Thursday, December 22, 2011

Rushing to nowhere.

So I read the lead story in the Bulletin today twice, to see if I was missing something.

Because it seems to me that neither the headline or the lead paragraph are proven by the ensuing story.

"Tetherow Investors Race to Claim Single - Family Lots."

On first reading it, I assumed to this was referring to -- you know -- actually buyers of single-family lots. But no, they are referring to those entities -- of which there are several, who picked up swatches of land out there and who now want permission to build homes. Problem is, they don't want to build the resort units that are necessary to fill the letter of the law.

"....ownership if fractured after the crash of the real estate market...." "....instead of one developer, there are no multiple owners and each has its own financial interests."

Bad enough for the one developer having to build an unprofitable hotel --but at least that developer would have had the whole development to ameliorate the costs. Hard to see how a bunch of separate parties are going to pull that off.

Oh, wait. That "unprofitable hotel" which hasn't been built accounted for the first 398 lots. What they are talking about it developing another 117 lots with the vague promise of more tourist units. (More tourist units when the original still not only aren't being built, but have been orphaned.)

Time to prove it. Build the hotel before any more lots are approved. (Where's the state in all this? Why aren't they enforcing the land-use laws here?)

Oh, by the way. I don't believe "rush" is quite the right word. Go ahead, go out to Tetherow and tell me there is a rush to build anything. This many years later, it still looks pretty empty to me.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Developers know in Deschutes county they will never have to build over night lodging. One only needs to look at every other destination resort and see the Deschutes County commissioners will grant extension after extension after extension. Destination Resorts are just a way to circumvent Oregon Land Use law and build a subdivision outside the UGB.

Tetherow is an eyesore with its fire ravaged terrain that is now over run with noxious weeds. Only a fool would buy out there.

Fortunately the economy is taking care of Tetherow. Seen how the lot prices have been slashed and the bath a couple lot owners have had to take on resales?

H. Bruce Miller said...

"Where's the state in all this? Why aren't they enforcing the land-use laws here?"

Somebody needs to file a complaint with LUBA.

"Destination Resorts are just a way to circumvent Oregon Land Use law and build a subdivision outside the UGB."

Yep.

Anonymous said...

The Deschutes County Commissioners have said time and time again they would never execute the posted bond. So the destination resort developers know they will never have to build or otherwise provide the over night lodging. I believe the bonds are less then 10% of the expected cost to build the overnight lodging.