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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 10, 2015)
NORTH COAST THE DAILY ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2015 3A Barn owner faces court date for commercial activities Despite lack of permit, barn owner said to rent premises By R.J. MARX The Daily Astorian GEARHART — In another twist to a long-running dispute, Shannon Smith, owner of Neacoxie Creek Barn, will be in Gearhart Municipal Court Monday to face trial for zone code tickets. The two tickets charge that Smith conducted business activ- ities in a residential zone. Smith also will receive two ad- ditional tickets for zone code viola- tions for alleged commercial activi- ties based on other events early last month, City Manager Chad Sweet said Wednesday. Each ticket could bring a $500 ¿ne. Smith pleaded not guilty to the ¿rst two tickets, and will issue a plea for the third and fourth tickets Mon- day. “I want to give her every oppor- tunity she has to make this work, but at this point we have to go through these steps to protect the city from a liability standpoint,” Sweet said. He said despite the lack of a per- mit, Smith has continued to operate commercial events, such as wed- dings and large parties in violation of city code. “She’s technically not permitted for anything at this point,” Sweet said. “She has a pending conditional use permit with conditions that need to be ful¿lled before she conducts Katherine Lacaze/EO Media Group Gearhart resident Shannon Smith has been trying for several years to renovate her historic livery for use as an events center. I can’t comment on that,” he said. Smith asked to speak and brought an “olive branch” to May- or Dianne Widdop. The plastic branch was intended as a request for “a sit-down discus- sion with this town,” Smith told the council. “Let’s find another way. I don’t want to have an injunction. I want to work with the city. I’d like to find solutions, instead of this crazy situation that has gone on too long. I don’t want to be fined or legally acted upon into oblivion, and I think it’s actually the spirit of Gearhart to sit down and talk with each other and work with each oth- er. “So here’s my olive branch,” Smith said. “Countries can do it, organizations can do it, we can do it. I don’t think anybody wants to have the legal bills we continue to have. This is my eighth request and I hope you really take it to heart.” Citing pending litigation, Widdop and councilors did not respond. Submitted Photo Gearhart resident Shannon Smith in front of Neacoxie Creek Barn, said to be in use as an events center despite what the city says is a lack of proper permits. According to its website, Nea- coxie Creek is an event venue locat- ed on the banks of Neacoxie Creek, with a 110-year-old historic barn and acre of grounds. The property was the original livery stable for the ¿rst “Gearhart Park” hotel built in 1890. The barn is listed for weddings, parties, corporate picnics, retreats and workshops and more with use of the barn main Àoor, western lawn, creekside front lawn, and gardens. “We understand there is at least commercial business. Those condi- tions have not been met.” Conditions unmet Those conditions include park- ing access under the Americans with Disabilities Act; an ADA license; ¿re, life and safety issues; and an occupancy permit, “which is very important to a commercial business, especially when you’re changing oc- cupancies from a livery stable to an event center,” Sweet said. one more wedding scheduled this month,” Sweet said. City may seek injunction The code violations are separate from an injunction proposed by the City Council at its meeting last week. Councilors agreed to seek an injunction that could padlock the barn from future events. That in- junction would be sought at the county level. “We’re working with our attorneys and that is pending so Drought loans offered to businesses Molalla man arrested The Daily Astorian U.S. Secretary of Agricul- ture Tom Vilsack has designat- ed Clatsop County a primary natural disaster area because of damages and losses caused by a drought that started in July. “Our hearts go out to those Oregon farmers and ranchers affected by recent natural disas- ters,” Vilsack said in a release. “President Obama and I are committed to ensuring that ag- riculture remains a bright spot in our nation’s economy by sus- taining the successes of Ameri- ca’s farmers, ranchers, and rural communities through these dif- ¿cult times. We’re also telling Oregon producers that USDA stands with you and your com- munities when severe weather and natural disasters threaten to disrupt your livelihood.” The U.S. Small Business Administration is offering small, nonfarm businesses in Clatsop, Tillamook, Washing- ton and Columbia counties low-interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses because of the drought. Businesses in Washington’s Paci¿c and Wahkiakum coun- ties are also eligible. The dead- line to apply for loans is May 2. “SBA eligibility covers both the economic impacts on busi- nesses dependent on farmers and ranchers that have suffered agricultural production losses caused by the disaster and busi- nesses directly impacted by the disaster,” said Tanya N. Gar- ¿eld, director of the adminis- tration’s western Disaster Field Operations Center. Small, nonfarm businesses; small agricultural cooperatives; small businesses engaged in aquaculture; and most private nonpro¿t organizations of any size may qualify for loans of up to $2 million to help meet ¿nancial obligations and op- erating expenses which could have been met had the disaster not occurred. Eligibility for the loans is based on the ¿nancial impact of the natural disaster, and not on any property damage. The loans have an interest rate of 4 percent for businesses and 2.625 percent for private non- pro¿ts, with a maximum term of 30 years. By law, the government makes such disaster loans available when the secretary designates an agricultural di- saster. Nurseries are eligible for disaster assistance in droughts. for online sex abuse But businesses primarily en- gaged in farming or ranching are not eligible for disaster assistance. Agricultural enter- prises should contact the Farm Services Agency about USDA assistance made available by the Vilsack’s declaration. Applicants may apply on- line at https://disasterloan.sba. gov/ela Disaster loan information and application forms are also available from the administra- tion’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 or at disaster- customerservice@sba.gov. For more information, visit www. sba.gov/disaster Completed applications should be mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Pro- cessing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155. Clatsop County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a 22-year- old Molalla man Wednesday in connection to online sex- ual corruption and physical abuse of a 13-year-old Clat- sop County girl. Colby Alen Greer was arrested in the parking lot of a shopping center in Happy Valley following a two-week investigation. Prior to his arrest, the sher- iff’s of¿ce said, Greer had been communicating with deputies who were posing as the girl on a social media net- work. Greer thought he would be meeting the girl but was in- stead greeted by Clatsop and Clackamas County sheriff’s deputies. Greer reportedly started contacting the victim after be- ing randomly suggested to her as a friend on a social media Clatsop County hires ¿rm for manager search covery, outreach, candidate presentation and final candi- date selection. The entire selection pro- cess could take more than three months. In other business: N orth w es t H a rdw oods • Lon gview , W A Contact: Steve Axtell • 360-430-0885 or John Anderson • 360-269-2500 BBQ Pork Rib D inner Brownsmead Grange CORN FEED ala D an R eed Friday SEPTEM BER 11TH Sunda y , Sept. 13th 4 pm ‘til gone $ .0 ea. 0 8 6PM “K araok e D ave” A complete ham dinner and all the corn you can eat. ASTORIA AMERICAN LEGION Post 12 Follow the signs from the Logger Restaurant in Knappa 11 3 2 E x c h a n g e S t r e e t • 3 2 5 - 5 7 7 1 MON-FRI 10AM-11AM • 5PM-6PM CALL TO DAY TO G ET SIG N ED UP! 503-468-1990 WWW.CROSSFIT1811.COM INFO@CROSSFIT1811.COM KS C ross F it OPEN GYM F RESERVE YOUR SPOT TODAY! Cu st om e r Appre c ia tion S AC SN K E EN T C A R ESH M ON-RAMP CLASS SEPTEMBER 14TH 7PM ANNUAL RE INTRODUCTION TO CROSSFIT- Follow us on PATRIOT DAY Adults $9 Kids (under 12) $7 Alder and Maple Saw Logs & Standing Timber MON-FRI 5AM-6AM 9AM-10AM • 6PM-7PM AMERICAN LEGION POST 12 2:00 to 6:00 pm W A NTED C ross F it CLASSES • The Board of Commis- sioners approved a cable franchise agreement with Charter Communications to eventually fund video re- cording of county meetings and public access service. H O BUR T D G ER S OG S The Clatsop County Board of Commissioners unani- mously agreed Wednesday to hire national consulting ¿rm Waldron to assist the board with hiring a new county manager. County Manager Scott Somers’ last day with the county is Sept. 18. He re- signed to become the city manager in College Park, Md. Last week, the Board of Commissioners selected Rich Mays, the former city manag- er of Cannon Beach, to serve as interim county manager. Waldron is charging a flat fee of $25,000 for the county manager search. In its proposal, Waldron touted a four-stage search process that consists of dis- HAM The Daily Astorian site. He apparently nurtured the relationship using several forms of online communica- tion. During their monthlong relationship, Greer met the victim in person on two occa- sions at public locations within Clatsop County. He was booked into Clat- sop County Jail on two counts of ¿rst-degree sexual abuse, two counts of luring a minor, second-degree unlawful sexu- al penetration, ¿rst-degree and second-degree online sexual corruption of a child, using a child in a sexually explicit display and attempted using a child in a sexually explicit display. The sheriff’s of¿ce does not believe there are other victims in the case. However, if anyone has any information related to other related crimes they are asked to contact Sher- iff’s Of¿ce Detective Ryan Humphrey at (503) 325-8635. The Daily Astorian P ICNIC S ATURDAY, S EPT. 19 1 1 AM -2PM a t Ba yshore Anim a l H ospita l BAY SH O R E A N G EL FU N D Q u ilt R a ff le w ill ta k e pla ce Tick ets a re $1 ea . a t h betw een n ospita l ow a N eed n o t b n d Sept. 19th e p re sen t to w in P erfect fo r La b ra d o r lo vers o r h u n ters 325 S E M ARLIN AVEN UE, W ARREN TO N 503-861-1621 ba yshorea n im a lca re.com