Statement of Reasons for Appeal <br />Appellants preserve the following issues for appeal and incorporate all issues and <br />arguments raised before the Hearings Official as if set forth here in full, including both <br />written and oral testimony. <br />The Hearings Official misconstrued applicable law and made findings not based on <br />substantial evidence with regard to EC 9.88.15(1). <br />9.8815(1) requires that "[t]o the greatest possible degree, the development will <br />provide the maximum possible landscaped area, open space, or vegetation between the <br />activity and the river." Here, the proposal provides a 100-foot setback from the river, but <br />only a 70-foot setback from the property line. The problem is that the applicant has not <br />provided any evidence to demonstrate that the proposed setback is the greatest possible. <br />Indeed, the Hearings Official concedes that "[t]he applicant's response under this <br />criterion does not provide much information...." The Hearings Official then engages in a <br />"theoretical" reduction to absurdity by arguing that the applicant could have no <br />development at all under the standard. Such a justification has little meaningful effect <br />under the applicable provision. The standard requires a "balancing of factors," and, here, <br />there is simply no balancing. The applicant is developing the property to the greatest <br />degree possible, not providing the maximum possible landscaped area, open space, or <br />vegetation between the activity and the river. In short, there is nothing in the record to <br />demonstrate that the applicant has balanced any factors in complying with this standard - <br />only that the applicant has developed the property to the maximum degree possible. <br />There is simply nothing to demonstrate that the applicant has placed the development "as <br />far away as possible," and the Hearings Official's failure to balance any factors <br />misconstrues applicable law. <br />Appellants incorporate by reference all arguments related to EC 9.8815(1) raised <br />before the Hearings Official as if set forth here. <br />The Hearings Official misconstrued applicable law and made findings not based on <br />substantial evidence with regard to EC 9.8815(2). <br />EC 9.8815(2) provides that "[t]o the greatest possible degree, necessary and <br />adequate public access will be provided along the Willamette River by appropriate legal <br />means." Here, the applicant provides no means to access the river for the public or the <br />residents of the development. The proposed development includes a fence that would <br />actually restrict access to the greenway. The notion that the existing bike path provides <br />the necessary access is mistaken because the bike path is not part of the application or <br />development. The standard requires that the proposed development provide access - to <br />the greatest possible degree - to the River. Here, no access is provided to any degree. <br />The fact that there is access along the river by means other than the subject property is <br />1 <br />