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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 14, 2012)
10 community august14 2012 Planning Commission Considers Zoning Changes continued from front page in order to hear about concerns. “We wanted to know what the input was and flesh out any concerns,” said Brown. “We want to be able to research any questions and find out for sure what the impacts might be.” The City currently has three zoning designated areas that can accom- modate business: General Commercial, Light Industrial and Downtown. “What we are desperately lack- ing is zoning for businesses,” said Brown. “A lot of people don’t under- stand how critical businesses are to sup- porting the City. The less businesses we have the more burden the citizens are going to have to bear themselves. In fact, I think that is what we seeing right now—we don’t have anybody to help pick up the rate increases and so the citizens are being required to bear all of that.” The City lost the ability to make use of large pieces of property that were zoned Light Industrial and General Commercial at the old mill site next to Vernonia Lake when that area flooded in 2007. Many other low lying areas that were flooded have also been lost to development because of FEMA re- strictions, including properties around the Green Bridge, the old West Oregon Electric property, and properties along Bridge Street near Rock Creek. “Close to 85% of our General Commercial disappeared as a result of the last flood,” said Brown. “In fact the only piece of unbuilt General Com- mercial land that the City has is where the Rose Avenue Project is already be- ing planned for construction. There are no other pieces for General Commercial within the City limits, period.” According to Brown the only property that is available for develop- ment as Light Industrial is property on Knott Street, which was rezoned many years ago. Brown says that property comes with its own set of issues, includ- ing infrastructure problems with water and sewer pressure and volume. The other option for commer- cial development is the Downtown Zone which currently runs along Bridge Street, from the south side of Rock Creek to Rose Avenue. “The Downtown Zone is fairly flexible in its uses,” explains Brown. “It serves the downtown, is a pedestrian corridor for your community, it houses a number of different types of Mariolino’s Pizza & Grill Open for breakfast, lunch & dinner businesses on a small scale and accom- modates a variety of mixed uses includ- ing residential, like we currently see in our downtown.” A look at the current Downtown Zone shows that there are a limited num- ber of buildings that are available for a new business to occupy, and a limited number of lots that could be developed. “It limits the City’s ability to at- tract any additional businesses into the city limits,” says Brown. “We’re not at 100% capacity but unfortunately select- ing a business location is like walking into a public meeting or a church—when the seats are 80% full, it’s at capacity. If you don’t have 20% vacancy then you don’t really have any place for some- body to sit. It’s the same thing with building.” Brown says the Planning Com- mission has not reached any decisions about what changes they might make or where they might make them. He does admit that the Planning Commission is extremely limited in what they have to work with. Brown says he wants any new businesses that come to Vernonia to have a good chance to succeed. “We know that if we do any more Downtown zoning it has to be contiguous with the current Downtown Zone. It’s just a fact.” According to Brown these re- zoning changes have been under con- sideration for many years and that the Commission has already considered most available options. The area along Rose and Weed Avenues seems to make the most sense. “We know we can’t do an Ur- ban Growth Boundary expansion. We cashed in all our chips in that regard when the state allowed us to do an in- crease to bring in the new school prop- erty,” explains Brown. “To not have places for busi- nesses to come into Vernonia is really irresponsible on our part,” continues Brown. “We need businesses so desper- ately in this town. We all know it and we’re all paying the costs of not having it. And to not accommodate the poten- tial is just plain poor planning on our part. And at the same time, we can’t find an area that’s completely compatible.” Next Issue--Part II: How this re- zoning could impact citizens. Vernonia Computer Services Computer problems? We can help. Hardware testing, repair, replacement Mac – Windows – Linux Software install/upgrade Virus/spyware removal Custom systems built Housecalls We have ice cream! Serving Vernonia since 1970 721 Madison Avenue, Vernonia (503) 429-5018 Available Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat 10-6 and by appointment Bill Langmaid (971) 998-3705 bill@rangelights.com
