May 2026 Sunriver Scene - Flipbook - Page 38
Letters to the Editor
We are voting yes for the Capital Transfer Fee
By Steve Konopa and
Sharon Konopa
We have owned property outside of Sunriver for 46 years and
felt fortunate when we were able
to buy a home inside Sunriver
seven years ago. We have seen
Sunriver’s slow years.
We noticed the advertisement
in last month’s Scene opposing
the Capital Transfer Fee (CTF).
It is understandable there are
opposing views over a fee, that
is common.
This new CTF will be dedicated funds for needed capital
improvements. There has always been a thorough process
with owner surveys and meetings to prioritize upcoming
projects. We elect our Board
of Directors to delve into the
weeds over all issues, so we do
not have to sit through hours
of meetings, and we can be out
enjoying Sunriver.
The board identifies a problem, which in this case is a lack
of sufficient funds for future
capital improvements.
They evaluate the problem
thoroughly and weigh any potential concerns that may arise.
The board did us owners’
work, and my family believes
it is a viable solution by establishing the CTF. It will provide
more amenities for all of us in
Sunriver to enjoy and for our
grandkids to keep coming back
for years to come.
It provides assurance for new
owners who want to purchase
a home that Sunriver is pro-
active in looking out for their
investment.
Sitting back and doing nothing only hinders Sunriver’s
future.
We should all grasp this
new approach and thank our
Board for looking out for our
best interest.
Please vote “Yes” for the CTF.
Implementing a Capital Transfer Fee is not unreasonable
By Bob Stillson
In the upcoming months, much will be written
about the proposed Capital Transfer Fee which Sunriver
owners will vote on this summer. As a supporter of this
measure, I ask the question: Who will actually be hurt
by paying a 0.5% fee on the sale of a home?
If new buyers end up paying, they have the knowledge
that the money will go toward increasing the value of
their purchase as that money is spent on community
amenities.
If sellers end up paying, they have the knowledge that
thoughtful financial decisions by board and management, and the lure of Central Oregon, have created a
place where most well-maintained homes have doubled
their market value in the past 10 years.
The return on the investment is significant. Knowledgeable buyers understand that they are buying into a
community that is financially well-run, highly regarded
by other homeowner associations and committed to
maintaining and improving the amenities that make
Sunriver a desirable place to live and vacation
The proposed transfer fee will not ‘kill’ a real estate
deal. Real estate agents fortunate enough to do business
in the Sunriver market know the value of a Sunriver investment and should have the ability to bring all parties
together to successfully negotiate the sale of a property.
$5,000 on a $1 million home is not an unreasonable
fee and can be negotiated between buyer and seller,
just like so many other issues that are a part of any real
estate transaction.
Chorus of One: Owners: Reclaim your golf course access!
By Paul Conte
Sunriver owners, who for
many years enjoyed access to
Sunriver’s two golf courses, have
a promising opportunity to reverse Sunriver Resort’s exclusion
of owners last year.
Legal documents produced
in a Sunriver owner’s lawsuit
against the Resort and the
Sunriver Owners Association
provide substantial evidence
that the Resort has unlawfully
interfered with owners’ golf
course access that must be
allowed under the terms of perpetual easements recorded with
Deschutes County. (See Circuit
Court Case No.: 25CV67889).
The lawsuit further alleges
that the SROA Board of Executives breached its fiduciary
duty to SROA members by
“Knowingly abdicating its duty
to enforce the recorded deed
restrictions and Consolidated
PUBLIC NOTICE Sunriver: Asbestos & FUDS
An environmental assessment performed in 2009 found small amounts of asbestos-containing
materials (ACM) present in the soil at limited locations in Sunriver. The ACM are associated with
Camp Abbot, a World War II U.S. Army camp located on the property that became Sunriver. Air
testing has demonstrated that the ACM poses extremely low risk to people. Nevertheless, if ACM is
encountered it must be properly managed and disposed of as required by the Oregon Department
of Environmental Quality.
What is ACM? Asbestos-containing material consists of building materials or other substances
that contain one percent or more asbestos fibers. Historically, ACM included floor tile, building
siding, roofing materials, automobile brake pads, insulation, wall texture, and many more
materials.
What does the ACM in Sunriver look like? ACM encountered in Sunriver soil generally
consists of shards of building siding and floor tile, commonly between 1 and 6 inches in diameter.
Materials may be greenish gray, light gray or other colors, and commonly exhibit ribbed or grid
patterns. Samples of ACM are available for viewing at the Sunriver Owners Association.
Where are the asbestos-containing materials? ACM has been encountered in discrete locations
on common property in Sunriver. It typically has been found on the surface or within 12 inches of
the surface. ACM has also been detected on a small number of private properties. It is possible that
ACM are present in soil in other areas.
What should I do if I see it? Do not disturb suspected materials. Contact the Air Quality
Program of the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality at 541-633-2019 if suspect material
is encountered on private property. Contact the Sunriver Owners Association at 541-593-1522 if
suspect material is encountered on common areas.
Where can I find additional information? The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
can provide additional information about asbestos and ACM. Information also can be obtained
from the DEQ Asbestos Program website www.deq.state.or.us/aq/asbestos/index.htm. The
Sunriver Owners Association can provide additional information.
Formerly Used Defense Site (FUDS)
If you ever receive a letter from the Department of the Army it is a periodic government
advisement notification that your Sunriver property may have been part of a Formerly Used
Defense Site (FUDS), also known as Camp Abbot, and that munitions may be present on or near
your property. Camp Abbot was in operation as a military training site between 1943 and 1944
and included gas chambers, rifle/machine gun, grenade, mortar and anti-tank ranges. Should
you find possible munitions, you are advised not to touch it and call 911. If you need further
information, call toll-free 1-855-765-3837. For general information about the FUDS Program,
visit www.fuds.mil Camp Abbot/FUDS information is also available on the SROA website at
www. sunriverowners.org
Page 38
MAY 2026 SUNRIVER SCENE
Plan easements against Sunriver
Resort’s April 2025 golf
course privatization.”
If the Court decides in the
plaintiff’s favor on these assertions, the Court would likely
grant the plaintiff’s claim for relief, i.e., “Permanent injunction
… prohibiting further exclusion
of members from Golf Course
… access in violation of recorded easements.”
Further, the Court would
also likely issue the plaintiff’s
requested “[p]ermanent injunction against SROA requiring
SROA to take affirmative steps
to enforce the recorded Golf
Course and Marina easements
against Sunriver Resort on
behalf of the membership, and
enjoining SROA from ratifying or accepting any further
restriction on member access
rights without a duly noticed
75%-member vote and independent legal review.”
No one can know for certain
how the Court will rule. I can
say only that, based on my experience with land use law and my
“deep dive” into the numerous
documents filed in support of
the lawsuit, I believe that a) the
intent of the founding legal
documents for Sunriver was
that owner access to the golf
courses be guaranteed in perpetuity, b) there doesn’t appear to
have been any vote by Sunriver
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owners to nullify that recorded
guarantee, and c) the SROA
Executive Board was obligated
to at least pursue a defense of
owners’ rights of access.
Instead, it appears the Board
has unlawfully and irresponsibly decided behind closed doors
to use SROA funds to defend
their failure and, implicitly,
to support the Resort’s actions
against Sunriver owners.
In short, the Board has flouted statutory requirements to
have a vote in an open Board
meeting before retaining an
attorney to represent the SROA.
(See ORS 94.644(2)(c).
As of publication deadline,
the Board had not responded
to my requests for comment.)
Visit SunriverNeighbors.
org/lawsuit for further details
and links to supporting legal
documents.
