Sean C. Morgan
Of The New Era
Troy Cummins, Kenny May and Andrew Staley spent last week clearing roadways, cul de sacs and lots in the first subdivision of the Santiam River Club project.
Cummins is a partner in the Santiam River Development Company. May and Staley work for Wes Staley Construction. They started work on Aug. 15. Cummins expected to finish by Friday.
Using a Bobcat with a specialized mower attachment, May knocked down small trees and vegetation, which will later be run through a chipper.
Santiam is planning to save as many of the larger trees as possible, Cummins said, although some may have to come down.
He pointed out a large tree that stands in the middle of one cul de sac as one that would probably need to come down.
They were working a 66-lot subdivision approved earlier this year by the Sweet Home Planning Commission. The subdivision is part of a 1,575-lot master plan that includes more than 600 lots east of Clark Mill Road, proposed by Santiam River Development, and more than 900 lots west of Clark Mill, proposed by Western States Land Reliance Trust and managing trustee Dan Desler.
This subdivision will probably end up just under the approved 66 lots, Cummins said, and the Santiam side of the master plan will probably be finished with 450 or fewer lots, rather than the 600 approved in the master plan.
The final number and exact types of homes will depend on the market, Cummins said.
The first subdivision is located northeast of Clark Mill Road off the east end of Green River Road.
With the roads and lots roughed in, Santiam will be able to put out signs and begin showing lots to potential customers, Cummins said. Even before it is developed further, he and his partners will be able to take customers out to potential home sites, probably by Jeep or other four-wheeler or even walking.
They will be able to see and experience the environment, one of the main selling points for the subdivision.
In the meantime, Santiam will relocate to the former Sweet Home Ranger District Office sometime in mid-September, partner Phil Ordway said. Santiam will be the first new tenant in the building since the Ranger District office moved this summer.
Santiam will rent part of the facility and hire on one or two full-time sales people, Cummins said. They will work with the same national marketing group Santiam has been working with.
Santiam partners will begin meeting with Oregon real estate brokers and working through U.S. Housing and Urban Development processes necessary to begin marketing nationally, Ordway said. Santiam has completed the necessary state-level processes to market in Oregon and California.
When the HUD process is complete in 30 to 40 days, Santiam will also be able to market in Arizona, the only other state planned for marketing at this time, Ordway said.
“We’re excited to get going with marketing,” Ordway said. Early reception from Oregon brokers indicates “they’re all really enthusiastic.”
Next week, Santiam will begin meeting with brokers in Bend, Eugene and Portland, Ordway said. After Labor Day, they will meet exclusively with Sweet Home area brokers.
In the meetings, they will introduce the project and outline their plans for cooperation and sharing commission, Ordway said.
Construction of infrastructure will begin next spring, Ordway said. “We’re definitely going to start as soon as the sun comes out next spring.”