Umatilla planning commission approves Doug’s Septic conditional-use permit with conditions

The Umatilla Planning Commission voted Jan. 28 to approve a conditional-use application from Doug’s Septic to operate in a commercially zoned property within the city’s urban growth boundary, subject to five conditions and removal of one staff-drafted requirement.

Nancy Miranda, associate planner for the City of Umatilla, summarized the application and said the use was not listed specifically in the commercial zone’s permitted uses but is similar to plumbing-related services listed under city code section 16; she recommended approval with conditions. “This is a similar use. It is processed as a conditional use,” Miranda said.

Miranda told commissioners the staff report included six conditions; she and commissioners agreed that five standard conditions should remain but that condition 3 (a city business-license requirement) should be removed because properties inside the urban growth boundary are not subject to that city business-license requirement. Commissioner Cooper moved to approve the permit with conditions 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 and eliminating condition 3; the motion was seconded and passed on a roll-call vote with Commissioners Smith, Cooper, Jones and Chair Nobles voting aye.

The applicant was present but declined to provide testimony. No members of the public testified in favor, opposition, or neutral; after closing the record the commission deliberated briefly and approved the application.

The approval requires the applicant to obtain any federal, state or local permits and licenses necessary and to meet the remaining conditions, including screening fences and a prohibition on scrap or salvage materials on the site. The staff report and formal permit document list the exact conditions and will govern compliance and any appeal rights under state land-use procedures.