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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 7, 2016)
10A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2016 Gearhart: If city’s rules are adopted, they go into effect in early October Continued from Page 1A A higher cap Another difference from the city’s proposed ordinance is a short-term rental cap of 9 percent of homes licensed for vacation rental use. Right now there are about 82 rentals out of 1,500 homes in Gearhart, Townsend said. An increase to 9 percent would equate to about 135 short-term rental proper- ties, a “pretty low number,” according to Townsend. The rental homeown- ers’ initiative eliminates a 60-day limit on offering permits, which would limit future permit opportunities. Under terms of the initiative, as long as there is available stock, homeowners could convert their homes to short- term rental. The initiative seeks to enable transfer of permits regardless of home owner- ship — restricted under the city ordinance to inheritance only. “If my daughters decide to sell the property some- day, I don’t want to foreclose their ability if they decide for whatever reason sell it to someone who may want to rent it out,” Townsend said. Proposed parking rules are unnecessary, he said, especially as the ordinance limits the number of renters. “Why, if you have a nonva- cation rental, can everybody can park on the street, but by the mere fact that you’re renting it out you can’t park on the street?” The city’s rules restrict occupancy to two people over age 2 per bedroom. The initiative doesn’t count kids under 18 toward that occupancy. At its August meeting, the Gearhart City Council unan- imously approved the irst reading of two ordinances that would regulate proper- ties occupied for less than a 30-day period. If adopted, the regulations will go into effect in early October. Property owner Jim Whit- temore said he and others are “more than willing to sit down with city leaders and work out a compromise” with oficials. Seventy-two of res- idents polled say the voters should decide the issue, not City Council, he said. “With this information and poll data in the pub- lic domain, I am absolutely lummoxed as to why the City Council may choose to ignore it and proceed full- speed ahead with the passage of an ordinance on Wednes- day, which in all likelihood will be replaced with a more conciliatory initiative we have proposed,” Whittemore said. “Why not avoid that? I hope they do.” The council meets tonight at 7 at Gearhart City Hall, 698 Paciic Way. Parking: New oficer will also provide tourist assistance, information Continued from Page 1A Along with issuing park- ing citations, the commu- nity outreach oficer will also provide tourist assistance and information. The downtown association, which will hire the oficer, will be expected to compile annual reports documenting the results. Other cities have privat- ized parking enforcement. Johnston explained that Astoria Police have had dif- iculty attracting enforce- ment oficers because of the low pay and the back- ground checks necessary for unrestricted access to police headquarters. Parking enforcement ofi- cers are often subjected to backlash from angry driv- ers, an unfortunate real- ity for police, and a poten- tial headache for downtown merchants. “If we have civilians issu- ing parking citations, we have to let the public know that they are authorized to do that,” City Councilor Drew Herzig said. Park: ‘We are looking at moving them from students to stewards’ Continued from Page 1A desk, we’ve been able to reach more than 1,000 fourth-grad- ers and their families through this program. We’re excited to continue.” Next generation Every Kid in a Park launched last year as part of the National Park Service centen- nial. The program is considered a critical component to the park service’s goal of inspiring the next generation of park-goers. Marcus Koenen, interim superintendant at Lewis and Clark National Historical Park, said the National Park Service was so pleased with the success and popularity of the program that it was brought back for a second year and is expected to be an annual offering. Fourth grade was targeted as a time when students begin to learn about history and explore the outdoors. For local students, fourth grade is usu- ally their irst time learning about Lewis and Clark. “Fourth grade is that age where kids are starting to look outside and learn more about external experiences,” Koenen said. “It’s a good age to encourage them to come to national parks.” Lewis and Clark National Historical Park A fourth-grader writes with a quill pen at Fort Clatsop during an education program. On average, Lewis and Clark National Historical Park hosts more than 2,000 fourth- grade students annually for educational programs. The park leads more than 9,000 students of all grades through various programs each year. ‘Students to stewards’ Cathy Peterson, the park’s education program coordinator, said Lewis and Clark National Historical Park has regularly attracted fourth-graders, even before Every Kid in a Park. Fourth-grade classes are invited on ield trips for educa- tional programs such as, Class of Discovery and Life at the Fort. Children are also invited to become Junior Rangers or take the self-guided tour, Dil- igent Pursuit. Out of class, fourth-grad- ers are welcome to paddle the river or participate in fun runs such as the upcoming South Slough Scramble “We ind fourth-grade stu- dents, children 9 to 11, are really interested in looking at the world around them,” Peter- Whales: Fishing gear entanglement is a threat Continued from Page 1A federal laws, including the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Vessels will continue to have to stay a speciic distance away from humpback whales in Hawaii and Alaska waters. A Hawaii ishermen’s group that petitioned for delis- ting three years ago said it was happy with the decision. “We just saw a lot of whales. So we thought this is a success in ocean management and we wanted to point that out to the world — that things are good with whales in Hawaii,” said Phil Fernandez, president of the Hawaii Fishermen’s Alliance for Conservation and Tradition. An estimated 11,000 hump- back whales breed in Hawaii waters each winter and migrate to Alaska to feed during the summer, the isheries service said. But an environmental- ist group said the protections should stay in place. “These whales face sev- eral signiicant and growing threats, including entangle- ment in ishing gear, so end- ing protections now is a step in the wrong direction,” Kristen Monsell, an attorney with the Center for Biological Diver- sity, said in a statement. Humpbacks that breed in Central America in the winter and feed off California and the Paciic Northwest in the sum- mer are among those that will remain on the endangered list. Marta Nammack, the ish- eries service’s Endangered Species Act listing coordinator, said that’s because the popula- tion is estimated at only about 400 whales. These whales also face threats from vessel colli- sions and getting entangled in ishing gear, she said. Whales that breed off Mex- ico and feed off California, the Paciic Northwest and Alaska will be listed as threatened. There are about 3,200 of the whales in this group, which is only about half of what scien- tists previously thought, Nam- mack said. The whales also face ishing gear entanglement threats. The different classiications mean that Alaska’s whales will be a mix. In addition to whales that breed in Hawaii and Mex- ico, Alaska also gets whales that spend the winter in waters around Okinawa and the Phil- ippines. These whales, called the Western North Paciic pop- ulation, are endangered. They number only about 1,000 and faces threats from energy exploration and development, whaling and ishing gear entan- glements, Nammack said. Humpback whales are also found along eastern coasts of the U.S. and Canada. These whales, which winter in the West Indies, are not being listed as endangered. They number about 10,000, the ish- eries service said. clatsop community college presents its 3 rd annual Conference on extraordinary living for people 50+ COMING September th INTER W / L F AL son said. “They are ready to go out and see the world.” Each fourth-grader, including home-schooled students, that vis- ited the park last year was offered a free Every Kid in a Park pass, resulting in rangers giving out more than 1,000 free passes. As the program continues each year, eventually after 12 years, every school-aged child in the United States will have had the chance to visit their public lands for free. “We are looking at moving them from students to stew- ards,” Peterson said. 16 ! Lunch provided $10 suggested donation Live Life to the Fullest Saturday, Sept. 10, 2016e, 8:30am-4pm Clatsop Community College, Columbia Hall Keynote address from Jill Harding from Lewis & Clark NHP “Hey Doc - What’s Up?” Q&A with health providers and experts on aging 18 Informative Breakout Sessions: • • • • • • • • • • Advocating for Your Own Health Mindfulness & Life Coaching Tips Estate Planning Educational & Volunteer Opportunities Frauds & Scams Disaster Prep/Stormy Weather AARP: Disrupt Aging Discussion Nutrition for the Sunrise Years Seniors on the Move with Travel Transitioning into Retirement • • • • • • • • County Events Extraordinaire Genealogy at your Fingertips Hiking on the North Coast Posture Analysis/Yoga Personal Technology A Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns about Falls Veteran’s Beneits/Social Security/ Medicare/Medicaid Intro to Acupuncture & Alternative Medicine Free lu shots while supplies last, sponsored by Family Care Health Register by Sept. 1 Contact Evy at 503-338-2566 or eberger@clatsopcc.edu To advertise contact: LISA CADONAU at 503-325-3211 or lcadonau@dailyastorian.com BRANDY STEWART at 503-738-7561 or bstewart@dailyastorian.com Publishes: Sept. 16, 2016 Publication is online at all of our websites via e-edition Inserted in: The Daily Astorian and Chinook Observer Clatsop Community College is an airmative action, equal opportunity institution. 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