COAST WEEKEND: FORAGING FOR WILD MUSHROOMS INSIDE
144TH YEAR, NO. 80
DailyAstorian.com // THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2016
ONE DOLLAR
EXPLOSION LEADS TO BLAZE
AT WEST-END POT BUSINESS
Two taken to hospital with burn injuries
By EDWARD STRATTON
The Daily Astorian
Danny Miller/The Daily Astorian
Fire and police responded to a blaze at inside marijuana-ex-
traction company Higher Level Concentrates on the corner
of Industry and Portway streets in Astoria Wednesday night.
Two people suffered burn injuries
Wednesday night after an explosion and
ire at a marijuana-extraction company at
the corner of Portway and Industry streets
in Astoria.
According to the Astoria Police
Department, three people were working
in a walkout basement at Higher Level
Concentrates when an explosion occurred
around 6:30 p.m. All three escaped. Two
were transported to Columbia Memo-
rial Hospital with burn injuries and
later taken to Legacy Emanuel Medical
PORT OF ASTORIA ASKS CITY TO SHORE UP TRACKS FOR FREIGHT TRAFFIC
Center in Portland.
Cody Smith, a crane operator for Berg-
erson Construction Co., said he was work-
ing on a well on Pier 3 when he saw
smoke billowing from the direction of his
employer’s ofices, which are across the
Astoria Riverfront Trolley tracks from
Higher Level Concentrates. He went back
to see what was happening.
See BLAZE, Page 9A
City seeks
balance
between
housing,
tourism
By ERICK BENGEL
The Daily Astorian
The irst train from Portland to Astoria came along the
Columbia River Railroad in 1898. Throughout much of the
20th century, Astoria was a bustling industrial waterfront,
with multiple rail spurs crossing the Port’s docks.
Clatsop County Heritage Museum
The Astoria Planning Commission, wary
of producing more tourists rather than long-
term housing options for residents, may
prohibit the use of new accessory dwell-
ing units for vacation lodging in certain
neighborhoods.
The commission is considering develop-
ment code changes meant to encourage prop-
erty owners to build and rent out accessory
dwelling units on their lots, an effort aimed
at increasing Astoria’s housing supply.
These units would include detached struc-
tures like tiny houses, or converted spaces
like basements and garages.
The City Council set a goal last year to
promote housing that Astorians can afford.
Community Develop-
ment Director Kevin
Cronin initiated the
code amendments ear-
lier this year.
Last month, after a
handful of work ses-
sions, the Planning
Commission held a
public hearing, where
residents
expressed
Kevin
concern that intro-
Cronin
ducing more dwell-
ing units would crowd
neighborhoods while doing little to alleviate
Astoria’s housing crunch.
One common objection was that the
amendments would enable property own-
ers to use their accessory dwelling units for
vacation, or “homestay,” lodging instead of
permanent housing.
Though the city forbids vacation rent-
als in residential zones, it allows homestay
lodging and bed-and-breakfasts under cer-
tain conditions and in all zones, either condi-
tionally or as outright permitted uses, Cronin
reminded the commission during a Wednes-
day work session.
As outlined, Cronin’s proposed code
changes would allow accessory dwelling
units to be used for this type of short-term
lodging.
See RAIL, Page 7A
The first train from Portland to Astoria came along the Columbia River
Railroad in 1898. Throughout the 20th century, the tracks were busy.
See BALANCE, Page 9A
Danny Miller/The Daily Astorian
Bergerson Construction Co. employees work on repairs to the rail line on Eighth Street in Astoria Wednesday.
Freight rail or trolley trail?
By EDWARD STRATTON
The Daily Astorian
T
he city of Astoria is struggling to maintain the aging tres-
tles and street-end bridges along the waterfront enough
to keep the Astoria Riverfront Trolley running.
The Port of Astoria Commission on Tuesday put the
city’s feet to the ire, passing a motion that the agency would
like freight rail access maintained to the central waterfront in
case freight trafic ever returns.
“In the future, there could be a cargo that seeks our facil-
ity and requires rail transport,” said Commissioner Stephen
Fulton, who has called for the Port to take such a stance at
multiple meetings.
The state owns the right-of-way on the railroad from Wauna
to Tongue Point. The city of Astoria took possession of the rail-
road and right-of-way from Tongue Point to the central water-
front in a 1996 railbanking agreement with the state and Burl-
ington Northern Santa Fe LLC meant to preserve rail corridors.
Last stop
Vandals damage headstones at Ocean View Cemetery
Thirteen grave
markers were
overturned
By DERRICK
DePLEDGE
The Daily Astorian
WARRENTON — Van-
dals tipped over 13 head-
stones at Ocean View Ceme-
tery in what police are calling
a senseless desecration.
The damage was discov-
ered Monday afternoon by
the Astoria Parks and Rec-
reation Department, which
oversees the cemetery. The
parks department is trying
to notify the families of the
dead about the vandalism.
Warrenton Police are
investigating the headstone
tipping as criminal mischief.
“This is a property crime
that really upsets me,” Police
Chief Mathew Workman
said. “It’s senseless. Truly
senseless.”
Police and parks ofi-
cials do not recall any simi-
lar vandalism at Ocean View
in recent years, but the cem-
etery can be a magnet for
pranksters.
Considerable
force is necessary to over-
turn the headstones, which
weighed from about 700 to
1,500 pounds.
“It takes a lot of force. It
doesn’t happen by accident
by any means,” said Angela
Cosby, the director of the
parks department.
The city has asked Astoria
Granite Works to help restore
the headstones, which are
owned by the families. Russ
Warr, who serves on the Asto-
ria City Council and owns
the granite shop, said sev-
eral of the headstones were
not damaged and could likely
be placed upright for a neg-
ligible cost. Four or ive of
the headstones have serious
damage, he said, although he
is hopeful he can repair the
markers.
Danny Miller/The Daily Astorian
See VANDALS, Page 7A
Vandals tipped over 13 headstones at Ocean View Ceme-
tery, seen here on Wednesday in Warrenton.