Two years ago, shortly after the adoption of Rivergrove's new Tree Ordinance, a citizen filed a complaint with the State's Land Conservation and Development Commission (LCDC) against the City or Rivergrove. The complaint covered issues of content, disputes about notice and methods of adoption.
The City's Planner, with City Attorney review, and assistance from the then City Manager, Leanne Moll, replied with a 94-page written response, showing that the City of Rivergrove had indeed followed State and Local laws and had given citizens many opportunities to comment on the proposed ordinance in meetings or in writing.
Now, two-plus years later, this case has come before the Commission and will be heard this Friday, May 22 at 10:45 am. (If you wish to tune into the meeting, please do so during the Commission's break between 10:30 and 10:45 am.) The State LCDC has designated the meeting as a "listen-only" session. Testimony is limited to the complainant and the City. Rivergrove will be represented by Mayor Walt Williams, Councilor David Pierce, City Planner Matt Straite and City Attorney Bill Kabeiseman. Here is the link to listen via Granicus Livestream:
The response to this complaint has been expensive for the City, costing thousands of dollars to prepare. Council is hoping for a favorable action from LCDC and that will help to avoid such issues in the future.
— Walt Williams, Mayor