State Senate OKs Skyline Forest measure

The Bend Bulletin details the passage of Skyline Forest legislation.

SALEM — Two bills that are politically joined at the hip passed the state Senate on Friday: a proposed Metolius River Basin resort ban as well as legislation that could help preserve the Skyline Forest a few miles west of Bend.

House Bill 3298, which passed by a vote of 16-12, is the culmination of Gov. Ted Kulongoski’s proposed ban to block two destination resorts that have been discussed for the area. The two resorts are a 2,500-unit development pursued by the Ponderosa Land and Cattle Co. as well as the 630-unit Metolian “eco resort.”

On Friday, Sen. Betsy Johnson, D-Scappoose, echoed other supporters of the bill in calling the river a “treasure,” while critics, such as Sen. Ted Ferrioli, R-John Day, criticized the process leading to the vote as unfair and unethical.

Meanwhile, House Bill 2228, which also passed 16-12, amounts to a grab bag of development rights that the state would distribute under a pilot program.

One aspect of it would enable the owner of Skyline Forest to sell the bulk of the parcel to a land trust in exchange for development rights in a small area of the forest.

The remaining forest would become a nonprofit “community forest” that supports logging, recreation and the environment — and preserves the green expanse that to Bend residents appears beneath the Three Sisters.

But the helping hand for Skyline is just one part of HB 2228.

Another part would limit the would-be developers of the Metolian to building just two homes in the river basin while providing them with what amounts to a consolation prize. Specifically, it would provide development rights to help the group relocate elsewhere in the state, such as near Bandon Dunes.

The Metolian development group and its allies in the Legislature don’t like the idea. Ferrioli called HB 2228 a mechanism to “bully and coerce landowners.”

The no votes on HB 3298 and HB 2228 on Friday were the same: a group composed of all 10 Republicans present as well as two Democrats, Sen. Rick Metsger, D-Welches, and Sen. Vicki Walker, D-Eugene.

Both bills now go to the state House of Representatives, where the Metolius ban is expected to receive a vote on Tuesday.

Supporters of the Metolius resort ban are optimistic.

“I hear it’s got the votes,” said state Treasurer Ben Westlund, the former Bend lawmaker, who said he was pleased by the Senate vote.

Still, supporters remain cautious. Erik Kancler of Central Oregon LandWatch called the House “a challenging environment” for the bill. Though he predicted there will be enough votes on Tuesday, he added, “I have some lobbying left to do.”

Some Skyline supporters are concerned the forest’s future could become entangled in the battle over the Metolius and in the traditional end-of-session political horse-trading.

That’s because the House still must sign off on House Bill 2228.

So Sen. Chris Telfer, R-Bend, and Rep. Gene Whisnant, R-Sunriver, said they are co-sponsoring a new, stand-alone bill, Senate Bill 793, just in case the battle over the Metolius holds things up for House Bill 2228 and the Skyline Forest.

SB 793 would be a stand-alone measure to enable the preservation of Skyline Forest.

The bill still needs to pass the Senate and the House, meaning it has little time to become a realistic backup plan.

The Legislature is scheduled to adjourn by June 30. Legislative aides, however, say the session could wrap up in less than two weeks.

Nick Budnick can be reached at 503-566-2839 or at nbudnick@bendbulletin.com.