Three Sisters Meadow Committee Tackles Key Decisions

BLUE RIVER: In 2021, sisters Becky, Jody, and Kathy Jones of the Seneca Family of Companies gave 16 acres of a former millsite to the community of Blue River. Their only stipulation was that it be used to for revitalization efforts.

Since then, the three Sisters Meadow Committee has been tackling key decisions on governance, land use, and long-term management of the property. Ideas have ranged from mixed commercial/residential development to set asides for recreational uses and light industrial – to using part of it as a drainfield for a public sewer system.

The last idea lost some steam when the Blue River Water District balked from taking on the additional responsibility of operating a sewer district. And, last month the McKenzie School District formally also stepped back from its offer to develop septic infrastructure and acquire the land, after Lane County revealed grant support for the sewer project came with a $1 million shortfall.

Last month, the committee reviewed a detailed partnership proposal from McKenzie Valley Wellness (MVW). Discussions reflected what several participants described as “a pivotal moment” for the community-led effort to shape the property’s long-term role for the Blue River community.

MVW president Val Rapp and secretary Jane Wilson presented a proposal for the nonprofit to serve as trustee of the Meadow and sponsor the committee, offering administrative support and access to funding. They emphasized that any future land transfer would require community approval adding that the MVW “isn’t seeking control of the property.”

“We have some funds and expertise we can contribute,” Wilson said, noting that MVW’s mission includes community health, recreation, and sustainability.

“We’re here to help facilitate whatever the community wants to do,” Rapp said.

Other opportunities for the property included growing interest in developing the land as a recreation hub. Some people have noted a rising demand from runners, mountain bikers, event organizers, and training groups.

The committee discussed the nationally certified eight-lane McKenzie Community Track, built with the same surface used at Eugene’s Hayward Field and one of only a few in Lane County eligible for Olympic Trials–level training. Currently, the track is pursuing a $30,000 grant to install an interior rail required for top-tier certification.

Governance discussions centered on creating a new 501(c)(3) nonprofit that would honor the Jones family’s directive to keep the current committee as the Meadow’s decision-making body.

Questions remain about a new board’s composition and voting authority. Those topics will be on the agenda of a governance subcommittee that plans to meet on December 5.