2nd ‘Sisters Country Horizons’ survey begins Monday

Sisters Country Horizons is launching a second survey to gauge which strategies meant to ensure the region’s future livability are supported most by residents. The online survey launches Monday and can be found at www.sistershorizons.org.

The strategies have been developed over the past several months through outreach work that has included community leader interviews, a survey, forums, meetings, presentations and events.

About 1,200 people have been involved in the process. More than 50 strategies have been drafted and refined by Sisters Country Horizons participants. They are organized into four focus areas: Prosperous Sisters, Livable Sisters, Resilient Sisters, and Connected Sisters.

Among the draft strategies:

— Oregon’s Artisanal Capital: Develop and promote Sisters Country as the “Artisanal Capital of Oregon”, building on it its strategic location and spectacular environment, expanding the artisanal economy including visual artists, trades and crafts people, musicians, performance artists, writers, brewers, distillers, and farm-to-table chefs.

— Forest Service Property Development: Develop a master plan for a signature development on the U.S. Forest Service property that is compatible with the community’s character and identity, combining mixed-used commercial, residential and recreational facilities that anchor and define the community, create new jobs, and provide housing options.

— Affordable Housing: Increase the availability of affordable housing in Sisters Country, including a comprehensive review of the Sisters Housing Plan (2010), promotion of a diverse mix of housing types, and support for private and volunteer programs that address the issue of housing affordability.

The latest survey asks respondents to select their top five strategies in each of the four focus areas.

“We are asking the community to help us whittle down all these ideas to a short list of top priority strategies,” says Sisters Mayor Chuck Ryan. “This fall, a new citizen Vision Action Team will flesh out a vision action plan with partners including the city, county, other public agencies, community organizations, and the business community.”

The first Sisters Country Horizons survey — completed by nearly 500 Sisters-area residents between March and May — found residents treasuring the community’s natural environment and small-town feel, and citing growth, traffic and housing as major challenges to the community’s quality of life.

Sisters Country Horizons is a visioning project sponsored by the City of Sisters. Deschutes County and the Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council are project partners.

The Horizons project will run through December and result in a long-range vision for Sisters Country and a plan to achieve it. It will be carried out local government, public agencies, community organizations, and the business community.

Sisters Country is that part of Deschutes County served by the Sisters School District 006, including the City of Sisters, surrounding smaller unincorporated communities and residential areas, ranches and farms, as well Camp Sherman.

For more information, visit the Sisters Country Horizons website at www.sistershorizons.org or email info@sistershorizons.org. You can also like the project at www.facebook.com/sistershorizons/