Sapphire Coalition
501(c)(3) nonprofit
Mission Statement
To actively participate in the appreciation, understanding, and ultimately conservation of land, water, and natural resources important to our farms, ranches, natural habitats, water supplies, and open space that our citizens cherish.
About Us
The 501(c)(3) nonprofit Sapphire Coalition was formed in 2024 by local neighbors and citizens that had spent nearly a year opposing 280 acres of possible subdivisions 5 miles southeast of Corvallis within a mile of the popular Calf Creek Wildlife Management Area.
After having a tough time finding an organization that would step into the fray to help us out, we formed our own. We formed it to fill a void that was not currently filled--to help protect our natural resources in whatever way necessary (popular or not!). We felt there was a need to have a group that could pool resources, raise funds and work together to help conserve our natural resources that are all too often taken for granted. We intend to encourage our local government to follow their own planning laws. We believe that we have simple, but fair laws, but they must be followed to be fair! Time and time again we talk to people in our community that are fed up with status quo of development at all costs, anywhere, no questions asked, even when it is our own citizens that are getting the short end of the stick! We see ourselves as an organization that the community can get behind, support, and make real change happen. "Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much."--Helen Keller
Experience
In subdivision review both the local and state regulations are required by law to address the subdivision impacts on 7 criteria. NO ONE is going to do a thorough job at this UNLESS the neighbors and citizens press it and back it with facts and figures. This is part of our right of due process. In our situation we had the SAME developer on both sides of a fence in adjacent fields with similar natural resources. One side was done as a major subdivision (Sapphire Heights) with other investors, and one side was done as family transfer (Rolling Rock Ranch Estates) with his family that was going to tie into the subdivision; with shared roads, easements, mixing zones, and the like. He even bragged at the public site visit meeting about how much cheaper it was to use the family transfer exemption to subdivide as no consultants were hired and no pro rata fees would be collected. WE, the community stopped the Sapphire Heights major subdivision because we had due process and did our homework pertaining to the laws as written. Even though state statute and county regulations are very clear that family transfers ARE NOT TO CIRCUMVENT AND EVADE THE SUBDIVISION PROCESS We were helpless to do anything about the Rolling Rocks Ranch Estates major subdivision other than file complaints with the county for subdivision evasion, because there was never even an opportunity to comment, let alone a public meeting! The county could have set up a meeting to search for the truth, but refused to. Thus, our only course of action left was through the judicial system with an expensive ongoing lawsuit. With the evidence that we have, we believe this will be a precedent setting lawsuit that will actually end up saving taxpayers millions of dollars and give citizens the right to a due process that many counties have ignored for years!
Mission Statement
To actively participate in the appreciation, understanding, and ultimately conservation of land, water, and natural resources important to our farms, ranches, natural habitats, water supplies, and open space that our citizens cherish.