JULY 2007: AROUND THE STATE, DISPATCHES
PENDLETON
A bill slated to protect the Oregon Trail from future
development was amended in Salem last month, prompting a sigh
of relief from opponents. The new compromise between bill
sponsor Sen. Brad Avakian (D-Beaverton) and opponents defers
protection of the trail for two years, allowing the Parks and
Recreation Department to survey the 400-mile stretch within the
state and determine which key historic campsites and wagon
stops to protect. Realizing that the original bill “would
have wiped out most of [Pendleton’s] downtown,”
Larry Dalrymple, Pendleton’s economic development
director, was relieved by the more selective approach to
preservation. The original bill proposed a 100-foot
construction buffer zone along both sides of the trail, raising
concerns among economic stakeholders ranging from farmers and
city officials to wind-energy developers.
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