Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 2, 2016)
10A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2016 Cannon Beach nixes development again Commission votes project down, but expects reversal By ANDREW TONRY For EO Media Group CANNON BEACH — “After dealing with this project for God knows how long, anybody around this, I don’t think anybody at this table, has a clue what it’s going to look like,” Cannon Beach Planning Commissioner Joe Bernt said. His comment drew the second-largest round of applause at the commission’s Thursday meeting. The loudest came after the body voted 6-0 against recom- mending approval of prop- erty owner Jeff Nicholson’s proposed four-unit plan. Despite the decision, commissioners anticipate their recommendation will again be disregarded by the City Council. After the city’s Planning Commission denied Nichol- son’s application in December 2014, the Cannon Beach City Council reviewed the appli- cation and gave temporary approval in February. In early March, councilors YRWHGWRDGRSWWKH¿QGLQJVE\ a 4-1 vote. phase, and after successfully fending off the challenge in the Land Use Board of Appeals court, the application was reopened by the Planning Commission in December. That hearing was carried over to allow further public comment, as the Planning Commission claimed jurisdic- tion to approve or deny Nich- olson’s application on the basis it was incomplete. Nicholson said any resi- dences erected on the property would be subject to compli- Challenges to plan ance with Cannon Beach’s Nicholson seeks to convert existing building codes. his half-acre North Laurel “I have the followed the Street lot and 100-year-old rules to a T on this,” Nicholson cottage into four family-sized said. “I kind of expect everyone homes. else to follow the rules to a T, A fourth home on the so it’s disappointing to me property will be rebuilt with when they don’t.” a condition that the home’s Commissioners unan- wood, beams and windows be imously voted against the salvaged. proposal. 1RZ LQ LWV WKLUG DQG ¿QDO “There were too many problems with it,” Kerr said. “If you have 10 things that bother you, you just have no frame to even start with. There’s not even a skeleton to ÀHVKRXW´ Council reversal likely Despite the commission’s decision, the project will move forward unless the City Council does an about-face. “Maybe the City Council will look at things a little more closely this time,” Commis- sioner Lisa Kerr said. The City Council is H[SHFWHG WR FRQVLGHU ¿QDO approval at their March meeting. “For the Planning Commis- sion to completely disregard the Land Use Board of Appeals and City Council decisions is just mind-boggling,” Nich- ROVRQVDLG³,¶PFRQ¿GHQWWKH City Council will judge the application for its merits.” Cell tower: ‘I don’t know where else we’ll put that pole’ Continued from Page 1A Verizon was willing to redesign the project at Shively Park and go back before the Plan- ning Commission, the city attorney said, a potentially less -complicated process than starting over with a new application after being formally turned down. “This does seem unorth- odox,” Councilor Zetty Nemlowill said. “I feel uncomfortable even having this conversation after the public hearing has closed.” The City Council, in a string of 3-2 votes , agreed with Ron Zilli, a local forester who argued that a new 150-foot monopole is incompatible with historic Shively Park. Zilli, who had shown that the mono- pole would be more visible than Verizon and the city initially described, appealed Planning Commission and Historic Landmarks Commission approvals for the project. Nemlowill, Price and Councilor Drew Herzig voted to grant Zilli’s appeals. Mayor Arline LaMear and Councilor Russ Warr voted against the appeals. Verizon can challenge the City Council’s votes before the state Land Use Board of Appeals. The company could also come back to the city with a new application for a communications tower. The city and Verizon had agreed to move an aging communications tower off Coxcomb Hill near the Astoria Column and share a new tower at Reservoir Ridge that would improve the city’s emer- gency communications. But Verizon also wanted the new monopole at Shively Park to ensure wireless coverage on the South Slope and other neighborhoods. “I don’t know where else we’ll put that pole,” LaMear said, adding that she agrees it would be better not to have the tower in Shively Park. But the mayor said there may be no other practical “way to give our citizens their cellphone service.” Zilli, who lives near Shively Park, believed the city was biased in favor of the new monopole because of the broader agreement with Verizon. He thought it was inappropriate for Henningsgaard to make the late request for the company after a majority of councilors indicated in January they would grant his appeals. “I have alleged they have acted as an agent for the applicant for a long time, and this is a continuation,” Zilli said of city staff. Katheryn Houghton/EO Media Group Sheila Holden accepts the Chamber of Commerce 2015 President’s Award after 12 years of working as a contact between Pacific Power and the hamber. Holden recently announced she will move out of her role as Pacific Power’s regional business manager. Chamber: ‘We are no longer the county at the end of the line’ Continued from Page 1A the Chamber of Commerce’s 2015 award winners. Sheila Holden received the President’s Award for her \HDUV DV 3DFL¿F 3RZHU¶V regional business manager. Holden announced at the ceremony she would be tran- sitioning out of her role this year. “We are no longer the county at the end of the line,” Holden said. “Any bridge could lead anywhere, I’m glad that the bridge led me here.” As regional business manager, Holden reached out to local economic develop- ment organizations, balanced communication with media DQGJRYHUQPHQWDORI¿FHVDQG connected the company to the hamber. Alisa Dunlap — a Portland AWARD WINNERS Chamber Member of the Year Award: Lucy’s Books (owned by Lisa Reid) George Award: Dan Arnoth George Award: Norma Hernandez Richard Ford Distinguished Service Award: Judy and Gary Sivley President’s Award: Sheila Holden with Pacific Power transplant — will step into the gap Holden will leave behind. Dunlap said she attached herself to Holden three years ago so she could learn what it took to be a regional manager. She didn’t know it would lead her to Astoria. “I have absolutely huge VKRHV WR ¿OO´ 'XQODS VDLG “And I’m excited to have Sheila continue as my mentor.” The room was a mix of cocktail attire and people dressed as runners or construc- tion workers to represent the bridge. Chamber Executive Director Skip Hauke wore a toolbelt and a fake ponytail attached to a hard hat. Along with the award recipients, he honored long time volunteers, John and Marilyn Jensen. “Anybody who has ever dropped by the welcom center over the years has likely been greeted by one -half or the other half of this volunteering couple,” Hauke said. “With 56 collective years of service XQGHU WKHLU EHOWV WKH\ ¿QDOO\ decided to retire from the visitor service.” Marilyn Jensen began volunteering in 1980 and her husband followed in 1994. Both had long careers in education, Marilyn as an elementary school teacher and John as the principal of Astoria Middle School. “I was employed in Astoria for over 35 years,” John said. “I felt this was a good way to pay back the businesses that had supported me for so many years.” The chamber also gave special recognition to retiring staff members Sheila Johnson, for her role as ¿QDQFLDO VHUYLFHV PDQDJHU and Suzanne Cannon, who acted as the visitor services manager. Joshua Bessex/The Daily Astorian The Astoria City Council has rejected a new 150-foot Verizon monopole at historic Shively Park. Square: A new library there could cost up to $13.3 million Continued from Page 1A A new library at Heritage Square would cost between $10.2 million and $13.3 million, city staff and consultants have estimated. A housing feature — 50 to 55 apartment units on top of the library — would cost $8.2 million to $10.6 million. City Councilor Zetty Nemlowill asked Cronin whether the project is possible without additional taxpayer money, likely through a voter-approved bond issue. “It would take longer,” Cronin said. “It really depends on the patience of the council.” Nemlowill and other coun- cilors would like to see the costs drop lower. “I like that you cut the numbers in half, essentially,” Nemlowill said. “But I wonder if you could do another magic trick and cut it in half again, because the numbers still seem very high.” The City Council agreed Monday night to spend an addi- tional $20,000 to $25,000 for consultants to perform a more GHWDLOHGDQDO\VLVRI¿YHOLEUDU\ options. Astoria advances local marijuana tax The Daily Astorian The Astoria City Council voted unanimously Monday night to advance a local tax on recreational marijuana. If the council follows through as expected, voters would decide in November whether to add a 3 percent local tax on top of the 17 percent state tax on recre- ational marijuana. Astoria Police Chief Brad Johnston has esti- mated that the local tax could bring in roughly $100,000 in new revenue annually. Consumers are paying a temporary 25 percent tax on recreational marijuana sold at medical marijuana dispensaries through the end of the year. The new tax scheme will be imposed once the state licenses recreational marijuana retailers. Joshua Bessex/The Daily Astorian Crews are removing contaminated soil from Heritage Square so the land can be eventu- ally redeveloped. The Astoria City Council is struggling over the potential cost of a new library and housing project. Consultants will look at the pared-down library and housing project at Heritage Square; reno- vating the existing public library on 10th Street by using space in the parking lot; renovating the library by making better use of the basement; expanding the library and tearing down the vacant Waldorf Hotel next door; and expanding the library into a renovated Waldorf. Last year, Mayor Arline LaMear backed away from a previous city plan to expand the library and demolish the Waldorf — also known as the Merwyn — after preservation- ists fought to save the old hotel. But the mayor now questions how long the city should try to preserve the privately owned building when many developers have said renovation does not SHQFLORXW¿QDQFLDOO\ “It’s why I don’t think it’s worth looking into,” LaMear said. But City Councilor Cindy Price said the consultant’s analysis could answer ques- tions about the Waldorf’s potential. “I kind of agree with you. I think it is going to be very expensive,” Price said. “But we have this opportunity now to put it in, to put it to rest.”
