Keep Keizer Livable is a group of Keizer residents who are passionate about keeping their community a welcoming place to play, work and live, local businesses thriving and neighborhoods vital.
October 2012
The developers of Keizer Station Area C (See Statesman Journal article.) have filed an adjusted plan for the development at the corner of Lockhaven and Chemawa Roads. Since this proposal is an adjustment of the plan that the Land Use Board of Appeals rejected, the City of Keizer is acting under the assumption that the plan will not have to appear before planning commission so it's going directly to the City Council. The proposal is on the agenda for the November 5, 2012, Keizer City Council meeting - 7:00 at Keizer City Hall.
There are a number of changes to the original plan including reducing the size of the big box store (Identified 4 years ago by the developer as being a Wal Mart.), adding a large number of apartments, changing some of the traffic flows and eliminating the three-story vertical mixed use buildings. This substantially changes the original plan and should go through a complete planning commission and public hearing process.
Traffic remains a major concern.
* The merge of Chemawa Road from five lanes to two takes place in a very short span leaving not enough space for cars to merge without causing traffic back-ups.
* There is only room for eight cars to stack in the left-hand turn lane into the new development.
* Once in the proposed development, the primary way to avoid the backed-up traffic and stop lights at Chemawa will be to use Ridge Road past the Little League fields with no improvements scheduled.
* There are no plans to widen, add bike lanes or sidewalks to Chemawa Road.
* McLeod is not being widened to account for the increased traffic.
* The intersections at Chemawa and Verda and Lockhaven and Verda are already failing by traffic standards.
* The proposed new intersection at Chemawa and McLeod can not support the number of cars that the new apartments, office, retail and big box store will draw.
* Actual current traffic counts at the planned intersections should be used for comparison purposes instead of national average traffic count manuals.
Large format stores do not belong adjacent to neighborhoods. Increased 24-hour traffic will negatively impact home values and community safety. The area is zoned mixed use and was originally designed to have retail buildings no larger than 10,000 sq ft so that it would be walkable and neighborhood friendly.
Below is a map of the new proposal. Please share your thoughts with the local newspapers, your city councilors and at the public hearing at the city council meeting. This process had been going on for over five years and there is no reason to rush this proposal through now without adequate public discussion and prior to the elections and the sitting of a new City Council. Let's take the time to hear from the community.
If you have any questions or would like to be on our email list, please drop us an email at KeepKeizerLivable@mail.org or call us at 503-463-8251.
We are a registered Political Action Committee and are looking for tax deductible donations to help pay for our voter outreach efforts.
Thank you for all of the support and help. By working together we'll continue to Keep Keizer Livable for our kids and grandkids!
