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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (April 8, 2016)
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, APRIL 8, 2016 FRIDAY EXCHANGE 5A Poor substitute Community needs n completing the survey for which the City of Cannon Beach is spending $30,000, we found that its questions were designed to apply broadly to any city in the country. If the present city management lived in this small community, got acquainted with the citizens, took part in community activ- ities, and walked around the neighborhoods, they would know the answers to all these questions. This expensive exer- cise is a poor substitute for good governing. REX and DIANE AMOS Cannon Beach W I Grandfather rentals e vacationed in Gear- hart several years ago as a family, and fell in love with the quaint little town. One of the reasons we could pur- chase the home in Gearhart was because we could operate it as a short term rental to help with the expenses, but our long term plan is to spend much more time there once we are retired. The recent developments by the Planning Commission and the City Council have us very concerned. First of all, we acknowl- edge that change is unsettling for everyone. We also believe that the efforts to reduce or eliminate short term rentals are not personal attacks, and as we express our views we hope that folks will understand that this is not personally targeted at anyone. We understand there are currently 85 short term rentals in the Gearhart area. It is pro- posed to reduce those to 35. That seems drastic, in our opin- ion. Our proposal is that the existing operators be grandfa- thered in, since this was a valid use of the properties at the time of purchase. Reductions would happen organically over time. Since short term rentals are a historic use in Gearhart, they should be allowed to operate as viable businesses without arbi- trary or punitive restrictions. By arbitrary and punitive, we mean that if a home moved from short term rental to another use, would the outcome be better, or worse, or no change? For example: If there were extra landscape maintenance required for short term rental, would the non-short term rental use (the desired outcome) be better, or worse, or no change? In the case of landscape main- tenance the outcome would be no change, at best, and likely worse. So a landscape requirement would be judged arbitrary and punitive by this criteria. Many of the proposed ordinance items are of this nature. It would seem that it would be better, for the neighborhood, to have a house occupied by approved renters than to have the house sit vacant. We are appealing to a voice of reason and fairness to all involved. We are a part of the community by being a property owner and part-time resident. We want to operate harmoni- ously, making it a win/win for everyone. MIKE and JANET CRANSTON Beaverton W Reinstate sanity earhart residents: There is a public hearing regard- ing short-term rentals (aka transient lodging) at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Gearhart Fire Station, 60 Paci¿c Way. Your property values will be affected, as well as the quality of life we have come to know and enjoy in Gearhart. There are 87 known short- term rentals, 77 are in Residen- tial 1 (R1) zones. These rent- als are changing the residential character of this little city. With the easy access to internet advertising and vacation rental companies like Vacasa, Airbnb and VRBO, rental proper- ties are packed witheight to 16-plus vacationers. The parking, noise, traf¿c is intense in summer months and holidays. Septic systems are de¿nitely challenged. Non- resident property owners have bought multiple properties, turning these homes into hotel- like businesses. If short-term rental businesses take over, the Gearhart Comprehensive Plan will be violated in R1 and R2 zones. What’s to stop other commercial ventures from being inserted as your next door neighbor? G Building a sense of community very town needs businesses that help build a sense of community. You may not like brew pubs, but they fall into that category. Places where locals can get out of the house, not have to cook, watch Oregon sports teams on TV, have a couple of beers, get some food, and be around a lot of fun peo- ple. This is what Molly Lowenberg, the E At the Thursday meeting of the Gearhart Planning Com- mission, policies will be pre- sented that will put short-term rentals in residential neighbor- hoods. These neighborhoods have always been, and are still strictly residential. Do you want these residential zones to now include hotel-like com- mercial activity? Excerpted from the Gearhart Comprehensive Plan Goals and Policies, Ordinance No. 677: “Residential development policies: The City will pre- serve and maintain the pre- dominantly residential char- acter of Gearhart through appropriate zoning and land use development regulations. The City will recognize the importance of the City’s resi- dential neighborhoods and the need to protect them from the negative impacts of the tran- sient rental of property, and to discourage increased levels of traf¿c and similar disruptions. “Commercial Develop- ment policies: The City will limit commercial activity in the City, in terms of both land devoted to commercial uses and the types of uses permitted in commercial zones, to a level that is compatible with Gear- hart’s residential character. “The City will prevent the City from becoming a tour- ist destination. To achieve this policy the City, through its land use designations shall seek to accommodate only a limited level of tourist development.” We must come forward to uphold and preserve the Gear- hart Comprehensive Plan. VICTORIA ABRAHAMSON and JEANNE and WILSON MARK Gearhart Gearhart Grocery n open letter to the com- munity of Gearhart: As a Gearhart resident and 5-year Gearhart Grocery employee, I am disheartened by the com- munity’s response to the idea of a new business taking Gearhart Grocery’s place. While I understand that the grocery store has been a sta- ple in the community for over 50 years, a business can not run on sentimental value alone. I have always been prideful of how tight-knit the community of Gearhart is, and can say with con¿dence that my coworkers and I know most customers by name and recognize almost all. However, over these past few weeks we have been bom- barded with an obscene amount of rude demands, statements and questions — most of which are coming from people that I do not recognize, or cannot recall being a frequent shopper. We have read and heard inaccurate rumors pertain- ing to what is going to happen with the store. We have been accused of sneakiness in the days leading up to the zoning meeting, as well as having a lack of care for our community. The city of Gearhart did every- thing required of them when a matter like this is voted on — the information regarding the zoning meeting, where our pro- posal was approved, was made public in a February issue of The Daily Astorian. We love our community members, whether they fre- quent our store or not. The fact of the matter is that although people love us, they do not shop here nearly enough for us to be a successful, pro¿table business. This is what commu- nity members need to keep in mind when weighing the idea of a new business. The argument that replacing the store with this new business will “increase the amount of drinking” is inaccurate as well as invalid. This new business will promote no more alcohol consumption than there already is. Many have complained that this transition will ruin the A owner of the Gearhart Grocery store, is proposing. What is the problem? Those who would rather have Mol- ly’s business fail than add a little life to the town’s core are shortsighted, and completely off base. I’m guessing these people have a net worth in the millions, have bypassed their local grocery store for years to save a few bucks, and now tight-knit community that we have built, and I strongly dis- agree. This potential new busi- ness would not necessarily gen- erate any more activity than other local restaurants do. Every complaint we have heard, whether it be negative or positive, has been emotion- ally charged and inconsider- ate of the business owners and buyers. By appealing, or being unsupportive of this transition, you are also being unsupport- ive of your fellow community members. While we appreciate the community’s concern, we hope that this open letter will give community members a fresh perspective and enough addi- tional information to allow sup- portive attitudes and decrease the negativity while we move forward. ALYSSA LOGAN and GEARHART GROCERY Gearhart scream when a business plan has to change. The proposal for the Gearhart Gro- cery is perfectly reasonable, and will add to the community. Those oppos- ing it, I guess, can build a wall and have Seaside pay for it. JIM SPURR Cannon Beach that come straight out of the New Testament, which teaches, “A woman should learn in silence with submission. And do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but in silence.” (First Timothy 2:11, 12) I believe this country is great, but not because of Christian values. This coun- try is great because of diver- sity and the freedom of choice. The choice to be who we are, not who Christians — or any other religious group — think we should be. This country is also great because the founding fathers were smart enough to keep religion and state separate. Just one more thing. That loving god Mr. Mauro talks about — the god of Abraham — is also worshiped by Mus- lims world-wide. CARL A. JOHNSON Herlong, California Keep the sea lions Christian values? y partner and I are plan- ning on making Asto- ria our new home this coming summer. We read the article about trying to deter the sea lions. Booo! We love the sea lions, and enjoyed them on our last visit. I understand that while we aren’t residents, and don’t understand the fuss, the sea lions are a charming addi- tion to us. We also don’t understand the Goonies fascination. That seems to be more of a problem than nature’s creatures looking for food. Seriously. ROBIN RODGERS Paradise, California M his letter is in response to Gary Mauro’s Open Forum letter, “On Chicago” (The Daily Astorian, March 25). He states that this country was founded on Judeo-Chris- tian values. (By the way, how did that work out for the Native Americans?). Is he talking about those same Christian val- ues that wiped out millions of indigenous people through- out the world? Or, maybe Mr. Mauro is talking about the Christian values that inspired the burning of innocent women during the Salem witch hunt. Could he be talking about those good Christian values T Help needed applaud the employees at Clatsop Behavioral Health (CBH) for making an attempt to bring issues into the light. (“8nion takes µno con¿dence’ vote against clinical director,” The Daily Astorian, April 1). I do not know the clinical director or executive director, but I do know that the people in our community are faced with a daunting, and sometimes unus- able, health care system. Many of us in the community have read a bit from news articles, but in my case have also heard frustrated comments from local professionals in both the medi- cal and educational ¿elds who have received either faulty — or no — help at all when it was needed most from CBH. I have also had a string of neighbors who were CBH employees living next door, and have seen not only an alarming turnover, but a frus- tration that has been more than a few disgruntled employ- ees. I believe I join others in the county in asking the CBH Board to facilitate bringing in an impartial third party who is quali¿ed in both clinical and medical-related administrative systems. I’m sure the present administration would appre- ciate the assistance, as well as the employees. It’s too easy to miss the for- est for the trees in frustrating sit- uations like this, and only doing an internal review might miss any other issues that might be standing in the path of a func- tioning mental health system. KITTY PAINO Astoria I hen I learned that the Gearhart grocery store, from which I live around the corner, was to become a brew pub, I was delighted. I imme- diately relived, in memory, the afternoons and evenings my wife, our three grandchil- dren and their parents enjoyed in the brewpubs of Portland — the world’s best beers, the inexpensive, tasty fare, and, best of all, the kid-friendly atmosphere and menus. The high-spirited conviviality, for all ages, is not often matched in commercial enterprises of any kind. Then I thought of the sum- mers-to-come: outdoor tables under a blue sky, following or preceding a day on the beach, many people with families and others without enjoying the center of our beautiful town, with the prospect of the vast majesty of the Paci¿c Ocean but a block or two away. Who could not be cheered by such a tableau of multi-generational human gaiety? “A handful of residents,” that’s who, I learned from R.J. Marx in The Daily Asto- rian (“Residents ¿ght Gearhart brew pub plans,” March 30). And they attire what is noth- ing more than their personal disfavor in the garb of concern for the “needs” of the commu- nity, as if any person, or “hand- ful” of persons are quali¿ed to decide what are my needs, or my neighbor’s or my neigh- bor’s neighbor’s. And, if it is really “needs” we are talking about, what com- munity “needs” more than a ¿re department, a police station and a post of¿ce? And what indi- vidual “needs” more than a glass of water, a bowl of soy- beans and a waterproof jacket in winter? Who needs a dog, or a car, or a church? I don’t. Shall I go then, through legal channels and attempt to have them banned from the city of Gearhart? And if each of us persuaded the authorities to ban everything we either disliked or had no use for, what would remain? A pretty picture Gear- hart would be then, wouldn’t it? LOUIS SARGENT Gearhart You don’t have to move to get that new-home feeling. Consider a U.S. Bank Home Equity Line of Credit for your next project. With competitive rates and flexible payment options, lasting home improvements could be within reach. Introductory rates start as low as 1.99% APR. Call 800.209.BANK (2265), visit a local branch, or go to usbank.com/dreambig. HOME EQUITY LINE OF CREDIT Introductory rate for 5 months Rates as low as Variable rate after introductory period 1.99 % 4.24 % APR* Rate available 2/20/16 - 4/29/16. 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