a permit upgrade that could
mean no more bike races.
(Photos © J. Maus)
In recent years, Kruger’s Farm on Sauvie Island has hosted many popular cyclocross and mountain bike events. The events have drawn thousands of Portlanders and their families who take part in the fun and soak up the welcoming farm atmosphere just a few miles outside the city.
But now those events are in jeopardy as Kruger’s Farm faces a permitting hurdle with Multnomah County’s land use planning department. The County is making Kruger apply for a new permit (that would allow the events) after a complaint was filed by one of Kruger’s neighbors. The County confirms this complaint, saying that it alleges Kruger is guilty of “non-permitted commercial uses and non-permitted construction of structures.”
If the permit is not granted, Kruger would be forced to put a stop to not only the bike races, but also the popular square dancing events, the summer concert series, weddings, and other public events held at the farm.
Kruger currently operates the farm on a 1981 “farm stand” permit, and he admits that things have changed considerably since then. Speaking via telephone from his farm this morning, Kruger said the expansion of public events on his farm have brought “spectacular results” and that his purchase of the farm in January of 2008 “wouldn’t have been fathomable without them.”
Kruger says he’s worked hard to turn his property into a successful and viable public farm and that he’s still operating within the bounds of legal statute. Unfortunately, Kruger says, because of his neighbor’s complaint, the County is now requiring him to get a new “Type 2” farm stand permit that would allow the events to continue.
In the meantime, the County has forced him to suspend all public events (they call it a “voluntary compliance agreement”, but Kruger pointed out that it wasn’t voluntary at all).
Kruger says he has a great relationship with the County, but he’s a bit perplexed why they’ve singled him out. (I have yet to hear back from the County.)
“Unfortunately, one upset neighbor has made it his crusade to stop me and the way things work sometimes is that just one negative person gets a lot of play.”
— Don Kruger, owner of Kruger’s Farm Markets
Event promoter and owner of Portland Racing, Kris Schamp, says the loss of Kruger’s Farm as a venue would be a serious blow to the community. “Venues on private land that are close to Portland are very hard to find.” At his “Kruger’s Crossing” event last year — one of four he put on at Kruger’s farm — Schamp drew nearly 700 racers and fans to Sauvie Island.
Schamp says that he was very surprised to hear about the permit issue because his events have been, “Extremely smooth and low impact.”
At this point, Kruger says a public showing of support (in the form of comments left with the County) is vital to him being granted the new permit. “I believe we have a chance, but it’s very important that the public weighs in right now,” he said.
If he doesn’t get the expanded permit, Kruger says things would get much more difficult for his business. He estimates that one-third of his net income is on the line. Kruger says the loss would mean he couldn’t “continue to make the farm a public gathering place.” “That’s the irony,” he added, “I’m doing what people want, but the codes sometimes just don’t keep up with it.”
“Unfortunately, one upset neighbor has made it his crusade to stop me and the way things work sometimes is that just one negative person gets a lot of play.”
As for the bike races, Kruger told me he was at first “reluctant” to do them. “But when I did the first race,” he recalled, “I was really stunned at the kind of people that came out. They really cared about the farm, they had families, they were extremely respectful of the land… it was outstanding and I really thought it was helping our farm.”
I have personally attended several bike events at Kruger’s Farm. My family and I not only enjoyed the racing, but we also spent money at the store and stopped at other Sauvie Island businesses and farms while we where there. I can’t imagine why the County would want to make that scenario less likely from happening in the future.
To comment on Kruger’s permit, download the application (PDF, 700kb) for more information and submit your comments to:
- Joanna Valencia
Multnomah County Land Use and Transportation Program
1600 SE 190th
Portland, Oregon 97233
joanna.valencia@co.multnomah.or.us
Case # T2-09-22