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
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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-
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to build four houses and sell
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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-
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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.
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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
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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,
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