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Public commenters urge broader UGB focus; speakers back Alternative AA
Summary
Two visitors urged council to respect the UGB process: Charlie Stevens urged a broader focus on income and demand in affordability discussions; David Bechtel supported Alternative AA as the best path forward for Sisters’ urban growth boundary process.
During visitor communication, Charlie Stevens and David Bechtel addressed council about the urban growth boundary (UGB) process. Stevens warned the public conversation has centered narrowly on affordable housing while the UGB serves multiple objectives; he urged attention to income dynamics and the structural drivers of affordability.
"Affordability is an equation... the other 0.5 is income," Stevens said, noting housing costs have risen far faster than wages and arguing that traditional developers alone will not deliver deeply affordable housing at scale. He said Habitat for Humanity currently does the most to deliver truly affordable homes in Sisters but that capacity is limited.
David Bechtel urged respect for the city’s established UGB process and said he supports the recommendation of Alternative AA, which he described as the best overall path forward. Bechtel reminded listeners that UGB selection precedes area planning and annexation, and that specific development concepts are considered later in the process.
Both commenters framed their remarks as broader context for the council’s annexation and housing conversations and urged the council to keep multiple objectives in mind as the UGB process continues.
