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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (April 3, 2015)
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 2015 Reverse the decision I am very disappointed that four members of the City Council, who were elected to uphold the ordinances of the city of Cannon Beach, chose to override the decision of the Planning Commission to deny the application of Jeff Nichol- son to amend the city’s zone map, to obtain a variance to the slope-density require- ment, and to build a planned unit development on his prop- erty at 532 N. Laurel St. Municipal code 17.84.030 clearly states that varianc- es should be granted only if a strict interpretation of the code would be inconsistent with the objectives of the comprehensive plan. The comprehensive plan calls for controlling development in areas with slopes exceeding 20 percent, and areas subject to potential geologic hazards, so that potential adverse im- pacts can be minimized. The property in question exceeds the 20 percent criterion, and is composed of the accretion of sand held together with native vegetation. Since the councilors claim to have visited the site, I wonder why they were so impressed with the model the applicant presented of the proposed development, which portrayed the area as HVVHQWLDOO\ ÀDW 0XFK RI WKH property is a deep ravine. The applicant’s solution of build- ing a wall 120-feet long and up to 10-feet tall would add yet another wall to two others already in the area to support the building of Oak Street. My hope is that councilors, if given the opportunity, will be willing to listen to argu- ments opposed to changing city requirements for the ben- H¿W RI DQ DSSOLFDQW LQWHQGLQJ to build four houses and sell WKHPIRUDSUR¿W,IWKHFRXQ- cilors refuse to reverse their decision, they will in essence have subsidized a commercial venture rather than upholding the codes that were written for the good of the community. DIANE AMOS Cannon Beach Logs mean money A s one who works at the Port of Astoria, and is also on the Port budget com- mittee, let there be no confu- sion; the Port will make more revenue in this one month from log exports than it has made from the boatyard in its entire existence. Most years, the boatyard has lost money. That notwith- standing, there is a real need and desire to have a boatyard. This shouldn’t be an either/or type of debate. Both should be accommodated to maximize their revenue potentials. Englund Marine was en- ticed to the Port, and as a result, has a great location, a beautiful, expansive, newer building and a robust busi- ness. The plum was going to be the development of the old 15th Street site with some pricey condos. The economy and viewshed people took care of that. Bornstein Seafoods moved to the Port because their for- mer facility was dilapidated and outdated. The plum there was they got a new facility, subsidized by the Port, for which they created a bunch of temp-service, minimum-wage jobs, and a former Port com- missioner got a lucrative trucking agreement. Log exports are always characterized as mercuri- al, but they have been a real boon for many years of the ports of Port Angeles, Everett, Aberdeen, Tacoma, Olympia and Longview, Wash., and Coos Bay and Astoria. These revenues have resurrected the Port of Astoria from the grave. Without these revenues the Port would be less able to subsidize ventures such as the boatyard. CHRIS CONNAWAY Astoria Move the logs H ow can the Port of As- toria be so short-sight- ed? Doesn’t anyone on the Port of Astoria Commission remember the last log-export- ing adventure, from the early 1980s to the late 1990s? Then the Japanese econ- omy tanked and left the Port without anyone to ship logs to, and in a very short mon- FRIDAY EXCHANGE 5A newspaper. By the clever tac- tic of picking up the phone and calling them several days ago, The Daily Astorian managed his April is Alcohol Awareness parents, schools, colleges, community alcohol use through education; and to learn that DEQ had only Month. Founded and sponsored by leaders, and our youth. The widespread expanded access to treatment and re- asked that the pollution prob- the National Council on Alcoholism prevalence of underage drinking and the covery support for adolescents and lem be addressed by June 30, and Drug Dependence Inc. since 1987, negative consequences it creates remain their families. 2016, and was not threatening this year’s theme is: “For the Health of a stubborn and destructive problem, de- LPPLQHQW¿QHV But time is running out. Studies It: Early Education on Alcoholism and spite decades of efforts to combat it. Knight said during his open- reveal that alcohol consumption by Addiction.” ing comments that it was vital Yet, there are four areas that have adolescents results in brain damage — No other substance is more widely proven to be effective in prevention possibly permanent — and impairs in- for citizens to trust the Port and its commission. The Port needs used and abused by America’s youth of this problem: curtailing the avail- tellectual development. to learn we earn trust not by than alcohol, making alcoholism and ability of alcohol to underage popula- So, let’s get started. We can’t afford what we say, but by what we do alcohol-related problems the No. 1 tions; consistent enforcement of ex- to wait any longer. over time, and that would in- public health problem in the U.S. isting laws and regulations regarding ROBERT McCLELLAND Chairman, North Coast Prevention Works clude keeping our word and de- Addressing this issue requires a sus- alcohol purchase; changing cultural livering on our promises. The tained and cooperative effort between misconceptions and behaviors about Astoria Port certainly did not honor its promise to Englund Marine, ey situation where they were but our waterfront economy lighted. Fixed assets were not lution are addressed from the Bornstein Seafoods and Co- begging for income. Then has endured for the life of our recorded with periodic depre- beginning? OXPELD 3DFL¿F 0DULQH :RUNV they came up with a long-term city. Changes at the boatyard ciation. There were outstand- Ducks are clearly lining up which invested millions to lo- plan and lured Englund Ma- are necessary, but its closure ing bills of $500,000. An un- at the Port. Jim Knight and the cate in the Marine Industrial rine and others to the dockside would be, well, stupid. cashed Oregon Energy Trust commissioners were airing all Cluster, which the Port has now by the shipyard. PAUL HAIST Check of 2010 was still in the of their concerns in public and been threatening to abandon in Have any of the Port com- Astoria bank, and need to be placed in practicing transparency. It was favor of logs. missioners or managers ever One commissioner took an account. The last time Moss the most delightful Port com- looked online at the “ghost $GDPV DFFRXQWLQJ ¿UP ZDV missioners meeting I’ve been great pains to point out that there seemed little choice but to close cities of China”? China is Breath of fresh air used was in 2010. Chairman to in years. ight off the bat Port of As- of the board at the time, Peter hiding the world’s largest real PAMELA MATTSON the boatyard because a consul- toria Executive Director Guerin, did not rehire them. estate bubble with millions MCDONALD tant told the commission there of apartments built — with Jim Knight took responsibil- The accountants from three Astoria were no technologies to con- trol the copper pollution. That no one to occupy them in ity for the confusion over the ¿UPV WKHUH VXJJHVWHG WKH\ FRPSOHWHO\ GH¿HV ORJLF VLQFH more than a half dozen cit- possible closure of the boat- could ignore the past and go No commitment it would mean that all boat- ies — built on isolated farm yard, and illuminated the is- forward from 2014 or go back ort of Astoria Executive Di- yards everywhere would have lands with no occupants, and sues brought up by the Oregon and restate from 2010 to see rector Jim Knight managed to close. But then why is the no way of ever populating Department of Environmental the whole picture. them. It is an insane situation Quality. He stated the DEQ The sea lions were ad- to diffuse the concerns and boatyard being singled out for that will bring its economy to would work with the Port on dressed on the East Basin DQJHU RI WKH RYHUÀRZ FURZG copper blame? There are heavy its knees very soon. I won- the copper contaminates leak- docks, both sea lion lovers and attending the recent Port of As- new uses on Pier 3 because of der why China is buying logs ing from the boatyard to es- the people who own boats on toria meeting. He opened the logs, and there have been many from us, other than they will tablish a stormwater treatment the docks and make their liv- meeting by saying the closure uses, structures, activities and still be worth something, even facility. ing spoke. Nothing was decid- of the boatyard was being set pollutants over the years. Of He reinforced his commit- ed beyond getting people to aside for now, because he had course, blaming the boatyard is if the economy there com- ment by pointing out that one shoo them away or encourag- just learned earlier in the day a convenient way of getting it pletely collapses. that commitments were made out of the way of the log ship- My last question is why of the business goals of the ing killer whales. hasn’t the Port moved the Port is to have a working boat- Jim Knight asked the under the Port’s 2001 and 2010 ping operation. 7KH FLWL]HQV ZKR WHVWL¿HG log-export operation to the yard, and apologized for his board for a web designer and Master Plans, and that the De- Tongue Point site, since they confusing misstatements. His public relations profession- partment of Environmental about the boatyard at the meet- have control of that site? It announcement diffused the al for the next nine months. Quality was not immediately ing were polite and patient, makes absolutely no sense anxious energy of the stand- Commissioners voted to bud- JRLQJ WR UDLQ GRZQ ¿QHV DQG far beyond what one would to have a log-exporting op- ing-room-only crowd. get $45,000 for this position. pestilence upon the Port be- expect. They pointed on the Many people spoke. It was Bringing the Port website up cause of copper pollution in the essential importance of the eration in the city of Astoria when tourism is trying to take a parade of the economic driv- to date in this Internet-driven Port’s storm water drains. In- boatyard to numerous local hold. Why have all that truck ers of the port. But the real world will assist the account- stead, an ad hoc committee EXVLQHVVHV¿VKHUPHQDQGERDW WUDI¿FRQWKH3RUWZKHQWKH\ picture came when the money LQJ ¿UPV ZLOOLQJ WRLOHUV LQ would be formed to consider owners, and that it drives an schedule in luxury cruise spoke. The accounting practic- WKH EXVLQHVV RI¿FH FRPPLV- the issues and suggest solutions infusion of millions of dollars into the local economy. ships to visit Astoria? It is a es need to change. Utility bills sioners and the valiant Jim to the Port Commission. Despite that, the Port has All well and good, but tragic accident looking for WR WHQDQWV ZLOO QHHG WR UHÀHFW Knight. a place to happen. I can see a 15 percent administrative fee A further question I would it seems that Knight should not committed to keeping the “Log truck hits tourist bus on top of the water, electricity ask the commissioners is, have known this much earlier boatyard, only to keeping it on docks, dozen dead” in the and gas delivered. No plan ex- when a business wants to set simply by reading the Mas- for now while the still-to-be- isted to deal with replacing or up at the Port of Astoria, is an ter Plans, by hearing about assembled ad hoc committee headlines. Why don’t they use Tongue maintaining the utilities, and environmental impact state- them from one of the (too) does its work. ROGER ROCKA Point where they dredged the this fee will bankroll it. ment done, so that concerns of long-term commissioners, or Astoria Other issues were high- noise, light, air or water pol- simply by reading the local slips to 80 feet not that long ago, when they were trying to attract another operator? Do not close the shipyard. Move the log exporting to Tongue Point. Do the logical thing for WKH¿UVWWLPH JESSE (CHUCK) DAY Astoria Alcohol is No. 1 public health problem T R P Logs come and go I was “shocked, shocked” to learn at the recent meeting of the Port of Astoria Com- mission that the Port did not require an environmental im- pact study before allowing log-handling on Pier 3. As I watched the landscape of Pier 3 deteriorate under the intrusion of the logs, I said to my wife, “I bet they didn’t do an environmental impact as- sessment.” At the Port Com- mission meeting, no commis- sioner knew anything about an environmental assessment. This failure signals incompe- tence or worse. However, I am more inter- ested now in the composition of the ad hoc committee pro- posed at the meeting to weigh the future of the boatyard, which the Port announced earlier it would close because of environmental issues. If the Port was that concerned about the environment, why did it not consider the envi- ronmental impact of the log operation? A number of citizens who addressed the commission volunteered to serve on the committee, as did at least two of the Port commission- ers. Two Port commissioners on the committee is one too many. As a tenant of the West Mooring Basin for most of the last 30 years, and a user of the boatyard, I am a regular Port watcher. The commissioners seem to me uninformed about the economic role of the boat- yard. One commissioner on the committee should serve as a liaison. Any more, and they get in the way. The boatyard is the hub of a diverse and rich water- front economy. It matters not whether the boatyard operates in the black. As an indispens- able component of our water- front economy, it is the Port’s responsibility in these times to provide that service. Logs will come and go, Get your remodel rolling today. Introductory rate for 5 months Home Equity Line of Credit 1.50 % APR* Rate available 2/14/15–4/24/15 Rates are subject to change Rates as low as 3.99 % APR* Variable rate after Introductory Period With competitive rates and flexible terms, a U.S. Bank Home Equity Line of Credit may help you make your dream kitchen a reality. Branch usbank.com/lowrate 800.209.2265 * 1.50% Introductory Annual Percentage Rate (APR) is available on Home Equity Lines of Credit with an 80% loan-to-value (LTV) or less. 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