Sean C. Morgan
Of The New Era
The Sweet Home Planning Commission gave its nod to a Lebanon man to open a regular swap meet in Sweet Home.
After six months, the Planning Commission will review the permit for the new business to make sure the operation is working all right.
The swap meet, called the Finder’s Mill, will be located east of 18th Avenue on old Willamette Industries mill property now owned by Western States Land Reliance Trust and part of the larger Salmon Run Master Plan, a planned development that includes up to 1,500 housing units and a commercial development across the northern part of Sweet Home. Part of the property is already in use by New Vision Forest Products.
It is surrounded by residential development to the north on Tamarack Street, industrial use to the east and west and commercial development to the north.
Planning commissioners were wary about approving the permit with some questions still up in the air, but with the six-month review agreed upon, they approved it 5-1. Voting in favor of the permit were Michael Adams, Alan Culver, Frank Javersak, Dick Meyers and Henry Wolthuis. Greg Stephens voted no. Lance Gatchell was absent.
Owner Ron Fecht said it would take him about a month to open the Finder’s Mill once he received approvals, and he would like to open the business to catch what remains of the summer season.
The Finder’s Mill will operate within an existing three-sided structure on approximately 1,200 square feet.
Initially, Fecht said, he would remove appliances that are stored there as part of his appliance business in Lebanon and then open a swap meet with 20-40 vendors.
The business will operate on weekends and during special events, such as the Oregon Jamboree, he said. Other events may include outdoor RV and boat shows. Hot rod and motorcycle swap meets would be held indoors and usually only include parts and display models. It wouldn’t include revving engines.
He plans to rebuild fences along 18th and around a parking area, which will have separate entrances and exits, based on the Planning Commission approval.
“When we contacted vendors and artists, they expressed a need for an indoor area (to sell their products,” Fecht said. The Finder’s Mill will provide that to “small vendors and crafts people who lack the means to operate a full-scale business in Linn County.”
It also will allow one-time garage sales, which will help beautify neighborhoods, he said, and it will operate year-round.
As the business grows, and if it grows into and with the developments proposed for the area, Fecht said, it will connect to city sewer and water. Until then, he wants to use portable toilets and wash basins on the weekends.
As a condition of approval, the commission expects Fecht to meet requirements of building codes, fire codes and sewer and water if necessary based on the structure.
Two neighbors from Tamarack Street were concerned about the accumulation of junk left behind by vendors, noting that what is on the site now is an eyesore. Fecht told the commission that vendors leaving behind their products won’t be allowed back and that he would be responsible for making sure it is cleaned up.
Neighbors also were concerned about traffic and favored an exit as well as an entrance to and from 18th Avenue.
Fecht told the commission he expects to draw approximately 5,000 visitors weekly. The Finder’s Mill will be open Friday through Sunday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
After six months, the commission will see how parking and other conditions are working, giving the commission an opportunity to see how the business works and grows, particularly related to traffic, accessibility and visibility of the products to neighbors.
Stephens voted no because he did not think the business complied with the requirements of the zoning, and he was concerned about the amount of pedestrian traffic in an area without sidewalks or crosswalks.
In other business, the commission:
– Approved the downsizing of the Lake Pointe Estates subdivision, located off Riggs Hill Road and overlooking Shea Point and Foster Lake, from 23 lots to 19 lots.
Engineer Grant Beem of K&D Engineering said that the developer, Lake Pointe Estates, LLC, represented by Jim Fry, ran into a significant amount of rock in part of the development. Reducing the number of lots made it economical while remaining profitable.
– Approved a one-year extension for Timothy Youngkin and Duck Hollow, LLC, for the third phase of the subdivision, property line adjustment and planned development approvals.
The third phase includes 56 lots to be developed.
Representing the owner, engineer Brian Vandetta of Udell Engineering and Land Surveying, LLC, said the reason for the delay is the decline in the housing market.
– Approved a variance for Ti-Squared Tech, which operates at 1305 Clark Mill Road, to allow the construction of industrial warehouse space within 10 feet of the front property line.
– Approved the placement of a manufactured home for Paul Parmenter and Parco Lumber at 1491 for use in on-site security, office space and a break room in an industrial zone.