The land has been identified and needs to be rezoned

By Randy Parks
Burns Times-Herald

After many months of planning and teamwork, the cities of Burns and Hines, Harney County, the Burns Paiute Tribe and the Eastern Oregon Economic Revitalization Team (ERT) identified 100 acres in the county that would be suitable for an industrial park.

The land, located just east of Monroe Street and adjacent to the Oregon Youth Authority facility, is outside the floodplain, and currently zoned residential.

Approximately 40 acres of the site are owned by Harney County, while the Burns Paiute Tribe owns the remaining 60 acres, which is trust property.

In order to place an industrial park at the site, the land would have to be rezoned from residential to industrial/energy development.

The Burns City Council was ready to discuss three ordinances aimed at the rezoning at their meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 23, but a late finding put the discussion on hold for a couple of weeks.

During a public hearing on the matter, City Manager Don Munkers told the council that he received word about an hour before the council meeting that the city has no authorization to rezone the 60 acres owned by the Burns Paiute Tribe as that is sovereign nation land. He explained that the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) has jurisdiction over that parcel, and the city would need to work with them to get a decision.

Munkers advised the council to recess the hearing until they can get authorization from the BIA to rezone the land.

Scott Fairley, ERT Regional Coordinator, was in attendance to speak in favor of the industrial park, and to express his appreciation and thanks to everyone for pursuing the opportunity for economic development. “Economic development starts back in the planning stages,” Fairley said. “You have to identify opportunities and what’s needed for infrastructure.

There are other cities around the state that are envious of what this community is doing.”

Fairley added that there are basically two types of communities: Those that are happy with the way things are, and far fewer are those that are pro-active in bringing new ideas and businesses in. He said the ERT and the governor’s office wholly support this endeavor.

Harney County Planning Director Brandon McMullen said there was a lot of appreciation for the economic value of the project and the work put into it. “It’s success with results,” he said.

McMullen said even if it doesn’t work out getting the  60 acre parcel rezoned, getting the 40 acres rezoned would be a success.

The council agreed to recess the hearing until the next council meeting.

In other business, the council:

• passed Resolution No. 09-513 authorizing the purchase of two police vehicles. Munkers said two of the vehicles Burns Police are currently using have served their usefulness, but now need to be replaced.

The resolution authorizes the purchase of two 2010 Police Package Dodge Chargers for the sum of $60,000. “These vehicles are fully equipped and ready to hit the streets,” Munkers said.

Councilor Craig LaFollette stated that Police Chief Randy Cook, the Police Committee and the council had done a lot of research before arriving at the decision to purchase the two new vehicles;

• Madeline Casselman was in attendance to ask for a clarification on the policy regarding cell phone use for employees. Munkers read the policy and provided Casselman with a copy;

• LaFollette commended the Burns Public Works Department for their quick response in getting the water back on in one part of town. He said the water had been turned off for repair on a Friday, and it was discovered the water was still off the following day. He contacted the public works, and the water was back on in a timely fashion.

The next council meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14, at city hall.