Code by
adding a new Train Park Zone.
3. Allow Planned Unit Developments in
the Train Park Zone.
4. Allow a 129.14 acre Track connected
residential development.
5. Allow a 39.29 acre Train Park
Support Area.
This is a first step. It will be
followed by these steps:
1. Re-plat 2 deeded lots to create a
100.25 acre lot to be rezoned.
2. Rezone the 129.14 acres and 39.29
acres to the new Train Park Zone
3. Approve the Planned Unit
Development. As part of this, Train Mountain
will contract with Klamath County to
assure that 10 acres per approved
Dwelling Unit (with a minimum of 400
acres) will be protected forever from
development by a Conservation
Easement... for 50 lots, 500 acres....
enough to protect Steiger Butte which
is visible all over northern Klamath County.
The New Train
Mountain Community
Please visit the Train Mountain Website for details to
the planned community:
Train Mountain Thanks YOU!
Saturday, November 30, 2013
ATTEND A TRAIN MOUNTAIN MEET FREE
You Are invited to VISIT TRAIN MOUNTAIN
for FREE!
For those who have never experienced Train Mountain before, you are allowed to
attend one Meet without paying any Meet or Membership Fees for FREE in 2014.
Any meet of your choice from the Polar Bear through the Fall Colors.
RUN YOUR EQUIPMENT FOR FREE! You will have a one-time opportunity to bring your 7.5" gauge
equipment to run on any of Train Mountain's 35 miles oftrack. Your visit may last up to
10 days, including any of the Meets. Normally only Train Mountain members are allowed to run
their equipment on Train Mountain Track. This is a special opportunity, indeed!
Train Mountain is the Worlds Largest Ride-on Model Railroad with over 35 miles of track.
Certificate expires Dec 31, 2014. Certificate has no Cash Value. Participants must sign a
standard TM Liability Release. Not valid for anyone who has been a member previously. Train
Mountain Membership $50 a year individuals, $75 a year for families. Train Mountain wants
more people to see Train Mountain and become members.
To get your certificate, visit:
http://www.tmrr.org/Resources/forms/A_Gift_For_You.pdf
http://www.tmrr.org/Resources/forms/A_Gift_For_You.pdf
Saturday, November 23, 2013
Membership Made Easy!
Colder weather is on us, and I have been thinking about locomotive maintenance – taking care of all those things I need to get done before I start playing trains again. One of those things that needs to be done is renew my Train Mountain membership – using the new online membership system of course. By going on your computer (which I know you have because you are using it to read this!!), and using your computer to renew your membership, you save the office volunteers a lot of work, save yourself time, and everybody wins.
It is an easy process to sign up as a new member, or renew your current membership. You need to grab your computer and credit card or PayPal account. It is safe, using the latest encryption methods, and your credit card information is never stored anywhere by Train Mountain. The transaction goes directly from you, thru an encrypted link, to the TM credit card processing service. The Train Mountain bank account gets credited, Train Mountain get notified you are renewed, and you get to come run trains! It is a good thing for everyone.
Go to the Train Mountain web site (http://www.tmrr.org), click the “Join Train Mountain” menu option on the left of the screen, and then click the “Click on this link” to go to the online member portal. Enter your e-mail address as your user ID. You will need to initially ask for the password that was made up for you when the database was created (there is a link on the sign-in page to get it e-mailed to you), and then you are good to go.
Dale.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)