Our New Neighbor

WHAT I THINK I KNOW ABOUT OUR NEW NEIGHBORS  By Jim McCrea

 

Yesterday I met with Mr. Don Huster who is the developer of the 37 acre tract of land immediately west of Long View Hills.  The meeting was in Larry's office and we were joined by Ron Thomas and Jim Moreland.

 

Mr. Huster said he is a native Oregonian (Gresham) who graduated from Oregon State with a degree in electrical engineering.  He worked in California for many years and had a beach home on the Northern Oregon cost.  After his company had been sold Don and his wife decided to return to Oregon.  Through time he established business contacts with two investor type individuals and they formed an LLC called The Woodside Group.

 

They purchased the property next to LVH and have received approval to build 110 homes.  The property will be developed in nine phases with their target date of the Fall of 2007 as the completion of the first group of homes.  As market conditions change the intended selling prices have not been firmly established but the preliminary estimates are that the smaller of the homes (which will range from 1500 sq. ft. to 2800 sq. ft.) will sell for around $400,000.

 

The property is a Planned Unit Development, similar to Long View Hills.  This means the developer will be responsible for the streets and utilities.  They will have an Association Fee and Covenants and Restrictions in their charter.  The map of the area he showed had a system of walking trails through the neighborhood.  As you may know the terrain contains valleys up to 70 feet deep.  These valleys will not be disturbed and three bridges will be constructed in the neighborhood.

 

It will be a slow moving project, based on a number of factors.  Perhaps the most difficult obstacle yet to overcome is the permit from the Oregon Department of Transportation to create an approved outlet road onto Highway 101.  The application process is in the works and how long it takes the State of Oregon to approve it is a guess.

 

Perhaps the most important thing I learned from the meeting was Mr. Huster's comment that for all intents and purposes the trees he plans on cutting down have already been cut.  It stands to reason that trees on each individual lot are yet to be removed as the houses are built, but for the most part what we see now we will probably continue to see from our views here in the neighborhood.

 

All in all he seemed like a pleasant fellow, not at all like a salesman.  He expressed several times he and his partners wanted to be good neighbors.

 

I might add however, that he is also the developer of the project in Nye Beach that has a number of neighbors in a real upset condition.  Today's local newspaper contains a full page advertisement protesting the intended project.

 

Now you know what I know about this topic.

 

My opinion is that the development next to us poses no adverse factors as it now stands.  My crystal ball probably doesn't work any better than yours, so who knows how this will ultimately wind up.  For now Mr. Huster seems to be a businessman intending to make a nice profit and is realistic enough to know that being polite to his neighbors is a good way to start.  As events unfold we will all learn together.