Sunriver Brewery brings home the prestigious Brewery of the Year award Page 6
INSIDE THIS ISSUE SROA News ............. 4 Calendar ................ 15
Public Safety........... 30 Classified Ads ......... 39
It's turkey time! Be sure to follow safety precautions when frying your bird Page 31
S U N R I V E R
S C E N E A NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE SUNRIVER OWNERS ASSOCIATION
NOVEMBER 2024
VOLUME XLVII • NUMBER 11
SROA NEWS – The SROA Board of Directors has approved several increases for some fees for services in 2025 as recommended by the Admissions Model Workgroup and SROA Finance Committee. Rising costs for almost everything is the norm these days, with the largest increases for utilities. Commercial water rates in Sunriver are going up 17% in 2025, so you can image what SROA’s water bill will look like – especially for aquatics. “The goal is to have fees that adequately cover the staffing and organizational cost of providing service to owners and guests, along with looking at comparisons of like-minded communities and their fees for similar services,” Keith Kessaris, SROA assistant general manager, said. “SROA’s fees for services are offered to owners at a substantial discount versus the prices charged to the general public.” The new fees will soon be posted to the SROA and SHARC websites. Administration • Community Development increased project submittal and review fees related to residential and commercial construction projects. • Scene advertising rates increased approximately 5% to offset an increase in printing and postage costs. RV storage fees Recreational vehicle storage rates increased as part of a five-year plan to get within 50% of market rates, but still remain below market value of comparable storage rates throughout Central Oregon. Recreation Recreation will see several increases for the following programs: • Member Preference will be $85 per card. • Recreation Plus Program will be $340 per card. T F,
Area road improvement projects moving forward The Oregon Department of Transportation and Deschutes County’s Road Department is moving forward with its five year Capital Improvement Plan for numerous road projects within south Deschutes County along South Century Drive. South Century Drive is an arterial road connecting Highway 97 to the Sunriver and Three Rivers communities and various destinations in the Deschutes National Forest. Along its length, South Century Drive intersects Huntington Road, Spring River Road and Venture Lane. These intersections experience safety-related and operational issues as traffic levels along this corridor continue to increase. First announced in September 2022, planned projects that immediately serve the greater Sunriver/Three Rivers areas include the installation of single-land roundabouts at the intersections of T R,
SUSAN BERGER PHOTOS
Deschutes County has plans to turn the intersection entry into the Sunriver Business Park into a traffic circle in the next couple of years.
Little Lava Fire continues to burn as region moves to fall By Susan Berger, Sunriver Scene As the Scene went to press, the Little Lava Fire continues to burn west of Sunriver and, depending on which way the wind blows, bring smoke into the community. The fire, burning since Sept. 8 and now more than 15,300 acres, merged with fire incident 913 near Sheridan Butte in mid-October. The fire experienced substantial growth as it pushed north into rugged terrain inaccessible to fire crews. High winds also pushed the fire across Road 45 again (the road from Sunriver to Mt. Bachelor) but fire crews managed to get a handle on it. “We were a bit concerned when it jumped over Road 45 and the potential level of evacuation in Sunriver,” Sunriver Fire Chief Bill Boos told the Sunriver Service District Managing Board during its October meeting. “It’s now burning north toward Mt. Bachelor but (firefighters) can’t get into those areas – it’s rough in there.”
PHOTOS COURTESY DESCHUTES NATIONAL FOREST
Firefighters continue to monitor predicted weather patterns. Prior to a forecasted cold front that moved into the area in mid-October, there were days when fire movement increased due to winds; however, mild temperatures and higher humidity helped moderate some activity. Incoming precipitation (with a touch of snow) helped reduce
the fire’s spread but was not expected to be enough for a season-ending event. Road 45 remains closed as mop-up operations along the fire line continue along the northeastern side where fire crossed the road. Crews and heavy equipment are working on fuel break construction to establish an even stronger eastern control line. SUNRIVER SCENE SUNRIVER OWNERS ASSN. VOLUME XLVII • NUMBER 11 P.O. BOX 3278 SUNRIVER, OR 97707
Some SROA fees for services increasing in 2025
PRSRT STD. U.S. POSTAGE PAID BEND, OR PERMIT NO. 213