Sisters council selects "Concept AA" as preferred UGB map; adoption still pending

Scott Whitford, the city presenter, told the joint meeting the steering committee and planning commission endorsed a preferred Urban Growth Boundary concept known as "Concept AA," showing an expansion east of the existing community of roughly 314 gross acres and about 202 net acres after excluding wetlands and rights-of-way. "Total of 314 gross acres, and a net of around 202, net acres," Whitford said, and explained the map aligns with the city's 20-year land needs analysis.

Whitford said the council adopted a resolution selecting Concept AA in a 3-2 vote at a recent hearing but stressed the council has not yet locally adopted the UGB: "There's some misconception... that means that's we've adopted the UGB, and we have not done that yet," he said. He outlined next steps: staff and consultants will prepare two land-use applications for city and county review, with submission targeted at the end of January and an expectation of local decisions by mid-2026 before possible review by the Land Conservation and Development Commission or appeal to LUBA.

Councilors and county commissioners pressed for clarification on annexation and owner consent. One councilor noted, "Annexation is not automatic. We don't force people to come into the city," and Whitford confirmed that property owners petition for annexation and that annexation would be a later, separate step. Commissioners also discussed the possibility of pausing the process up to about six months to await the outcome of an appeal affecting McKenzie Meadows Village, but Whitford warned a longer pause could jeopardize compliance with the new Oregon housing-needs deadline on Jan. 1, 2027. The meeting record shows the council passed a resolution selecting Concept AA (3-2) but did not complete UGB adoption during this workshop.