august14 2012
VERNONIA’S
reflecting the spirit of our community
free
volume6 issue15
Planning Commission Considers Zoning Changes Vernonia
Part I: Vernonia Needs Room for More Businesses School Opening
By Scott Laird

The Vernonia Planning Com-
mission recently invited the public to
attend a meeting on July 19 to dis-
cuss changes to current land use zon-
ing within the community. A second
meeting with the public is scheduled
for August 16 at 6:00 PM at City Hall.

The Planning Commission
scheduled the meetings in order to in-
form the public ahead of any hearings
about possible changes to local zoning
that could affect property owners.

According to Planning Com-
mission Chairperson, Dan Brown,
there is a concern about the amount
of land available within city limits that
can accommodate businesses.

“We’re not trying to hurt or
devalue Vernonia in this process, we’re
trying to solve a problem with the least
amount of impact.” said Brown in a
recent interview. “But what people
have to realize is that the problem has
to be solved.”

Currently under consideration
is a change in land Use Zoning from
the “Residential” designation to either
“General Commercial” or “Down-
town.” The Planning Commission is
currently considering changes along
Rose and Weed Avenues at the south
end of town on either side of the new
West Oregon Electric Cooperative
headquarters. Brown says the Plan-
ning Commission is required by state
law to provide buildable land inven-
tory inside the city limits.

According to Brown, the Ver-
nonia Planning Commission has been
looking at rezoning for some time. The
flood in 2007 caused several changes
in what land is available for develop-
ment, as well as how certain properties
can be used.

“What has sped this up right
now is that we need to re-zone all the
flood lots the City has acquired and
the old school property needs to be re-
zoned, so we’re trying to do as much
as possible at the same time,” said
Brown.

Brown says the Planning
Commission invited the public to take
part in discussions early in the process
Verdura Clinic Leaves Vernonia

Verdura
Family
Wellness, the medical care
provider that has been op-
erating a health clinic in
Vernonia since February 20,
2012, abruptly closed their
doors for business in Verno-
nia on July 30, 2012.

“Dear Vernonia Pa-
tient: We are writing to in-
form you that the Vernonia
location of Verdura Family
Wellness will be closing its
doors, effectively [sic] im-
mediately,” stated a letter
dated July 30, 2012, which
was posted on the front
door of the office at 510
Bridge Street. “We have
great [sic] enjoyed getting
to meet you and help you
with your healthcare needs,
but at this time we are un-
able to continue our practice
in Vernonia.”

According to Ver-
nonia Health Center Board
President Marie Krahn, the
announcement that Verdura
was closing came as a shock
to the Board, patients and
staff at the clinic. “The Ver-
nonia Health Center Board
met with Verdura Family
Wellness on Monday eve-
ning, July 30 th and was in-
formed that the Vernonia
Clinic would be closed for
business as of that day,” said
Krahn. Krahn said she had
received a phone call from
Verdura on Tuesday July
24 th informing her that Ver-
dura was planning to close
at the end of the month.

The
Vernonia
inside
9
store front
contest
11
friendship
jamboree
19
booster
day camp
continued on page 10
Health Center Board
owns and operates the
physical building where
the clinic was operat-
ing and had a month to
month lease with Verdura
Family Wellness, which
ran through August 15,
2012.

“We are greatly
saddened by the an-
nouncement,”
said
Krahn. “It came as quite
a surprise. We had just
received their monthly
update on July 19 th which Verdura Family Wellness closed
stated that things were go- their Vernonia clinic on July 31.
sent from Verdura Prac-
ing fine. We were work-
ing on getting better sig- tice Manager, Sara Miller
nage for them as they had to Krahn, stated that Ver-
dura needed some kind of
requested.”

A copy of that signage to catch the eye of
monthly update—an email
continued on page 8
Celebration is August 21

The big day has finally arrived!

After over four years of hard work the
Vernonia School District is ready to celebrate
the grand opening of the new Vernonia K-12
School and community center.

The celebration will take place on
August 21, 2012 with festivities scheduled to
begin at 10:00 AM. The new school facility
is located at 1000 Missouri Avenue. The
Vernonia School District and the Catalyst
Campaign have invited the entire community
to attend.
The schedule of events is as follows:
10:00 AM
Grand opening program
11:00 AM
Tours of the new school
12:00 PM
Lunch, thank you program
5:30-8:30
Community open house

According to Vernonia School
District Superintendent Dr. Kenneth Cox the
building will be open for tours all afternoon.

The new facility is 135,000 square
feet which will house elementary and middle
school classrooms in separate wings on the
ground floor and high school classrooms
on the second floor. The building contains
two gymnasiums and a commons area, with
stage, that will serve as a lunch room as well
as auditorium and community room.

The school was designed to be an
innovative model for rural education. It
will include sustainable features such as
passive heating and cooling, day-lighting,
and photovoltaic and ground source energy
use and aims to be one of the first LEED-
certified public K-12 building in the country.

In November 2009, the residents of
the Vernonia School District overwhelmingly
approved a $13 million bond to get the school
district started towards raising the funds
continued on page 13