Mosier council approves Syncline Studios mixed‑use project with street‑improvement condition

Mosier City Council approved a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for Syncline Studios, a small‑scale mixed residential and commercial project, after a quasi‑judicial hearing and staff recommendation on July 3.

City Planner Dotty Devaney presented the staff report and said the project meets or exceeds zoning requirements but recommended conditions including a signed agreement from the applicant to perform future street improvements tied to the Historic Highway corridor and a condition to replace the Heritage Oak in like value if it dies. “The entire project is small scale and low impact,” Devaney told the council, while noting the city and ODOT are working to update the Transportation System Plan to include a bike/ped route through town.

Architect Hilary McKenzie described storefronts, covered walkways, stormwater plans, parking and a proposed coffee cart sized between 48 and 63 square feet. Small Business Councilor Darrell Roberts said he supported the project overall but worried that the parking provided might be insufficient for a mix of residential and commercial uses; Devaney and McKenzie responded that the code’s space requirements represent maximums for each use and do not assume shared parking.

MaryLou Perry opposed siting the coffee cart near the parking area, saying it would create “a dangerous flow of ped/bike/car traffic.” Councilors discussed downtown connectivity and pedestrian routes; Councilor Arlene Burns moved to approve the CUP with staff’s recommended conditions and to defer technical details to staff. The motion, seconded by Councilor Steve McKibben, was approved unanimously.

The approval includes the staff conditions presented at the hearing; council deliberations emphasized connecting the project to downtown and the adjacent Keith Chamberlain Park. The council closed the public hearing and returned to regular business at 8:35 p.m.