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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (July 19, 2016)
3A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, JULY 19, 2016 Coast Guard rescues injured Signiicant repairs needed hiker from Olympic Mountains for trolley trestle, track The Daily Astorian A U.S. Coast Guard heli- copter from Air Station Asto- ria rescued an injured hiker from Washington’s Olympic Mountains Monday. The Air Force Rescue Coordination Center con- tacted Sector Columbia River requesting help. A U.S. Navy helicopter had delivered two medics to a hiker with a bro- ken ankle Sunday afternoon, but because of fatigue and fuel shortages had to leave them with the hiker over- night. The medics were run- ning low on pain medication and needed a quick transport. At 8 a.m. Monday, the Coast Guard HH-60 Jayhawk heli- copter arrived on scene, but left to refuel amid worsen- ing weather and obstacles from the tree line. At 10 a.m., the Coast Guard hoisted the injured hiker and transported him to awaiting medical ser- vices at the airport in Olym- pia, Washington. “This case illustrates the importance of our partnerships with the Navy, Air Force and other irst responders,” Greg Merten, a search and rescue controller at Sector Colum- bia River, said in a statement. “With their support, we were able to successfully hoist this man from the mountain and get him to the help he needed.” LaMear: ‘Thoughts and prayers are no longer enough’ Continued from Page 1A In her letter, LaMear cau- tions that “thoughts and prayers are no longer enough” and blames gun violence for “eroding our sense of safety, our sense of community, our sense of pride in being an American.” While the mayor said she supports gun ownership for hunting and personal protec- tion, she urged the governor and federal lawmakers to work to ban high-capacity maga- zines and assault weapons, pre- vent people on the no-ly list from obtaining guns, approve universal background checks and make funding for men- tal health services a national priority. LaMear said she intends for the letter to be published as an advertisement in The Daily Astorian and invited residents across the North Coast to sign with her. The mayor, who will pay for the ad as a private cit- izen, said she is hoping for at least 300 signatures. City Councilor Drew Her- zig thanked LaMear for what he called a “brave statement.” Urban and rural divide Oregon, like many states in the West, has an urban and rural divide on guns. A state law that took effect last August expanded criminal background checks to private gun sales over the objection of some county sheriffs and pro- tests from many gun owners. Tragedies such as the mass shooting at Umpqua Commu- nity College near Roseburg last October have prompted intro- spection, but no sweeping new gun control laws. Gov. Brown said Friday that gun violence is terroriz- ing the nation. The Democrat proposed a gun-control pack- age that urges state lawmak- ers to outlaw future purchases of high-capacity magazines. The governor also wants to address a law that gives state police three days to complete background checks before gun purchases are automatically authorized. She would also prevent more abusers from having guns by expanding the types of relationships covered under domestic violence law. Brown issued an executive order directing state police to notify local law enforcement when someone barred from gun ownership tries to buy a irearm. The governor also directed the Oregon Health Authority to issue annual reports on gun deaths. Brown called on Congress to ban assault weapons and to prevent people on the no-ly list because of terrorism con- cerns from buying guns. Theme in presidential campaign Gun control is a theme in the presidential election between former U.S. Sec- retary of State Hillary Clin- ton and businessman Donald Trump. Clinton, the Democrat, favors gun restrictions such as comprehensive federal back- ground checks and repealing legal immunity for gun deal- ers and manufacturers. Trump, the Republican, has promised to vigorously protect Second Amendment rights. The gun debate will play out in Salem and Washington, D.C., not Astoria, but LaMear said her conscience drove her to make a statement. The mayor also asked for a moment of silence at the start of Monday night’s council meeting to mark the violence across the nation. “It’s — I know for all of us — very sad,” she said. “Makes us angry. Makes us frustrated. A lot of feelings.” Housing: ‘We don’t want to be like Portland’ Continued from Page 1A At a work session Monday night, Estes and Community Development Director Kevin Cronin detailed possible revisions that could encour- age more accessory dwell- ing units, tiny homes, row- houses and townhouses and relax building height and lot size restrictions. “It’s clear to me that we need more housing, but not at the expense of quality of life,” City Councilor Zetty Nemlowill said. “And I think that your proposed code amendments are too aggres- sive. We don’t want to be like Portland. “And I don’t know how much these code amendments would actually improve the housing situation.” Councilors only seemed willing at this point to have the Planning Commission look more closely at acces- sory dwelling units, often referred to as “granny lats” or “mother-in-law apart- ments.” Under the devel- opment code, the units are allowed if attached to homes — such as in basements, attics or over garages — but only a few have been permit- ted. The city could amend the law to allow the units in detached garages, guest cot- tages and workshops to make more eficient use of Astoria’s large, older housing stock. Even then, City Councilor Cindy Price said accessory dwelling units should come under administrative review, a level of staff vetting that involves notifying neighbors about the potential develop- ment and allowing appeals. Construction excise tax Councilor Drew Herzig was adamant, meanwhile, that residents would not sup- port relaxing building height restrictions, since taller build- ings would obstruct views. Herzig recommended that city staff research a con- struction excise tax, a tool approved by the state Legisla- ture this year to help cities and counties inance affordable housing. The Legislature also allowed local governments to require developers to reserve 20 percent of units in hous- ing projects as affordable. But the mandate only applies to projects of 20 units or more, which, with Astoria’s lim- ited space, could be a hurdle. Developers would also expect tax incentives or other sweet- eners to build, which might be politically unpopular. Nemlowill wants the city to identify city land that could be marketed to public and pri- vate developers for housing. She suggested the old Asto- ria Yacht Club — home to the Parks and Recreation Depart- ment — might be suitable if the department moves to the Astoria Aquatic Center. Community engagement Councilor Russ Warr agreed with the potential for apartments or other housing at the Yacht Club, but said developers would need incen- tives to build affordable units. Warr also said that with the limits in Astoria, “along with the fact that many of our citizens believe that they own their view, it’s going to be really dificult to look at this area as a mecca for affordable housing. “And I’m not sure that it’s our responsibility. I’m not sure that it’s something that we should be really pushing to have in Astoria, because I’m not sure it’s possible.” Price said the city might want to use a community engagement process on affordable housing similar to the master plan just approved for parks. Councilors asked staff for another work session later this year to have a longer con- versation about their options. Astoria City Council also gives inal approval to a parks master plan By DERRICK DePLEDGE The Daily Astorian The city needs an estimated $319,500 for trestle and track repairs before the Astoria Riv- erfront Trolley operates another season next spring. City staff has recommended that the City Council use capital improvement money to inance the work. Annual maintenance costs going forward are about $276,000, and the city will likely discuss potential fund- ing options with the trolley association. The estimate for mainte- nance costs is signiicantly higher than the city has budgeted in the past, a spike related to the age of railroad infrastructure. A consultant that examined the entire 4.7-mile track and eight trestles between the Port of Astoria and Tongue Point that used to be owned by Bur- lington Northern Railroad put the immediate repair need at $569,000 and annual mainte- nance costs at $519,500. City staff chose to concen- trate on the 3 miles of track and four trestles used by the trol- ley between Portway Street and 39th Street. Minor repairs will be done on the trail east of 39th Street into Alderbrook. The trolley is one of the city’s most popular draws. City Councilor Zetty Nemlowill sug- gested the city consider using Promote Astoria tourism money to inance annual maintenance. In other action Monday night, the City Council: • Gave inal approval to a parks master plan. The plan out- lines strategies for maintenance and planning, communications and marketing, operations, part- nerships and capital projects over the next 10 years. • Voted 4-1 for a contract with the Astoria-Warrenton Chamber of Commerce on the use of Promote Astoria tourism money. City Councilor Drew Herzig, who had wanted to divert some of the tourism money going to the chamber for maintenance on the Astoria Riverwalk, voted against the contract. • Backed the renewal of The Daily Astorian/File Photo The city needs to make sig- nificant repairs to the tres- tles and track used by the Astoria Riverfront Trolley. Astoria’s designation as a U.S. Coast Guard city. The designation — irst made in 2011 — must be renewed by the Coast Guard every ive years. • Recognized the 90th anni- versaries of the Doughboy Mon- ument for World War I and the Astoria Column. The monument’s anniver- sary is Thursday and the col- umn’s anniversary is Friday. Corporate sales tax wouldn’t boost high school graduation measure By PARIS ACHEN Capital Press SALEM — A proposed cor- porate sales tax that would raise $3 billion a year in new revenue would have little to no effect on the amount of funding ear- marked to high school gradua- tion programs under Initiative Petition 65. IP 65, sponsored by the Ore- gonians for High School Suc- cess campaign, dedicates an average of $800 in new state revenue per year to each high school pupil for dropout pre- vention, career technical edu- cation and college readiness programs. The measure includes a safety valve that allows for a smaller prorated allocation when new state funding falls below $1.5 billion in a particu- lar year, but there is no mecha- nism for increasing the per-stu- dent allocation above an average of $800, said Ted Nesbitt, an adviser for the campaign and former chief of staff for Gov. Ted Kulongoski, who was a chief petitioner for the gradua- tion measure. Revenue from the corpo- rate sales tax measure, Initia- tive Petition 28, could help keep revenue above that $1.5 billion threshold, but it would not bring additional revenue for the high school graduation programs, said Peter Zuckerman, a spokes- man for the IP 65 campaign. If passed, IP 65 would allo- cate an estimated $147 mil- lion in 2017-18 for programs aimed at boosting high school graduation. A study by economic con- sulting irm ECONorthwest has parsed out how much money each of the state’s 88 school districts would receive of that amount. High schools would be required to submit a plan to the Oregon Department of Educa- tion for how to use the money to build programs for dropout prevention and career and col- lege-readiness programs. Only about 74 percent of students in Oregon graduate from high school in four years, one of the lowest rates in the nation. Andrew Dyke, a researcher at ECONorthwest, said it’s unclear how the measure would directly impact the state’s gradu- ation rate. Researchers from the irm plan to examine how the measure would affect six Ore- gon school districts by look- ing at how the schools plan to use the money, what programs already are in place and the existing graduation rate, Dyke said. The Oregon Education Asso- ciation is not supporting IP 65 but has not organized an opposi- tion campaign against it. Instead, the teachers union is campaign- ing for passage of IP 28 as an avenue for boosting funding for schools. The Capital Bureau is a col- laboration between EO Media Group and Pamplin Media Group. SHANGHAIED IN ASTORIA S 3 EA 2 S O N N D Tickets on sale ONE HOUR before all shows! 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