Three Sisters Meadow
For more information on the Blue River Complete Community Plan visit lanecountyor.gov/BlueRiverCommunityPlan.
Three Sisters Meadow, a generous gift for community revitalization!
Gift of land to help revitalize the community:
In 2021, Kathy, Becky and Jody Jones, owners of The Seneca Family of Companies, donated 16-acres of land in Blue River to benefit the community in response to a request written by a group of McKenzie community based organizations (list below). Because Blue River is unincorporated, the organizations asked neighbor and conservation land trust McKenzie River Trust to accept the land donation as the interim landowner. Community members named the 16-acres, Three Sisters Meadow after the three Jones sisters.
What has been happening on site since the land was donated?
McKenzie River Trust has been managing the land as public open space, open dawn to dusk. Anyone is welcome to walk the trails through the property and enjoy views of the McKenzie River and surrounding Cascade foothills.
The site is also hosting the free Firewood Program, managed by the McKenzie Watershed Council. To learn more: mckenziewc.org/firewood-program.
The Three Sisters Meadow Partners group (noted below) began meeting again in October 2023, guiding this process forward.
As a potential benefit to the community, the site has been considered for a community wastewater system, a high need in Blue River. Lane County conducted wastewater assessments on the site and determined there are limitations on a full community wide wastewater system due to the proximity to the McKenzie River. More information expected fall 2024.
Three Sisters Meadow Partners
Together, these McKenzie community based organizations requested the donation of land for the community benefit:
McKenzie School District / McKenzie Community Track & Field / McKenzie River Trust / O'Brien Memorial Library / McKenzie Valley Wellness / Blue River Water District/ Blue River Park District / McKenzie River Guides Association / McKenzie Education Foundation / Collaborative EDO / McKenzie River Locals Helping Locals / Upper McKenzie Community Center / McKenzie River Chamber of Commerce / McKenzie Community Partnership
STAY INFORMED about progress on Three Sisters Meadow:
Sign up on our Contact List and check the box noting your interest: CLICK HERE
Conceptual Model of Future Uses on Three Sisters Meadow - Thank you TBG Architects + Planners!
TBG Architects + Planners utilized the community feedback to create a conceptual diagram of what future uses could be on Three Sisters Meadow in accordance with wastewater limitations and the proposed Lane County zoning code changes.
Future uses and development of the site have yet to be determined before any development or changes in use would potentially occur.
McKenzie River Trust still owns and manages the site as public open space at this time.
Thank you for attending & participating in the survey!
February 2024, over 50 people attended the site open house and community listening session! Both events offered an opportunity to learn more about the potential for Three Sisters Meadow and the constraints present, with great conversation enjoyed by all throughout.
View the presentation slideshow from the listening session below.
Thank you to:
Rob Woodard from Lane County and Laura Buhl from Transportation & Growth Management (TGM) for speaking on the 15th.
Kelly Hiddleston, Buggy, and Shelly Pruitt for providing chili, cornbread and cookies for the listening session.
Zach Galloway and TBG Architects + Planners for their continued work on this project.
Three Sisters Meadow Partner Group for their dedication to this community benefit project!
TBG Architects + Planners have been hired as consultants to help guide the Three Sisters Meadow process and facilitated the community listening session on February 15.
McKenzie Community Land Trust is helping to support the community by coordinating the community listening sessions, tours, outreach and meetings for the Three Sisters Meadow Partners.
Three Sisters Meadow is enrolled in the PURE WATER PARTNERS program.