A Jackson County Hearings Officer, Donald Rubenstein, on June 18 at 9:00am considered four sets of violations regarding Uproot Meats and Krista Vecter the owner. Below is a summary of those violations and the Hearings Officer’s judgment.
First set of violations: three violations for no mechanical, electrical or plumbing permits for a two story structure and two violations for disregarding a stop work order from Jackson County. PLEA: GUILTY of all five counts. The Hearings Officer told Vecter that she had the cart before many horses. She was cautioned by the county planner about the permits that she needed before the construction began. Judgment: $1,000 maximum fine for each of five violations.
Second set of violations: Complaint and Summons against Uproot Meats for occupying a structure without building permits. PLEA: GUILTY of the violation. Hearings Officer said that UM can’t pass “Go”, must begin again, many unwise decisions were made by the owner. Judgment: $750 for occupying a building with no permits.
Third set of violations: violations of conducting building activity without a land use permit. Activity included the building of two buildings and installing a septic tank without a land use permit. (Septic is not hooked up to the two story building.) PLEA: GUILTY of the violation. Judgment: $750 for conducting activity without a land use permit.
Fourth set of violations: violations regarding no permit to grade a hillside causing serious erosion of the hill side. Uproot Meats ask for a continuance until July 18 at 9:00am. This is the third of three continuances for this set of violations.Uproot Meats’ owner was cautioned by Jackson County to obtain permits before building. A total of 72 complaints have been filed to support these violations. They are from neighbors, the Department of Environmental Quality, and the Talent Irrigation District. Uproot Meats’ owner states that they own this land and can use it the way they want to use it. The Hearings Officer hoped that she understood that that isn’t the case. One other major violation of polluting the waters of the state against Uproot Meats is moving through the Circuit Court and is separate from all of the above. The case is being brought forward by the Department of Environmental Quality later in July.
Chronicle Staff
