Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (June 2, 2016)
3A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 2016 Artists, homeless to protest Seaside rules Pipe maker wants to gather on the Prom By R.J. MARX The Daily Astorian rousted by Seaside Police. They say the itinerant mer- chant rules are too restric- tive for artists and performers, many of whom are homeless and may be able to proit from their skills. Last year, the City Coun- cil considered a $50 a day licensing fee, or $1,000 a year, to regulate solicitors, entertainers and performers. The proposal would have raised fines to $750. During the public hearing, words such as “wrong,” “brutal,” “discriminatory” and “a street-sweeping technique” were used to describe the amendment, which would have expanded the defini- tion of “itinerant merchant” to include anyone who “pro- vides a service ... or solicits for any form of compensa- tion or remuneration.” The proposal was tabled. A city ban SEASIDE — Artist Walter Whitman and his companion Dowell McLaughlin say they are being rousted from down- town tourist areas and plan to take their protest public. Whitman, 58, and McLaughlin, 43, said they will be out on the beach Sat- urday in Seaside to stand up for the homeless and itinerant merchants. Whitman makes jewelry, medicine bags and all-natural pipes of bone, stone and sea- shell. He doesn’t charge for the material, but accepts gifts or donations, which he said are freely given. Whitman and McLaugh- lin occupied a spot along the Prom until Memorial Day, when they said they were City ordinances ban beg- ging or soliciting on the streets or in any public place. Adopted in 1984, the itin- erant merchant ordinance regulates the buying and sell- ing of merchandise by indi- viduals who do not have a ixed location. Vendors who use a temporary ixed loca- tion to promote or sell mer- chandise are subject to pen- alties up to $500. Charitable and fraternal organizations are exempted. “If somebody wants to set up a business and sell their hand-painted rocks, they would more than likely be turned down,” Seaside Police Chief Dave Ham said. Most people are “pretty compliant,” the chief said, Survey provides insight for Cannon Beach priorities City to focus on housing, safety needs BY LYRA FONTAINE The Daily Astorian CANNON BEACH — During two full days of strate- gic planning sessions, Cannon Beach city councilors and staff considered major community issues, from parking to short- term rentals, before coming to a consensus on city priorities for the next ive years. Results from the recent citi- zen survey, which received a 40 percent response from residents, guided the discussions last week. After analyzing survey results and a consultant’s past inter- views with councilors and staff, the group identiied ive prior- ities: affordable housing, infra- structure planning, emergency management, relationship with the community and effective government. “This allows me to focus on speciic goals and allows us to be held accountable for achiev- ing these results,” City Manager Brant Kucera said. Consultant Marv Weidner said a strategic plan is a contract with the community and told the room to set measurable, achiev- able goals for each priority. The public could attend but not participate. The plan will be adopted at a council meeting in July. Affordable housing The city will aim to add 25 units of affordable housing for various household sizes by 2018, and 25 more units by 2020. About 75 percent of sur- vey respondents indicated it was essential or every important that the city assist with the develop- ment of additional affordable housing. Most people who work in Cannon Beach, including ser- vice industry workers and city employees, live outside the city because they cannot afford it, councilors and staff said. Many said the absence of affordable housing and a school were inter- woven issues. Some recent overnight camp- ers have been employees of Can- non Beach businesses who were unable to ind a place in town to live, Police Chief Jason Scher- merhorn said. “When people live in town, they take pride in their commu- nity and get involved,” he added. Haystack Rock Awareness Program employees are renting rooms or unable to ind housing, program coordinator Melissa Keyser said, adding that afford- able housing would increase workplace stability. City Councilor Wendy Hig- gins agreed that inding employ- ees is more dificult than ever. “I live in Tillamook because I can’t ind housing in Clatsop,” Kucera said, calling the afford- able housing deicit “terrifying.” “I hear from everyone now that they’re afraid their landlord will sell their house and they’ll be homeless.” For 59 percent of survey respondents, it is important that the city reduces the number of short-term rentals in residential neighborhoods. The city could ind ways to encourage private ownership for long-term rentals, Mayor Sam Steidel said. The city tentatively planned to not renew vacation rent- als until 2017 and rewrite short- term rental regulations by the end of this year. Although the goals were agreed upon by most, some said it may be unfair to change short-term rental rules. Councilor George Vetter said Cannon Beach has consistently been a resort town. “People don’t want to give up second homes; they want to use them in the sum- mer,” he said. “We can’t expect that if we limit short-terms we’ll have more long-terms.” Emergency management With the threat of a devastat- ing earthquake and tsunami, city staff and councilors discussed the vulnerable water plant, mass care and the need for a long-term recovery plan. The group said they want cit- izens to be informed, safe, coni- dent and healthy. The city should have enough supplies to take care of the population plus 25 percent more, Kucera said. The city will aim for a mass care site — an open and accessible area without infrastructure — at South Wind by the end of 2018. The city also set goals of cre- ating a water puriication sys- tem by the end of 2017, hiring an emergency management pro- gram manager by mid-2017 and acquiring better emergency com- munications assets by 2018. By 2019, the city aims to have 100 emergency-certiied residents, recruit more Medi- cal Reserve Corps members and protect computer information in an off-site facility. In ive years, the city hopes to have a long- term recovery plan. Infrastructure planning The city’s ive-year goals include saving $2 million in reserve to relocate essential ser- vices to South Wind, and for rate- payers to support utility opera- tions, maintenance and capital improvements, since the city’s general fund subsidizes utility funds. Public Works Director Dan Grassick said it would take years for the city to be able to move crit- ical services, like police, to South Wind, due to the expense of add- ing roads and other infrastructure. The city will aim to create 50 parking spaces by 2017, have water and wastewater capital improve- ments by 2017 and adopt a trans- portation system plan by 2018. Councilors said they have heard about or experienced the lack of parking for years in down- town and local streets. The city will make a inal deci- sion on whether to purchase the elementary school site by the end of the year. invited to Seaside beach Saturday, Whitman said. “I’m inviting all the home- less, because I want to raise awareness,” he said. “They don’t have to stand in a park- ing lot with their raggedy-ass sign. If you have a gift, a craft, why are you standing there holding a sign?” The gathering is planned from noon to sunset on the beach about 40 or 50 feet south of the Prom. “I’m going to set myself up, have my generator and I’m going to sit there and carve and make pipes like I always do up on the Prom,” Whitman said. “I will be obedient,” Whitman added. “But they ain’t going to like how I’m going to do it. I’m going to stand up and holler at the top of my lungs, ‘Listen to this!’ and I’m going to shout it out for everybody to hear. We are American citizens and we have a right to live, to feed ourselves and to pay our bills.” ‘Times have changed’ R.J. Marx/The Daily Astorian Walter Whitman and Dowell McLaughlin hope to raise awareness of what they say are restrictive rules for artists and entertainers. but occasionally may become boisterous or loud and may receive citations for disorderly conduct or unreasonable noise. “Usually we handle it with an educational piece,” Ham said, with information about city ordinances and a warning. On Wednesday, Whit- man said the city’s statutes, written in the 1980s, are outdated. “Times have changed since then,” he said. “Make a permit fee reasonable that we can afford.” Artists, the home- less and supporters are Washington state limits carbon pollution from largest sources Governor has struggled to win lawmaker approval By PHUONG LE Associated Press SEATTLE — Wash- ington state regulators on Wednesday unveiled an updated plan to limit greenhouse gas emis- sions from large polluters, the latest attempt by Gov. Jay Inslee to push ahead with a binding cap on car- bon emissions after strug- gling to win approval from legislators. Washington would join nearly a dozen states including California that have capped carbon pol- lution from industrial sources. The proposed rule requires large indus- trial emitters to gradually reduce carbon emissions over time. The rule would cover many industries, including power plants, oil reineries, fuel distributors, pulp and paper mills and others. Inslee, who has called climate change “the single most important issue of our time,” has gained national attention on environmen- tal issues but so far has failed in his own state to pass ambitious carbon-re- duction proposals, includ- ing a plan to charge pol- luters a fee for emissions. Frustrated by inaction in the Legislature, Inslee last year used his executive authority and directed state regulators to limit carbon pollution under the state’s Clean Air Act. “Today is an exciting day in our continued quest to provide cleaner air for Washingtonians,” Inslee said in a video statement Wednesday. He said car- bon pollution is hurting the state and cited two consec- utive record-setting wild- ire seasons that burned about 2,000 square miles, among other climate-re- lated problems. West Coast pact On Wednesday, Ins- lee joined leaders of Ore- gon, California and British Columbia in San Fran- cisco to sign a climate agreement with six West Coast cities. The pact says they will work together to encourage zero-emissions vehicles, to reduce energy use in buildings and to take other measures. Under Washington’s proposed rule, expected to be inalized in late sum- mer, large emitters would be required to reduce car- bon emissions by an aver- age of 1.7 percent annually. The rule would initially apply to about two dozen oil reineries, power plants years, such as improved envi- and others that release at least ronmental and health con- 100,000 metric tons of car- ditions, according to a state bon a year. Many more facil- analysis. ities would likely be covered Oficials with the Wash- by the rule as the ington Department threshold is low- of Ecology say ered over the next the rule is needed decades. to protect human Kris John- health and the envi- son, president of ronment from cli- the Association of mate change. It Washington Busi- would cover about ness, said his group two-thirds of the is still concerned state’s emissions. about the poten- “Carbon pollu- tial economic dam- Gov. Jay Inslee tion has reached age from this new rampant levels and regulation. we’re committed to He said in a statement that capping and reducing it,” said the cap “sends the wrong sig- Sarah Rees, Ecology’s special nal to businesses of all sizes, assistant on climate policy. both those that are here Some critics said the pro- already and those hoping to posed rule doesn’t require relocate here, by driving up enough emissions reductions energy costs for employers and disregards current sci- and families.” ence. “We are extremely disap- pointed,” said Andrea Rodgers, Economic analysis an attorney representing young According to the state’s activists who sued the state to preliminary economic analy- force it to adopt new rules to sis, the rule would cost busi- limit carbon emissions based nesses between $1.4 billion on the best-available science. and $2.8 billion over 20 years Businesses can comply by to comply. But it’s also esti- lowering their emissions, buy- mated to provide about $14.5 ing “emissions reduction cred- billion in beneits over 20 its” from others in the pro- gram, investing in projects that permanently reduce emissions in the state or buy allowances through another cap-and-trade program such as ones run by California and Quebec. Second attempt It’s the state’s second attempt at an emissions rule. Ecology oficials said Wednesday that the latest ver- sion addresses concerns raised by businesses, environmental groups and others when the irst draft was released. The agency withdrew that draft rule in Feb- ruary to make changes. Stu Clark, the state’s air quality manager, said this ver- sion tries to accommodate busi- ness growth, recognize actions that have already taken steps to reduce their emissions before the rule takes effect and pro- vides provisions for energy-in- tensive businesses that face intense global competition. Sponsored by Clatsop Unit 12 Taco Salads With All The Trimmings Friday June 3 rd 4 pm ‘til gone GO ONLINE $8 .00 www.dailyastorian.com 6PM “Karaoke Dave” W A NTED AS TO RIA AM ERICAN LEGIO N Alder and Maple Saw Logs & Standing Timber Cla tso p Po st 12 N orth w es t H a rdw oods • Lon gview , W A 1132 Excha n g e S treet 325-5771 Contact: Steve Axtell • 360-430-0885 or John Anderson • 360-269-2500 OSAA 4A GIRLS TRACK & FIELD STATE Congratulate the Astoria High School Lady Fishermen winners of the OSAA 4A Track Championship Your 3-line message to the Lady Fishermen championship team and your business name 45 $ Deadline: Friday, June 10 Runs: Monday, June 13 in The Daily Astorian Contact Holly at 503-325-3211