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About Seaside signal. (Seaside, Or.) 1905-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 17, 2020)
OUR 113th Year SEASIDESIGNAL.COM Gearhart land use fees to jump Building fees to be next By R.J. MARX Seaside Signal January 17, 2020 $1.00 HIGH TIDE IN THE COVE BRINGS OUT WAVE-WATCHERS First on the City Council agenda for 2020: a bump in land use application fees. The intent is to bring Gearhart’s fees in line with other cities, and to meet the cost of processing application fees and plan- ning department resources. Developers seeking conditional use permits, street vacations and variances could pay fees up to 10 times higher in order to meet the cost of staff reports, maps, legal notices, map searches and appeals, among other tasks. “This is a project that’s been worked on for some time,” City Administrator Chad Sweet said. “We’re going to talk about building fees and basic permit fees, because we haven’t made changes in 20 years.” Sweet said fees failed to cover plan- ning costs, leading to a burden made up by taxpayers. “We want to make sure costs are covered for the city,” Sweet said. See Fees, Page A6 Council asked to lift downtown parking requirements R.J. Marx Visitors to the Cove stand on high ground at Seltzer Park, shortly after high tide Saturday. By R.J. MARX Seaside Signal ffi cials blocked off the Cove to traf- fi c midday Saturday, Jan. 11, as the city braced for king tides and poten- tial fl ooding. Water crested over the parking area and onto rocks to the south, providing a show of nature that captivated onlookers. “We’re letting them know we have high tides today,” Public Works Direc- tor Dale McDowell said. “A lot of them O Move could spur workforce housing By R.J. MARX Seaside Signal Seaside could take a step toward a more urban lifestyle, if the City Coun- cil adopts an amendment to eliminate or reduce parking requirements throughout the city. The amendment, a product of Planning Commission work sessions, aims to elim- inate parking requirements for above- ground apartments over commercial uses within the downtown core area, and to relax requirements for one-bedroom or studio apartments within all zones. The aim, Planning Commission Chair- man Chris Hoth said at Tuesday’s meet- ing, is to make workforce housing more economical for developers and provide more affordable housing for tenants. According to Planning Director Kevin Cupples, the current standard speci- fi es two spots per dwelling unit, regard- less of the number of bedrooms or where they are located. The requirements place “a signifi cant impact” on the amount of backup land necessary to develop smaller apartments or multifamily dwellings, which in turn drives up the land cost to develop smaller rental housing. Public Works Director Dale McDow- ell warned at a previous meeting that an unintended side effect may be parked cars aren’t aware of it. We’re closing the Cove for parking so the debris doesn’t end up coming over and damaging vehicles or people.” As McDowell directed traffi c, front loaders along Sunset Boulevard readied to remove water and debris swept onto the roadway. Members of the Seaside Fire Depart- ment’s water rescue team and volunteers advised spectators to stay on high ground, away from the tides that could move rap- idly and without warning. Plumes rose from the breakers as the Tiff any Boothe/Seaside Aquarium Water washing up at the Cove before high tide Saturday. whitecaps swelled offshore and rolled into the Cove. Wave-watchers skipped back for safety or found higher ground. Spectators found a safe vantage point at Seltzer Park, greeting the wave show with oohs and aa hs, photos and videos, until the tide began to subside. In downtown Seaside, waves came up to the Turnaround, McDowell added. While Saturday’s waves were the highest of the weekend, crews came out Sunday, too, closing Sunset Boulevard for several hours. R.J. Marx Debris in the river near Avenue G in Gearhart. COMMUNITY MOURNS AS ONE CHILD DEAD, ONE MISSING IN FALCON COVE TRAGEDY SEE PAGE A3 See Parking, Page A6 Seaside artist Blue Bond expands to new Broadway space By EVE MARX For Seaside Signal Blue Bond has operated galleries in Taos, New Mex- ico; Santa Fe, New Mex- ico; and Vancouver, Wash- ington. But his new space at 613 Broadway in Sea- side he considers his most ambitious. “I started my art career with $7 and can of paint,” Bond said. “And here we are, 50 years later.” In January, Blue Bond offi cially took over the space that for 15 years has been known as the Gilbert District Gallery, owned and operated during that time by renowned wildlife artist Dave Bartholet. “I’m keeping the Gil- bert District Gallery name in the original gold leaf it was painted on the front window,” Bond said. “But I have my own name above it.” The new gallery is a big jump up from his charm- ing but limited space at 417 S. Holladay Drive. He isn’t giving that space up. It will be his location for his art school, which offers classes Eve Marx See Artist, Page A6 Blue Bond and Dave Bartholet are feeling good about the gallery business transfer. “I know it’s in the right hands,” Bartholet said.