The Western States Reliance Lands Trust announced the distribution of $13,161 to eight local charities and one state charity last week.
The trust was a separate company created by Development by Design to operate local property to generate income for the charities. Development by Design transferred ownership of the former Willamette Industries Sweet Home Mill to the trust after purchasing it in May.
The proceeds from that property are given to nine different organizations, including its primary charity, Oregon Health Care Foundation and eight secondary charities, including Sweet Home Habitat for Humanity, Sweet Home Community Foundation, Wilderness Village Foundation, Life is an Attitude, the City of Sweet Home, Linn County Shrine Club, East Linn Christian Academy and Community Chapel at Ames Creek.
Development by Design, a company owned and operated by Dan Desler and Troy Cummings, is developing a 27-hole golf course and resort, with a variety of features, along the South Santiam River.
The Oregon Health Care Foundation provides scholarships to men and women who make long-term commitments to working in the health care industry.
Habitat for Humanity builds homes for low-income qualifiers. The homes are purchased by local families, who must help build the home then help build additional homes. They pay back the cost of the homes, which are built inexpensively.
The Wilderness Village Foundation was originally established to create a local resort and conference center. It is now working with Development by Design on ideas for local attractions related to the proposed resort.
Life is an Attitude is operated by Ron Heagy, a quadriplegic motivational speaker. Life is an Attitude operates Camp Attitude, approximately five miles east of Sweet Home. The facility provides a place for disabled children to go camping.
The Sweet Home Community Foundation provides grant dollars to local nonprofit projects. It was established by Sweet Home Economic Development Group, which among others gives money to the Foundation.
The gifts will be broken into monthly payments over a period of time, Desler said. Revenue for the payments comes from leasing portions of the mill property to Riverside Studs, which sub-leases property to New Vision, a lumber wholesaler. The property is located at the north end of 24th Avenue and the east end of Tamarack Street. Of the 179-acre property, 26 acres are in use.
The trust’s goal is to distribute 85 percent of all of the property’s earnings to local nonprofit organizations.
Trustees for the company include Desler, Cummings and Margaret Carley of the Oregon Health Care Foundation. Advisory committee members include Desler, Cummings, Carley, Jeff Desler, Sweet Home City Manager Craig Martin and Dick Knowles of the Wilderness Village.
Development by Design transferred the property and is now distributing earnings to remain in keeping with its “commitment to be a part of rather than a part from the community,” Desler said. All of the charities have the potential to impact Linn County and especially Sweet Home.
“That was part of our original commitment — to identify community needs and to help meet community needs as we do this project,” Desler said.
The mill site will be developed with a 13.9-acre facility dedicated to workshops, arts and crafts, continuing education in conjunction with the Linn-Benton Community College Extension, galleries, slideshow lectures, special events and support retail stores and restaurants.
A portion of the property would be used in the golf course, Desler said. It has not been decided whether the land would be sold or leased for the golf course.
The Sweet Home Planning Commission will hear a request for a conditional use permit for the golf course on April 1.
In other business, Development by Design is seeking zone changes and annexation in Brownsville to develop an industrial site to the south of Highway 228 and west of the turnoff to downtown Brownsville.
The development would include a mixed use of commercial, residential and industrial. It would be developed in a style similar to downtown Brownsville’s existing theme. The facade for one of the industrial buildings, for example, might be made to look like a blacksmith’s shop.
Residential would be provided above commercial storefronts.
A road would loop through the development, with off-street parking available and pedestrian paths throughout along with ponds and stream enhancements. The development would include landscaping along Highway 228 and help provide a gateway to the Brownsville community.