Amity

Amity Vineyards
18150 Amity Vineyards Road S.E., Amity
503-835-2362, amityvineyards.com
Release of new wines and current releases paired with local and regional foods. Winemaker Darcy and staff will be there to guide you through the tasting and tour the winery. Enjoy the view from the picnic area. $10 includes wine tasting and food pairings. Sat-Mon 12 p.m.-5 p.m.

Brooks winery
21105 S.E. Cherry Blossom Lane, Amity
503-435-1278, brookswines.com
Celebrate the inaugural release of many wines: 2011 Bois Joli Riesling, Pinot Noir Rosé, Columbia Gorge Gewürztraminer, 2010 Sunny Mountain Pinot Noir and more. Live music, great food and a great time promised. Fee: $10 (includes 10+ wines, logo glass, food and live music). Sat-Mon 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Calamity Hill
9779 SE Hillview Drive, Amity
503-868-7115, calamityhill.com
Visit Oregon’s smallest legal producer of Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris. Sit by a roaring fire in the outdoor room and enjoy the four-mountain view. Releasing their 2011 Starlight White Pinot Gris; four other wines available for tastes or by the glass. Fee: $5 (includes wine tasting and hearty local snacks). Sat-Sun 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Coelho Winery
111 Fifth Street, Amity
503-835-9305, coelhowinery.com
Taste 2010 new vintage releases, experience handcrafted estate Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir Blanc, Pinot Noir Rosé, Pinot Noir, Portuguese Red Wine, Petite Syrah and Port-style wines. Fee: $20 (includes wine tasting and appetizers). Fri-Mon 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Kristin Hill Winery
3330 S.E. Amity Dayton Highway, Amity
503-835-0850
Wine for more than just the Pinot lover. Sparkling, Gewürztraminer, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Port-style wine and their 2011 Nouveau. Fee: $5 (includes 6 tastes, light snacks and tasting glass). Sat-Mon 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Mia Sonatina Cellars
102 Nursery Street, Amity
503-449-0834,.miasonatina.com
Sample wines crafted in an Old-World style. New Releases: 2007 Allegro, 2008 Pinot Noir, 2011 Pinot Gris, 2011 Riesling, 2011 Gewürztraminer, Serenade (sweet blend), Dolce (dessert wine). Fee: $8 (includes wine tasting, barrel tasting, appetizers). Sat-Mon 12 p.m.-5 p.m.

Mystic wine
11931 S.E. Hoodview Road, Amity
503-931-5376, .mysticwine.com
Peaceful views of Mt. Hood and the Valley welcome you to Mystic Wines. Six luscious Reds for you to enjoy; Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet, Syrah, Barbera and Zinfandel. Fee: $10 (includes 6 pours and tasty nibbles). Sat-Sun 12 p.m-5 p.m.

Carlton

Terra Vina Wines Vineyard
214 ‘B’ W. Main Street, Carlton
503-925-0712, terravinawines.comrapt
$10 includes logo glass, delicious cheeses, artisan breads and tastes of award-winning wines and the new release of the anxiously awaited 2010 Cabernet Franc & 2010 La Famiglia Pinot Noir. Purchases futures at fabulous discounts. A portion of tasting fees donated to the Newberg Animal Shelter. Sat-Mon 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Cornelius

Árdíri Winery and Vineyards
35040 SW Unger Rd., Cornelius
503-628-6060, ardiriwine.com
Pairing current releases with cheeses from Quail Run Creamery and offering a variety of local artisan food from purveyors sampling their craft. Experience live landscape painting by nationally recognized Oregon artist, Jen Vranes, whose work appears on several Ardiri labels. Stunning views, cozy seating, award-winning wines. $10/ flight. Sat-Mon 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

Corvallis

Tyee Wine Cellars
26335 Greenberry Rd., Corvallis
541-753-8754, tyeewine.com
Open House featuring Tyee Estate Wines on the Buchanan Family Century Farm; hiking, picnicking, wine tasting and special discounts. On Monday, May 28th, Tyee hosts The Space Neighbors in Concert with Dim Sum by Magenta. Concert tickets online $7 or $10 at gate. Fri-Mon 12 p.m.-5 p.m.

Dallas

Amalie Robert Estate
13531 Bursell Road, Dallas
503-88-CUVEE, amalierobert.com
Taste the new-release 2009 Pinot Noirs, 2010 Pinot Meunier and 2009 “Satisfaction Syrah.” The vineyard and winery are located 20 minutes west of Salem. $10 includes Riedel glass and cheeses. Sat-Mon 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Chateau Bianca
17485 Highway 22, Dallas
877-623-6181, chateaubianca.com
This year’s festivities will include barrel tasting in the cellar and the opportunity to buy futures of in-barrel wines. Fee: $5 (includes tasting, fruit and crackers); $10 (barrel tasting). Fri-Sun 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Illahe Vineyards
3275 Ballard Road, Dallas
503-831-1248, Illahevineyards.com
Sample the release of their 2010 Reserve and Willamette Valley Pinot Noirs, 2011 Estate Pinot Gris, along with their 2011 Viognier paired with artisan cheeses and bread from the Breadboard. Weather permitting, take a horse-drawn wagon tour of the vineyard with winemaker Brad Ford. Fee: $10 (refunded with a four-bottle purchase). Sat-Mon 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Namasté Vineyards
5600 Van Well Road, Dallas
503-623-4150,.namastevineyards.com
Celebrating their 10th anniversary. Enjoy stunning views and delicious wines at this family-owned vineyard just west of Salem. Pouring handcrafted, limited-production wines, including award-winning Pinot Noirs, the ever popular Peace, Serenity White Port and newly released Cabernet and Merlot. Fee: $10 (includes tasting of five wines). Sat-Mon 12 p.m.-6 p.m.

Van Duzer Vineyards
11975 Smithfield Road, Dallas
800-884-1927, vanduzer.com
Come for the wine, stay for the view. Celebrate with new releases of Rosé, Pinot Gris and Riesling as well as old favorites. Visit with the winemaking team, peruse art by local artists and enjoy gourmet food. $10 includes wine and snacks. Sat-Mon 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Dayton

Armonéa Wine Cellars
6855 Breyman Orchards Rd., Dayton
503-864-3446, winecountryfarm.com
Sample Chardonnay, Riesling, Mueller Thurgau, Pinot Gris and two Pinot Noirs. Also pouring Riesling dessert wine and sparkling wine. $10 includes Armonéa glass, famous Pinot brownies, and a view of a charming new Arabian filly. Sat-Mon 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Methven Family Vineyards
11400 Westland Lane, Dayton
503-868-7259, methvenfamilyvineyards.com Taste new releases including their 2008 Pinot and their first Rosé. Joel Palmer House tasting menu, and chocolate Pinot Noir cupcakes from Ruby Cakes. Live music 2-4 from Big Ron Sabin. Sat-Mon 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Sokol Blosser
5000 Sokol Blosser Lane, Dayton
800-582-6668, sokolblosser.com
Join in the Sokol Blosser courtyard for a weekend of barrel tasting, fabulous wines, lively music and great food. Family and staff will guide visitors through a delicious portfolio of current releases and hard-to-find gems. Picnic fare available for purchase from the RibSlayer as well! Sat-Mon, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Stoller
16161 NE McDougall Rd., Dayton
503-864-3404, stollervineyards.com
$20 includes Open House, Stoller Souvenir Oregon Pinot Noir, Reidel glass and light appetizers. Sat-Sun 11 a.m-4 p.m.

Seufert Winery
415 Ferry St., Dayton
503-864-2946, seufertwinery.com
Pinot Noir flights paired with amuse-bouche bites. $10. Fri-Sat 11-5, Sun 12 p.m.-5 p.m.

Winter’s Hill Vineyard
6451 Hilltop Lane NE, Dayton
503-864-4538, wintershillwine.com
$10 includes souvenir glass, breathtaking views and genuine hospitality. Guests will enjoy new releases of Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Dry Rosé of Pinot Noir and dessert wines. Meet the winemaker and owners. Sat-Sun, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Dundee

Argyle Winery
691 Highway 99W, Dundee
888-4-ARGYLE, argylewinery.com
Argyle’s 25th anniversary making wine in Dundee. Special cellar selections, gourmet cheeses and tastings straight from the barrel while relaxing to live local music from Rio Con Brio. Be the first to taste Argyle’s Silver Series Pinot Noirs – limited edition wines from their prized vineyards. music 12 p.m.-4:30 p.m. $15 includes logo glass. Sat-Sun, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Bella Vida Vineyard
9380 NE Worden Hill Rd., Dundee
503-538-9821, bellavida.com
Visit their new tasting room, opening Memorial Day Weekend.

Daedalus Cellars
990 North Highway 99W, Dundee
503-538-4400, daedaluscellars.com
Experience their newly released, very-limited-produced 09 Labyrinth & 09 Maresh Pinot Noirs. Also new additions to our current releases: the 2011 Pinot Noir Blanc and Jezebel Blanc will be available for sample as well. Also serving a family-recipe soup. $10. Sat-Mon 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Dobbes Family Estate
240 SE Fifth St., Dundee
503-538-1141, dobbesfamilyestate.com
Celebrate the release of their 2011 Joe’s Secco Oregon Bubbles complete with fun food pairings & groovy tunes. Try the bubbly sensation from Wine By Joe, recently named #1 Hot Small Brand, in the Dobbes Family Estate tasting room. $15 tasting fee. Sat-Sun 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

Duck Pond Cellars
23145 Highway 99W, Dundee
503-538-3199, duckpondcellars.com
Taste five wines, take cellar tour (available at 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.) and barrel sampling. Wines available for tasting include 2011 Pinot Gris, 2009 Chardonnay, 2010 Mingle (white blend), 2009 Red Blend, 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon, 2006 Semillon Dessert Wine. Special case discounts. Artist Oscar Flores-Fiol and vendor Clay Art will be on hand selling art and gifts as well. $10 ($5 for wine club members) includes logo glass. Sat-Sun 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

The Four Graces Winery
9605 NE Fox Farm Road , Dundee
503-554-8000, thefourgraces.com
Enjoy delicious appetizers and The Four Graces wines. There will also be a special raffle prize drawing. $15 for wine tasting and appetizers. Club Members and up to four guests have the fee waived. Sat-Mon 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Lange Estate Winery and Vineyards
18380 NE Buena Vista Drive, Dundee
503-538-6476, langewinery.com
25th Anniversary special Pinot, with light appetizers. Also offering wood-fired pizzas and other treats catered by Tastebud. $15 includes Reidel logo glass. Sat-Sun, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Torii Mor Winery
18365 NE Fairview Dr., Dundee
503-554-0105, toriimorwinery.com
$15 or $25 to kick off the season with the release of Torii Mor’s 2011 Rosé and other release wines and single vineyard Pinots, paired with local cheeses and chocolates. The higher fee includes an additional vertical tasting of the infamous “Deux Verres” Reserve Pinot Noir. Case discounts offered, Wine Club members will receive two complimentary tastings per membership. Sat – Mon 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Junction City

Brigadoon Wine
25166 Ferguson Road, Junction City
541-998-2600, brigadoonwineco.com
Taste the family’s wines, including their Double-Gold Medal 2008 Pinot Noir and enjoy the fresh appetizer creations of LUC of Corvallis. Picnics welcome. Fee: $5. (includes wine tasting and appetizers). Sat-Mon 12 p.m.-5 p.m.
McMinnville

Anthony Dell Cellars
250 NE 3rd St.,McMinnville
503-910-8874, anthonydellcellars.com
Weekend Tasting at the tasting room. $10 Sat-Mon, 12 p.m.-5 p.m.

Dominio IV
845 NE Fifth St., McMinnville
503-474-8636, dominiowines.com
Cheese, fruit, bread, meats and crudité in open cellars. Eight wines, $10. Sat-Sun 12 p.m.-5 p.m.

Maysara Winery
15765 Muddy Valley Rd., McMinnville
503-843-1234, maysara.com
Flora Momtazi will be serving divinely inspired spring time appetizers while the Momtazi girls serve Maysara wines to compliment Flora’s dishes. Food, wine, live entertainment and (fingers-crossed) sunshine on the patio. $20. Sat-Mon 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

Remy Wines
905 NE 10th Ave., McMinnville
503-560-2003, remywines.com
Taste a bevy of wines. Also offering specials and some delectable nibbles. $5 tasting fee, waived if you bring three non-perishable food items to be donated to the Yamhill County Food Bank. Sat-Sun 12 p.m.-5 p.m., Mon 12 p.m-4 p.m.

Twelve
581 NE 3rd Street, McMinnville
503-435-1212, twelvewine.com
$8 for flights paired with chocolate. Sat-Mon 12 p.m.-6 p.m.

Westrey Wine Company
1065 NE Alpine Ave., McMinnville
503-434-6357, westrey.com
Start the summer tasting season at Westrey Wine’s Open House. Taste current releases as well as wines that are sold out everywhere but the winery. Sat-Mon, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Yamhill Valley Vineyards
16250 SW Oldsville Rd., McMinnville
503-843-3100, yamhill.com
No fee for featured pairings for each wine in Yamhill’s flight. Will include Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, four Pinot Noirs and a Riesling to die for. RSVP for groups of 6 or more. Fri-Mon, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Monmouth

Airlie Winery
15305 Dunn Forest Road, Monmouth
503-838-6013, airliewinery.com
Pouring Liz’s first sparkling wine, a new rosé and the 2008 Vintner’s Blend. Also live music and food for purchase. $10 includes T-shirt (while they last) and souvenir wine glass. Sat–Mon 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Emerson Vineyards
11665 Airlie Road, Monmouth
503-838-0944, emersonvineyards.com
Enjoy wine tasting and hors d’oeuvres and hospitality. $5 (waived with wine purchase). Sat-Mon 12 p.m.-5 p.m.

Monroe

Benton-Lane Winery
23924 Territorial Highway, Monroe
541-847-5792, benton-lane.com
Have your palate seduced by silky Pinots at their picturesque family-owned estate winery and vineyards. Live music, Sat-Sun 1 p.m.-4 p.m.; Olive Grand – olive oil tasting Sun-Mon 1 p.m.-4 p.m.Tasting Fee $7, refundable with $20 wine purchase. Sat-Mon 12 p.m.-5 p.m.

Newberg

Adelsheim Vineyard
16800 NE Calkins Ln., Newberg
503-662-4509, adelsheim.com
Adelsheim will be pouring a flight of spring wines and serving cheese and charcuterie. $20 includes a Reidel glass. Sat-Mon 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

Anam Cara Cellars
306 N. Main St. (Hwy. 240), Newberg
503-537-9150, anamcaracellars.com
Spring releases with cheeses, flight of six wines, $10 (waived with purchase of two bottles). Sat-Mon 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Anderson Family Vineyard
20120 NE Herring Ln., Newberg
503-554-5541, andersonfamilyvineyard.com Open house with tasting of newest releases of Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs, $10. Sat-Sun 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Mon by app’t.

Aramenta Cellars
17979 NE Lewis Rogers Ln., Newberg
503-538-7230, aramentacellars.com
Sample vintages of Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs poured with hors d’oeuvres and chocolates. $10 Sat-Mon 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

August Cellars
14000 NE Quarry Rd., Newberg
503-554-6766, augustcellars.com
Tasting from three wineries: August Cellars, Artisanal Winery, and Toluca Lane on Sat & Sun; August Cellars only on Mon. Served with Majestic Chocolates. $10 includes August Cellars logo glass. Taste of 808 Hawaiian BBQ (additional cost). Sat-Mon 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Beaux Fréres
15155 NE North Valley Rd., Newberg
503-537-1137, beauxfreres.com
Barrel tastings, nibbles and special Library offerings. $15 includes Reidel glass. Sat-Sun 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Bergström wines
18215 NE Calkins Ln., Newberg
503-554-0468, bergstromwines.com
Taste newly released Rosé, Sigrid Chardonnay and 2010 Single Vineyard Pinot Noirs. $15 (Club members receive four complimentary entries). Sat-Sun 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Mon 12 p.m.-3 p.m.

Colene Clemens Vineyards
22501 NE Dopp Rd., Newberg
503-662-4687, coleneclemens.com
Pouring highly anticipated 2011 Rose alongside their current release Pinot Noirs. Fee $10, complimentary admission for Cellar Club members. Sat-Sun 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Hip Chicks Do Wine
602 B East First St., Newberg
503-554-5800, hipchicksdowine.com
Every single one of their wines open for tasting. $15 admission includes a tasting of up to 18 wines, appetizers, and a logo glass. Fri-Mon 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

J.K. Carriere Wines
9995 NE Parrett Mountain Road, Newberg
503-554-0721,jkcarriere.com
Taste the new releases of their popular spring wines, as well as other current offerings, and go home with your summer stash. While you’re there sample Olympic Provisions’ house-cured charcuterie, then stay for lunch and enjoy one of their mouth-watering sandwiches on our patio overlooking the valley. $10 tasting fee. Sat-Sun, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Natalie’s Estate Winery
16825 NE Chehalem Dr., Newberg
503-807-5008, nataliesestatewinery.com
Pouring their most recent limited releases, paired with appetizers for your fullest enjoyment of the wines, and Victoria’s Lavender will be showcasing their products. Tasting fee $10 for non-Cellar Club members. Sat-Mon 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Patricia Green Cellars
15225 NE North Valley Rd., Newberg
503-554-0821, patriciagreencellars.com
One of the three weekends the cellars are open each year. Memorial Day Weekend is the only time that barrels are cracked open to show what they are working with for the vintage. Tasting at themidway point of a wine’s elevage gives a pretty decent impression of what the finished wine will be like. Fee $20, partially refundable with purchase. Sat-Sun 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Privé Vineyard
28155 NE Bell Rd., Newberg
503-544-0464, privevineyard.com
Spring Barrel Tasting & French Market with special guest St. Honoré Boulangerie. Petite, French-style winery surrounded by lavender and vineyards. Barrel tasting of the stunning 2011 pinot noir, syrah, malbec and Pinot Port as well as the 2010 mélange, plus French cheese tasting accompanied by nibbles of St. Honorés heavenly breads. $15. Sat-Sun 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Mon 12 p.m.-4 p.m.

Redman Vineyard and Winery
18975 NE Ribbon Ridge Rd., Newberg
503-554-1290, redmanwines.com
Memorial Day Open House, Sat-Mon 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

Shea Wine Cellars
12321 NE Highway 240, Newberg
503-241-6527, sheawinecellars.com
Pouring barrel samples of their new 2011 wines and selling futures on their 2011 limited release Pinots including Homer. Bottled wine from earlier vintages will also be poured. Fee $10. Sat-Sun11 a.m.-4 p.m.

Styring Vineyards
19960 NE Ribbon Ridge Road, Newberg
503-866-6741, styringvinyards.com
$5 to meet the winemaker of this small family-owned and operated vineyard and winery, tasting wines, listening to live music and touring the barrel room. Sat-Mon 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Trisaetum Winery
18401 Ribbon Ridge Road, Newberg
503-538-9898, trisaetum.com
Tour the subterranean barrel cave, fermentation hall and contemporary art gallery. $15 includes pours of new Reislings and Pinots, food pairings and logo glass.

Philomath

Spindrift Cellars
810 Applegate St., Philomath
541-929-6555, spindriftcellars.com
$10 for wine tasting of many Spindrift wines, Open House wine tour and Spindrift logo wine glass, 20% case discounts, light food and great local jeweler. Sat-Mon 12 p.m.-5 p.m.

Rickreall

Cherry Hill Winery
7867 Crowley Road, Rickreall
503-623-7867, cherryhillwinery.com
Join us for a Memorial Weekend open house. Fee: $10 (refundable with wine purchase) Sat-Mon 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Eola Hills wine Cellars
501 S. Pacific Highway 99W, Rickreall
800-291-6730, eolahillswinery.com
Taste over 23 wines. Offering half case discounts and brunch on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fee: $10 (includes commemorative wine glass, tasting, and cheese and crackers). Sat-Mon 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Firesteed Cellars
2200 N Pacific Highway W., Rickreall
503-623-8683, firesteed.com
Award-winning wines and special new releases available for tasting. Catered appetizers for food pairing with wines. Taste Firesteed’s 2011 Pinot Noir Rosé. Fee: $10 (club members no fee; includes wine tasting, appetizers, wine and food pairing stations). Sat-Sun 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Johan Vineyards
4285 N. Pacific Highway 99W, Rickreall
866-379-6029, www.johanvineyards.com
Enjoy handcrafted wines from our certified Biodynamic estate vineyard. Take in gorgeous views while enjoying light snacks, live music and chatting with the owner. Open regular hours on Monday. Fee: $10 ($5 refunded with wine purchase) includes logo glass, light snacks and live music. Sat-Sun 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Left Coast Cellars
4225 N. Pacific Highway 99W, Rickreall
503-831-4916, www.leftcoastcellars.com
Celebrate the debut of their 2011 Pinot Gris and 2009 Cali’s Cuvee Pinot Noir with light snacks and music from the Danny Wold Jazz Trio. Tasting Room Café will be open daily for dining, and Monday, May 28, guitarist Michael Balok is on the patio. Fee: $10 (includes logo glass, light snacks and live music). Sat-Sun at winery, Mon at tasting room, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Salem

Ankeny Vineyard & Winery
2565 Riverside Road S., Salem
503-378-1498, ankenyvineyard.com
A spring weekend of food and wine, with old favorites Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Maréchal Foch, and new releases. Sat and Sun offering their wood-fired pizza, Mon offering Mexican carnitas cooked by Chef Juan Garcia. $5. Sat-Mon 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Arcane Cellars Wheatland Winery
22350 Magness Rd. N.W., Salem
503-868-7076, arcanecellars.com
Taste award-winning wines and new releases: Carmenere, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Rosés, Merlot, Music of the Spheres, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Madouro dessert wine. Bocce court, picnic areas, arboretum in a beautiful private setting along the Willamette River. Great small bites. $15 Sat-Mon 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Bethel Heights Vineyard
6060 Bethel Heights Road N.W., Salem
503-581-2262, bethelheights.com
Enjoy a fantastic lineup of 2009 Pinot Noirs, aromatic white wines and the spectacular view from their deck. Wine-friendly food available for purchase. Fee $5. Reserve Pinot Noir flight for an additional $10. Sat-Mon 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Cristom Vineyards
6905 Spring Valley Road N.W., Salem
503-375-3068, cristomwines.com
Pouring all four of the 2009 ‘ladies club’, along with 2009 Mt. Jefferson Cuvée. The hot tip is that they’ll still have some 2008 Sommers Reserve available and a jewel or two from our library. Fee: $10 (refunded with $100 wine purchase). Sat-Mon 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Cubanísimo Vineyards
1754 Best Road N.W., Salem
503-588-1763, cubanisimovineyards.com
Live music, great wine, tapas and dancing. Fee: $10 (includes wine tasting, salsa lesson, live music). Sat-Mon 12 p.m.-6 p.m.

Evesham Wood
3795 Wallace Road N.W., Salem
503-371-8478, eveshamwood.com
Taste spring releases including two 2010 Pinot Noirs, “Eola-Amity Hills Cuvée” and estate “La Grive Bleue,” along with two single-vineyard 2010 Pinot Noirs from Haden Fig. Experience the idyllic southern Eola Hills setting of their certified organic vineyard along with hors d’oeuvres and cheeses. Fee: $7. Sat-Mon 12 p.m.-4 p.m.

Haden Fig
(at Evesham Wood)
3795 Wallace Road N.W., Salem
503-477-6960,.hadenfig.com
Taste the newly released 2010 Pinot Noir Bjornson Vineyard and 2010 Pinot Noir Cancilla Vineyard along with the 2011 Rosé of Pinot Noir. Also pouring several new releases from Evesham Wood. Fee: $7 (includes wines from both Evesham Wood & Haden Fig, along with hors d’oeuvres and cheeses). Sat-Mon 12 p.m.-4 p.m.

Honeywood Winery
1350 Hines Street S.E., Salem
503-362-4111, honeywoodwinery.com
Sample new releases of Maréchal Foch, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay. More than 40 designer wines to please every palate. Enjoy samples of Oregon food products and browse the large gift shop. No fee. Fri-Sat 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sun 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

Kathken Vineyards
5739 Orchard Heights Road N.W., Salem
503-316-3911, kathkenvineyards.com
Visit their sky room in the yurt at the top of the vineyard (if rain, at tasting room by winery). Taste wines and chat with Ken, the winemaker. Fee: $8 (includes wine appetizers, including Kathy’s famousmeatballs). Sat-Mon 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Orchard Heights Winery
6057 Orchard Heights Road N.W., Salem
503-391-7308, orchardheightswinery.com
Open House. Celebrate their 2011 releases. Fee: $5 (includes wine tasting and appetizers). Sat-Mon 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Pudding River Wine Cellars
9374 Sunnyview Road N.E., Salem
503-365-0391, puddingriver.com
Open house featuring the latest release of their stainless steel tank-fermented Chardonnay and Pinot Gris. Fee: $5 (includes hors d’oeuvres and cheeses). Sat-Mon 12 p.m.-5 p.m.

Redhawk Vineyard & Winery
2995 Michigan City Road N.W., Salem
503-362-1596, redhawkwine.com
Wine and barrel tasting, delicious food, including barbecue, tri-tip, Italian sausage, salad, cheeses and more as well as live music. Enjoy the view and take advantage of special pricing during the festival. Fee: $10 (includes wine and barrel tasting, food, music). Sat-Mon 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

St. Innocent Winery
5657 Zena Road N.W., Salem
503-378-1526, stinnocentwine.com
Handmade wines from great Oregon vineyard sites. Wines will be paired with taste treats, including our winemaker’s cassoulet. 2010 Pinot Noir, Shea, Justice, Temperance Hill and Zenith, our estate. $12. Sat-Mon 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Sass winery
9092 Jackson Hill Road S.E., Salem
503-391-9991, sasswinery.com
New releases of Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay, some only available at the winery. Case discounts. Fee: $5 (refundable with wine purchase, includes tasting all wines, breads, cheeses, spreads, chocolates). Sat-Mon 12 p.m.-5 p.m.

Stangeland Vineyards & Winery
8500 Hopewell Road N.W., Salem
503-581-0355, stangelandwinery.com
$10 includes reserves. Stangeland marks 22 years with the release of its 2009 single-vineyard Pinots, 2010 Pinot Gris, 2011 Gewürztraminer and 2011 Rosés. Nibbles and scrumptious cheese, legendary quality at affordable prices. Sat-Mon 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Trinity Vineyards
1031 Wahl Lane S., Salem
503-371-6977, trinityvineyards.com
Take in stunning vineyard and mountain views from the tasting room and enjoy music, food and great wines. For $10 Trinity will feature its newly released 2011 Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir Rosé, its 2011 Sangiovese, 2009 Estate Pinot Noir and 2009 Reserve Pinot Noir. Sat-Sun 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Vitae Springs Vineyard
3675 Vitae Springs Road S., Salem
503-932-9786, vitaesprings.com
Vitae produces limited amounts of Grüner Veltliner from 32-year-old vines (the oldest in the nation) as well as an intriguing Riesling and elegant Pinot Noir. $10 tasting, free live music from Orvil Ivie and Mike Renwick on Sat, 1p.m.-4 p.m. Fri-Sat 1 p.m.-6 p.m., Sun 1 p.m.-5 p.m.

Witness Tree
7111 Spring Valley Road N.W., Salem
503-585-7874,witnesstreevineyard.com
No fee to taste newly released 2010 Remari Rosé and 2009 Benchmark Pinot Noir. Taste the 2011 Vintage Select Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from the barrel. Sat – Mon, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Turner

Willamette Valley Vineyards
8800 Enchanted Way S.E., Turner
503-588-9463, willamettevalleyvineyards.com
Join Willamette for the annual competition to blind taste and match world-class Pinot Noir to its respective appellation. $10 includes Riedel wine glass, hors d’oeuvres and live music. Grand prize: a wine blending experience with the winemaker followed by a lunch at the estate winery restaurant. Sat-Mon, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
Yamhill

Solena & Grand Cru Estates
17100 NE Woodland Loop Road, Yamhill
503-662-4730, solenaestate.com
$15 includes tour through the barrels and fermentation hall with the Solena winemaking team, tastes of highly acclaimed Pinot Noirs and Pinot Gris and Riedel glass. Relax in the dining room enjoying new wines and delicious hors d’ oeuvres. Biodynamically farmed vineyard, beautiful views, and friendly people. Sat-Sun 11 a.m-5 p.m., Mon 12 p.m.-4 p.m.

At Bethel Heights Winery, we chat with Mimi Dudley Casteel, owner and general manager. Bethel Heights is a family-owned vineyard, and the tasting room boasts a big farmhouse table, a fireplace, and a sweeping view of Mt. Jefferson. Mimi pours us the wonderful wine made from their oldest block of Pinot Noir – two different vintages for comparison; common practice at Bethel Heights tastings.

Mimi’s father and uncle, Ted and Terry Casteel, purchased 56 acres of old orchard land in the Eola Hills in 1976; they were lucky enough to find land already planted with a few vines. “It’s really a big deal to have old vines in Oregon, vines that grow on their own roots,” Mimi tells us. Today, almost all the vines in production in Oregon are grafted onto philloxera- resistant rootstock, but when starting the vineyard, Mimi’s family saved money by planting cuttings from the vines already growing. Some of the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir vines at Bethel Heights are over 30 years old, ancient by the standards of the Oregon wine industry.

Mimi takes us down to the vineyard, where we walk among the old vines – thicker than an arm, gnarled and mossy. Mimi makes her own compost and treats each vine with compost tea. Bethel Heights incorporates many organic practices in their farming, and they are certified as sustainable. “I try and look at the whole picture when I make these decisions,” Mimi says. “In the end it’s about making the best possible wine.”

In the coolness of the cellar, barrels are stacked three high. Bethel Heights Chardonnay is barrel-fermented in neutral oak, its Riesling and Pinot Blanc in stainless steel, and its Pinot Noir in oak.Mimi thinks 2011 will be an outstanding year. “After harvest, there is always a surprise. Magical things happen. Some of the best things that happen in winemaking are out of your control.”

Our next stop is Left Coast Cellars, where we talk with Luke McCollom, the winemaker and viticulturist. Left Coast grows Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris and Viognier; all the grapes that go into their wine are estate-grown, which makes them somewhat unusual in the Willamette Valley.

Left Coast keeps a number of beehives, part of their work towards maintaining a bio-diverse ecosystem. They also maintain a woodlot of oak trees, compost their grape pumice with manure from a nearby dairy, and have planted a number of hazelnut trees, injected with black truffles, which they hope to harvest and sell.

We hike up the hill and he shows us his latest project: in dozens of raised beds, over 20 thousand small cuttings are standing in a mix of compost and sand, putting out tiny leaves. Where Bethel Heights rooted their own vines in the 1970s from economic necessity, Left Coast, a younger operation, is rooting vines, because, today, due to high demand, it is often difficult to purchase grafted stock. Luke explains that these vines, a mix of different Pinot Noir clones, will be “field blended,” an ancient practice in which the different grapes are planted randomly in the same field, and harvested and fermented together, producing a wine of depth and complexity.

Luke takes us into the barrel room, and gives us each a glass. “I want you to taste something really unusual.” In 2011 a number of their Viognier vines were hit with a heavy frost while the fruit was still on the vine Luke turned this minor disaster into “ice wine,” a sweet dessert wine that can only be made with frost damaged grapes. It smells like flowers, and tastes light and sweet, but not too sweet. We taste wine from a barrel of Chardonnay and a barrel of Pinot Noir. I love the experience of barrel tasting. Standing in the cool cellar sipping the still-cloudy wine on a warm afternoon – what could be better?

Both Bethel Heights Winery and Left Coast Cellars are open on the Memorial Day weekend and will provide music, food, and wine tasting for their visitors.

The film, an animated version of a Dr. Seuss book about how the timber industry harms the environment and how trees need advocates to fight for them, has taken more serious fire from an Oregon libertarian group, the Cascade Policy Institute (CPI). In a May 3 article on CPI’s site, Todd Meyers, author of the 2011 book “Eco-Fads: How the Rise of Trendy Environmentalism is Harming the Environment,” wrote an objection to “The Lorax” that exemplifies conservative beliefs about the international and U.S. timber industry.

Asserting “forests are plentiful” in the Northern Hemisphere and “replanting isn’t just good for environmentalists, it’s good for business,” Meyers argues that because logging companies need trees to harvest, the industry is actually unified with environmentalists in wanting forests to expand. He asserts that because of the timber industry’s hard work and forethought, the amount of land covered by forests and general numbers of forest trees have increased in America in recent years.

“The Lorax”, Meyers believes, is a dishonest portrayal of the realities of forestry, because trees need no other advocates than an industry intent on responsible stewardship.
Doug Heiken, Conservation and Restoration Coordinator for Oregon Wild, disputes Meyers’ claims with a very different story.

“It is important to distinguish between real ‘forests’ versus ‘land covered with trees,’” Heiken begins, describing the replanting of limited, high-profit species where there was once diversity. “When trees are harvested on short rotation, such as every 35-40 years as they are in the Oregon Coast range, the trees never reach a size or age where they provide habitat for most wildlife.”

He says, “Many tree-covered lands are really ‘tree farms’ that do not provide all the important ecological services provided by healthy forests (clean water, carbon storage, biodiversity, fish & wildlife habitat, recreation, solitude, etc.) Forestry as a profit-seeking business may sustain trees and 2x4s, but it generally does not sustain forests.”

Heiken disputes the idea that tree farms replicate natural forests in other ways. “Intensively managed ‘forests’ have dense road networks, frequent disturbance of soil and vegetation, chronic erosion, and such forests lack many important features of healthy forests such as large trees, diverse tree species, diverse understory shrubs and wildflowers, diverse wildlife, and dead wood habitat structures.”

As for Meyers’ assertion that the timber industry is “preserving vast area for future generations,” Heiken says, “We are logging vast areas, but we are not preserving vast areas… Only 4% of Oregon is protected as wilderness. There are some large forest ‘reserves’ that were protected as part of the Northwest Forest Plan; however, those reserves were grievously clear-cut before they were protected. Only about 42% of those reserves are currently covered by old forests.”

Meyers works for the conservative Washington Policy Center (WPC) as Director of the Center for the Environment. WPC’s motto is “improving lives through market solutions.”

Meanwhile in California, “The Lorax” has been utilized by the Sierra Club to gather signatures to fight clear-cutting in that state, and the movie has partnered with the U.S. Forest Service in Public Service

Announcements that encourage families to discover the outdoors and forests.

It appears that there is little the two positions agree on and that the reception of viewers to “The Lorax” depends largely on their political point of view.

Weathers owner Keith Weathers announced that the Willamette Valley Music Company (484 State St. SE, 503-385-8790) will handle repairs for the Weathers rental agreements, but Randy Kem and Mike Delamare’s new shop will offer a lot more.

“We offer individual and group lessons on most musical instruments, and have group classes and clinics on a regular basis,” said Eli Kem, adding that the business’ inventory is “mainly band and orchestra (instruments), with a few guitars, mandolins, and percussion (instruments).”

Though Willamette Valley Music Company is new to Salem, the proprietors are not.

“For 27 years my family repaired band and percussion instruments under the name Kemtone Repair Company,” said Eli Kem. “We repaired instruments for customers and school districts in the surrounding area.”

“In addition to repairing musical instruments (Randy Kem) has played professionally and taught music in the Salem area since 1974,” added Eli Kem. “Randy was an artist and clinician for both the Yamaha and Jupiter companies, performed as a solo artist across the United States and Canada, and taught saxophone and jazz at Willamette University for eight years.”

Though Salem’s music community is losing a bit of its history with the closure of Weathers, there are three other music stores in the area that have each been around for decades.

David Chassman of ABC Music (263 Chemeketa St. NE, 503-363-1641) said that his store was opened by Martin and Goldie Chassman in the early 1960’s and has expanded from a focus on school band instruments and a few string instruments to “electric guitars and bass guitars, acoustic and acoustic-electric, steel-string and nylon-string guitars, drums & percussion accessories, music books, ukuleles and a whole myriad of musical accessories.”

Jim Nardi’s Uptown Music (3827 River Rd. N, Keizer) opened in 1991 after the closure of Music West and specializes in “a full array of acoustic and electric guitars, keyboards, drums, brass and reed instruments, drums, instrument accessories, sheet music, lessons and instrument repairs,” said Nardi.

“We also provide rental instruments for school band and orchestra programs and host a variety of live music, clinics and other events,” added Nardi.
For those musicians that are focused solely on piano, Music Music (2790 Market St. NE, (503) 371-9800) may have what you’re looking for. The local shop has been open for more than 30 years and offers a wide selection of pianos, keyboards and sheet music.

Salem also has its very own custom guitar shop. Jim Normandy of Normandy Guitars (217 State St. SE, 503-689-1998) makes hand-made aluminum-body electric guitars that are praised by big-time magazines and collectors and played by big-time performers. The shop sells Normandy guitars as well as other makes, and also offers guitar lessons.
In addition to all of the locally-owned stores, national corporation Guitar Center opened a Keizer Station location earlier this Spring.

Although all vegetable and strawberry plants carried at Salem Walmart are sourced from Bonnie Plants, an Alabama-based wholesaler who trucks the plants about 140 miles from its Roseburg greenhouses, there is a gardener’s bounty of closer options.

Salem’s 13th Street Nursery, for example, carries plants from Plant Wise (Forest Grove, 54 miles), tomatoes from RedPotSpot in Silverton (15 miles), Log House Plants (Cottage Grove, 84 miles), and Peoria Gardens (Albany, 27 miles). Guentner’s Gardens, another long-time Salem nursery, sells plants almost exclusively from Peoria Gardens.

Egan Gardens, 12 miles from downtown Salem, grows all of the thousands of uber-local baby vegetables it offers for sale.

The entrance to LifeSource Natural Foods is lined with shelves of organic vegetables and herbs grown by Brentwood Park Organics of Estacada (51 miles).

Salem’s Saturday Market (Saturdays 9 – 3, through October) offers a rich variety of baby plants. All sellers must be licensed by the Oregon Department of Agriculture and must be grown by the vendor itself.

Saturday Market Farmers who sell seedlings:

Aunt Klara’s Best, Jefferson
Complete offering of vegetables: tomatoes, beans, peas, squash & cucumbers

Garden Thyme, Silverton
Vegetables, herbs, blueberry bushes

Meadow Lane, Woodburn
Vegetables and strawberries

Minto Island Growers, Salem
Vegetables, herbs, many heirloom tomatoes

Misty Mountain Farms, Lyons
Very wide herb selection, vegetable starts

Nikko Farm, Aumsville
Vegetable and strawberry starts, many unusual peppers, paprika

Raymond Kuenzi Farm, Silverton
Vegetable and tomato plants

Walton’s Garden, Independence
Vegetable and strawberry starts, many pepper varieties

With Love, Salem
Vegetable plants and starts

The activist, a member of the Cascadia Forest Defenders (CDF) environmental group, demanded that Governor Kitzhaber and Oregon’s State Land Board, a panel of three that includes the Governor, Secretary of State Kate Brown and State Treasurer Ted Wheeler, stop the timber harvest that, through the Common School Fund the Land Board administers, funds a small part of the state’s K-12 budget.

The activist’s banner read, “Schools vs. Trees? We want both!” He was arrested and his sign removed within hours.

At issue are trees in the Elliott State Forest, a state-owned tract of 93,000 acres located in the Coast Range between Coos Bay and Reedsport. The Land Board, established by the Oregon Constitution, is trustee of about 2.7 million acres of forest, rangeland and waterways in the state, and is required to manage much of it for the “Common School Fund” by extracting mineral, timber and other resources to contribute to public education.

CFD is critical of an October 2011 decision by the State Land Board to nearly double the annual clear-cut in the Elliott State Forest, from the 25 million-board feet/year established in 1995 to 40 million-board feet/year. They say it is too high a price to pay for causing irreparable harm to old growth timber, wildlife and waterways for only less than one percent of Oregon public school funding.

CDF uses a quote from Governor Kitzhaber, who said in April that revenue collected by the Common School Fund was ‘a drop in the bucket” for public schools in their slogan, “Stop clear-cutting ancient forests for ‘a drop in the bucket.’”

The State Land Board says it is required to manage resources in its charge for “the greatest benefit to the people of the state.” Given this mandate, it maintains that the October 2011 decision was wise and prudent.

The State Land Board says, “The Common School Fund’s distributions to schools cannot benefit current students at the disadvantage of future students, or vice versa. Therefore, the Land Board’s duty is to maximize the value of, and revenue from, trust lands over the long term.”

Since the Board is required to balance revenue generation with conservation, it believes its Elliott management plan meets its constitutional mandates. It also says, “it’s important to note that less than 1 percent of the acreage is slated for clear-cutting annually.”

Since information began to emerge last fall that several energy companies were making initial moves to ship Wyoming coal by train to six ports in Washington and Oregon, and then by sea vessel to China and India, lines have been quickly drawn.

On one side, health advocates such as Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility and environmentalists like Robert F. Kennedy, the Sierra Club and Beyond Toxics say the trains will release toxics that cause lung cancer, emphysema, asthma, stroke and heart attack.

On the other side of the issue, companies such as the international Ambre Energy (Australia) promise needed jobs in financially constrained rural Oregon counties and the Port of Coos Bay, to where the trains passing through Salem would be headed. They project jobs and a revitalized economy for the entire Coos Bay region and Eugene. All proponents of the trains say they intend to work within Oregon’s strict emissions guidelines.

Nearly in the center, Governor John Kitzhaber has expressed reservations and asked for thorough environmental impact statements (EIS) to be filed before plans progress much further. Such EIS, Kennedy says, will stop the preparations in their tracks.

The coal industry disagrees.

Salem Weekly will give the matter more coverage in our next issue.

The Gannett-owned newspaper stated in the letter that subscriptions extending past June 1 will be honored at their current rate with full access, but upon renewal will be at the new rate.
This announcement follows a trend of publications experimenting with pay-site or partially-pay-site models as news outlets try to figure out how to cope with and profit in a changing industry, rising costs, and dwindling readership and advertising revenue.

The Bend Bulletin ($11 per month), Eugene Register Guard ($16.50 per month), and Medford Mail Tribune ($14.26 per month) all have lower rates than the Statesman Journal’s new rate for “full-access” subscribers, but the Oregonian, at $27 per month, still charges the most among the five largest daily newspapers in Oregon.

Salem Downtown Partnership is the group charged with administering the EID funds of about 180 downtown business owners (hardware stores and book stores, music stores and home boutiques, restaurants, bars and many more) since the winter of 2011. Positive changes have already occurred, leading many to hope that a sense of good will and inclusiveness are coming to the economically challenged businesses of our downtown.

“Downtown has a lot to offer, and we need an organized group to take our hopes and dreams to a new level,” says Christi Finholt of Hydro Zen Spa. Finholt is a member of the Economic Development Committee, one of four committees already formed by Downtown Partnership.  She is most excited by the new Good Ideas Grants, which are awarded to businesses who need extra help to kick off a project and to encourage entities to work together.

“It’s fun and gratifying to see good ideas come in and then reward them.”

When business owners describe Salem Downtown Partnership, they often mention the sense of inclusion they feel. “I’m proud of the Partnership for involving everybody,” says Chip Conrad of Capitol City Theater, who serves on the Promotion Committee.

The group has sent out 16 email newsletters to business and property owners and has an open, interactive website where meetings and programs are described and members are encouraged to participate. Its database of property and business owners has grown to 404. Its budget for the next fiscal year (July 1 – June 30) will be largely determined by values members expressed in a thorough survey that the Partnership sent them.

“Downtown Partnership has no special preconceived agenda, it’s all decided democratically by vote,” says Ryan Rogers, executive director of Culture Shock Community Project and chair of Downtown Partnership’s sub-committee for First Wednesday, echoing the popular theme. “It gives all its members the opportunity to make requests and communicate openly.”

In the first quarter of 2012, the Partnership introduced a grant program to allow businesses to install water faucets outside buildings so power washing of sidewalks and watering of exterior plants would be easy. This new development excites Maria Palacio, owner of Olson Florist. “It’s so fun that we will be able to wash our sidewalks and put out planters so we can keep our area clean and beautiful. People can stroll around and see everything,” she says. “It’s a happy and wonderful thing.”

Eric Kittleson, President of Board of Salem Downtown Partnership, says, “because we’re doing the survey, we’re learning exactly what businesses want. The next step is when we figure out how to achieve it.”

The group also initiated a grant to install exterior electric outlets to help businesses put up holiday decorations. “The members wanted to reflect the sort of holidays you saw a century ago,” Kittleson says. “Trees in the street, garlands, lights for the windows.” When he learned from the city there simply wasn’t enough power to make this happen, he realized the Partnership needed to act.

The Partnership survey showed the high value businesses put on another amenity that enhances the atmosphere of a downtown: hanging flower baskets. A new vendor has been found and a new watering schedule has been adapted – cost-efficient and patterned after successful programs elsewhere.

Behind the scenes, internet marketing campaigns are being kicked off, interviews are being conducted to feature in a Downtown Salem Buzz publication and a Executive Director and part-time staff person are soon to be hired.
Since Kittleson and a band of dedicated volunteers have been responsible for most of what’s been achieved so far, the future, with more staff and so much of the membership invested, looks promising.

Ryan Rogers is enthusiastic about the possibilities. “Salem Downtown Partnership gives business owners a unified voice in what happens in this city. It also represents a voice for us to speak to the City Council and other government agencies so we can request certain things that will benefit downtown. It is indeed a “partnership” between diverse community members for the benefit of all.”

A welcoming, productive downtown can be the heart of a community. For the businesses there, a strong and positive environment is essential to survival. It is human nature that individuals rarely come to complete consensus on any matter, and taxation during difficult economic times is seldom welcome. But as Chip Conrad says, “Salem Downtown Partnership is taking a large view of what business owners want, what property owners want and what consumers want, and it’s a strong downtown.”

He expresses the hopes of many when he says, “What we are doing is involving everyone to change the face of downtown for the better.”

The plot in question is 43 acres of land in South Salem, contained in the parcel where the Fairview Training Center for the developmentally disabled used to be. The acreage was established by the City to be the “Fairview Sustainable Community” and specifically required to grow greener and more innovatively than the rest of town. One portion of the Fairview area, the Pringle Creek Community, has won several national awards for sustainability.

“It is intended to be a new kind of neighborhood for those who live and work in Salem,” says Geoffrey James, Land Use committee chair of Morningside Neighborhood Association. He describes Fairview as a place meant to “foster innovative land development practices… protect nature and develop new techniques for integrating natural and built environments.”

The special codes Salem City Council adopted for this section are accessible on the City’s site in Chapter 143C of the Salem Revised Codes (SRC.) The laws require details such as improved protection of open spaces and greater housing and transportation options, to name two.

Says James Santana, Board member of Morningside Neighborhood Association, “The plan was blessed by the Governor and had extensive community input, and is the one parcel of land in the City of Salem where there is a standard beyond code.“

However, in January, Simpson Hills, LLC applied for permission to develop about 43 acres into more than 400 apartment units. Simpson Hills said it met Fairview’s special guidelines and by the time the proposal came to the Planning Commission on March 20th, City planning administrators Glenn Gross and Jason Richling already recommended approval.

But the Morningside Neighborhood Association didn’t agree. Morningside issued the following statement: “Because so many Fairview Master Plan policies and Standards are not being followed, the applicant (should) be asked to bring these plans into conformance with the policies contained in the Fairview Master Plan…”

While James says his group would welcome innovation suited to a sustainable area, “what is proposed are 400+ apartment units, typical in large blocks with big parking lots.”

His group created a checklist of 32 policies suggested by the original plan that describe sustainable guidelines. It contends that Simpson Hills meets not even one of them.

But in preparation for the second April 3 Planning Commission hearing, the City’s Gross prepared yet another recommendation, again assuring the Planning Commission that the project met the stringent requirements for mixed use.

In the April 3 meeting, the Planning Commission vote was 4-1 to approve the Simpson Hills LLC development.

Five commissioners were present: Nathan Levin, Rich Fry, Darr Goss, David Fox and James Lewis. Only Fox both spoke against the development and voted against it. He said “it seems like a pretty grand departure from the intent… of the Fairview master plan.”

Levin and Fry made statements critical of the development – but voted in favor of it. Goss spoke in favor of it and voted for it. Lewis stated reluctant ambivalent support, and voted in favor of it.

One observer reports being “dumbfounded.” Another said, “It’s almost as if [the Planning Commissioners] recognized a futility in contending with the City” – with City of Salem planning administrators such as Gross or those who direct him. This source wonders what might have been consequences for the Planning Commission if it actually voted down Simpson Hill’s plan; was it something they wanted to avoid?

James, an architect who once chaired the Salem Planning Commission himself, suggests a simpler theory. “The rule is that one member (of the 7) can be from the real estate industry. Currently, the chair is in the industry. Currently several others are real estate folks or from the development industry, and I include real estate appraisers in that. So, because of that weighted make-up, a development proposal always tends to get approved if it just meets the basic zone code requirements.”

Whatever the reason for the Commission’s approval, Santana laments it. He admires the vision of sustainable development and fears it “is at total risk of being dismantled if this development goes through; every subsequent development will then be held to this same low standard of interpretation.”

A City Council Public Hearing on the issue has been set for May 14th.

The minutes from the April 3 Planning Commission meeting where the development was approved, including statements from each of the five commissioners, are online. City  administrator Gross’s reports recommending the development are also online. To those who contact Morningside Neighborhood Association, the group will make available its 32-item checklist of where it believes the Simpson Hills proposal failed (as well as “Four Positive Suggestions” they believe would make it more sustainable.)

Morningside encourages all who support Fairview Stainability and strict adherence to its Master Plan to speak at the May 14 meeting or write their City Councilor.