Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (March 21, 2017)
DailyAstorian.com // TUESDAY, MARCH 21, 2017 144TH YEAR, NO. 188 ONE DOLLAR Housing options closer to approval Astoria council weighs tiny homes and ADUs By ERICK BENGEL The Daily Astorian Danny Miller/The Daily Astorian Joey Patenaude hosts his radio show Blues In The Daylight on Coast Community Radio Monday in Astoria. KMUN, others face fallout from Trump budget that nixes funds By ERICK BENGEL The Daily Astorian oast Community Radio, a nonprofit station that serves northwest Oregon and southwest Washington, would take a severe financial hit under President Donald Trump’s proposed budget blueprint, which eliminates federal funding for the Corpo- ration for Public Broadcasting. Historically, public broadcasting, which underwrites public radio and television nation- wide, has represented up to one-third of Coast Community Radio’s funding, depending on how much revenue the station generates, according to General Manager Joanne Rideout. For this fiscal year, the station is slated to receive $116,000 in CPB grants, about 26 per- cent of the organization’s $441,000 budget. Coast Community Radio is one of hundreds Joanne of community-based media services across the Rideout nation that faces a precipitous — and potentially fatal — loss of funding if the Corporation for Public Broadcasting gets zeroed out. C See FALLOUT, Page 11A The Astoria City Council, in light of input from the Lower Columbia Preservation Soci- ety on Monday, chose to extend a public hear- ing on code amendments that would allow residents to build and rent out tiny homes and other dwellings on their property. Under the proposed development code changes meant to help reduce the city’s hous- ing shortage, prop- erty owners could set up an accessory dwell- ing unit for long-term renters. The new units would include con- verted spaces — such as attics, basements and garages — and detached structures, such as tiny homes. The code currently allows these units “in certain zones under strict conditions,” Com- munity Development Director Kevin Cronin wrote in a staff report. Cronin, who drafted the amendments, said that freeing up develop- ment by permitting ADUs would help tackle, however modestly, the city’s goal of creating housing that Astorians can afford. The meeting followed a City Council work session where Cronin and Jim Long, Bend’s affordable housing manager, discussed the merits of a construction excise tax on com- mercial and industrial building permit valua- tion. The tax would raise money for afford- able housing projects. ‘I think the time is now to take action to add housing units for Astorians.’ Zetty Nemlowill Astoria city councilor Danny Miller/The Daily Astorian Coast Community Radio Volunteer Leroy Strickland talks to contributors on the phone during their spring pledge drive Monday in Astoria. Last fall, the Planning Commission rec- ommended the dwellings units be prohibited from use as homestay, or short-term, lodging — such as Airbnb rentals — and that the new amendments should be reviewed after one year. Support with conditions ling away, they might look to their water bills. Residents face hikes of up to 40 percent in July to fund needed water, wastewater and storm-drain repairs and maintenance. The City Council plans to endorse those capital improve- ments at its upcoming April 4 meeting. Doug Thompson, a former Astoria city councilor and board member of the Lower Columbia Preservation Society, said the orga- nization would support ADUs under certain conditions. For example, the structures should only be sited in the rear or interior side yards of the main building — away from public right-of- ways — and that existing ADUs should not be grandfathered into the homestay lodging ban. The preservation society wants to preserve the character of Astoria’s historic neighborhoods. Fully supporting the preservation soci- ety’s revisions, City Councilor Cindy Price also suggested removing tiny homes — a relatively new housing trend — as an ADU option for now. See WATER RATES, Page 11A See HOUSING, Page 11A Soaring water rates on the North Coast Cannon Beach changes drive proposed hikes Cannon Beach wa- ter, waste- water and stormwater rates could increase up to 40 percent. By R.J. MARX The Daily Astorian CANNON BEACH — If Can- non Beach residents soon feel a little more of their money trick- R.J. Marx The Daily Astorian Music shop owner sues radiologist, alleges negligence Christie seeks $9.4 million after stroke By DERRICK DePLEDGE The Daily Astorian An Astoria music shop owner has filed a $9.4 million medical malpractice lawsuit against Columbia Memorial Hospital, alleging a top radiol- ogist was negligent and missed signs of a stroke. John Pierce Christie, who owns Mallternative, a music shop downtown, was taken to the hospital in August with slurred speech, drooling and a left facial droop. Dr. William Armington, a radiologist with Pacific Coast Imaging, a part- ner of the hospital, reported after an MRI and magnetic res- onance angiography that there were no abnormalities, accord- ing to the lawsuit. Several hours later, Christie was transferred to Providence St. Vincent Medical Center in Portland where, the law- suit claims, stroke neurology looked at the scan from Colum- bia Memorial and detected blockage to the basilar artery, which provides blood to the brain and central nervous sys- tem. A follow-up MRI/MRA showed further damage. Christie suffered respira- tory failure and acute hypoxia and went into a coma, accord- ing to the lawsuit, leaving him with a traumatic brain injury and partial paralysis that requires extensive medi- cal care. The lawsuit, filed Wednes- day in Circuit Court, alleges that Christie’s treatment for neurological care was delayed by Armington’s and Columbia Memorial’s negligence. Chris- tie is asking for economic damages of $4.4 million and noneconomic damages, such as pain and suffering, of $5 million. See LAWSUIT, Page 11A Heather and Pierce Christie
