Given the scale and scope of this proposal, it was abnormal that it did not include the names of the property owners. It was also disappointing that the owners have not shown up to any public hearing. The only information given to the public was a brand new company (formed in May of this year) with the name “Sunset Ridge, LLC” at a PO Box in Portland.
We hold no personal objection to the people or entities below, but think it important that this information is disclosed to ensure full transparency in the process.
The two owners of the property are Brad and Neal Arntson. They own the company Sunset Ridge, LLC and are also partners and owners of an asphalt company in Vancouver, Washington.
Steve Ackley is the potential developer. Mark Mead is the engineer who wrote the proposal and only one who showed up to the meeting to speak in favor of the proposal. All of this information is publicly available on the internet, but took some digging to find. Here’s the trail we followed:
- The PO Box 86100, Portland OR listed on the form is held by the law firm of Reeves, Kahn, Hennessy & Elkins (https://www.rke-law.com/). They are a small firm that provides a broad array of representation. They are the entity that registered the business and are the agent for the owners of the property.
- Steve Ackley of Ackley Homes (https://ackleyhomes.com/Home_Page.html) is listed as the project representative and general contractor. His name was on an e-mail submitting the project to the planning department.
- According to the Clatsop County property records, this land is under Tax ID # 55886. This is registered to Sunset Ridge, LLC with an address of 801 Main St, Vancouver, WA 98660 and the State of Oregon business search records, the entity Sunset Ridge, LLC has a registered agent of Tiffany Elkins of the law firm named above in Item #1. The registered managers of this entity are Neal Arntson at the 801 Main St, Vancouver, WA address above and Brad Arnston at 2161 NE Clackamas St, Portland, OR 97232.
- The address 801 Main St, Vancouver WA is the main address of Albina Holdings
(https://albinaholdings.com/). They are an asphalt and fuel company with executive management that are part of the Arntson family, including Brad Arntson.