This Changes My Entire View…

Conserve Campton Hills on October 22, 2022

Campton Hills resident Hollie Bauron and her husband Raphael purchased a home in the Foxfield subdivision in 2020. It was represented as zoned “F”. Hollie contacted the county to confirm the zoning and associated restrictions. Unfortunately, Campton Hills informed her that her parcel was actually an “R-1”.

The truth is that the Village wants to change it to an R-1 and this really affects the semi-rural lifestyle of her family, including their chickens. Hollie has invited President Mike Tyrrell and all the Trustees to her home to see what she is doing and how neat, clean and manageable a sustainable backyard homestead is.

After their visit, one Trustee announced to the Board, “This changes my entire view on livestock”. Sadly, this has not yet deterred the Board from proceeding with both reclassifying Hollie’s parcel AND prohibiting her sustainable use on her property. Why?

Table The New Zoning Ordinance!

Community Involvement in Re-Zoning

Conserve Campton Hills on October 21, 2022

Recently, the Village claims of efforts in 2013 “It was well attended, spanning three sessions and with direct interactive public participation. From the resident participation the Village’s Vision Statement was developed.”

Most of us think 2013 was a long time ago. It certainly seems to be long enough ago that no minutes of those meetings available to support contentions about community involvement.

Three years of work by a “steering committee” followed, but no minutes of that ‘body’ are available either.

The Village also states that “In late 2019, there were four sessions specifically geared toward taking public input on the draft zoning amendment.”

The next attempt at public involvement was in 2019, when on October 28th, the Planning Commission minutes state:

6. DISCUSSION OF PROGRESS OF THE DRAFT ZONING ORDINANCE PUBLIC WORKSHOPS

  • Chairman Johnson recapped the progress of the workshops.
  1. i. First workshop Camiros did a presentation on the proposed zoning changes.  The new codes are a comprehensive plan tailored to fit Campton Hills.  Was lightly attended by the public.
  2. ii. Second workshop had a few more in attendance from the public.  Raised concerns on the rezoning of lots would identify them as non-conforming in historic Wasco.

There was also an agenda for a public workshop on October 23, 2019 posted but it is not clear if the workshop was held and no minutes are available.

Does this sound like a genuine effort to get the community involved?