1. Wheeler City Council needs to focus on avoiding lawsuits
Applying the law to avoid lawsuits is just what Wheeler City Council has done the past couple of years. Wheeler has consulted land use legal experts and attorneys every step of the way and they ARE enforcing the laws. Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA) has ruled multiple times that the developer must consider the Vision Plan and Traffic Issues. Based on those rulings it seems to me that they recognize the document as being valid and enforceable.
2. There are 2 hotel owners on council, both of whom voted in land use decisions regarding a hotel application.
There is only one hotel/motel owner on Wheeler council not 2 as stated in Mr. Anctil’s post. The councilor is my husband Gordon and he indeed recused himself from voting on the 2019-10 and 2019-11 hotel and large 110 seat restaurant. This was despite my husband and my belief that a small boutique hotel would be good for the town and potentially bring more business. The problem that I see (my opinion) is that the proposal was large scale and not in keeping with the character of Wheeler as stated by citizens and the Vision Plan. The two hotel/motels in Wheeler currently operating are, 9 and 11 rooms, respectively. And, by the way, both councilors who recused themselves supported a small boutique hotel but at legal council’s advice recused themselves from the decision making. Boutique, small town character businesses will likely attract more visitors and be an economic benefit for Wheeler. Large Scale establishments will diminish our quaint nostalgic feel.
NOTE: I was unable to find a finalized meeting minute record on the Wheeler Website.
Yours in Transparency, Respectfully
Martha Taylor
Wheeler on the Bay Lodge, Owner/Operator.
