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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (May 23, 2017)
MANCHESTER BOMBING: POLICE HUNT FOR ACCOMPLICES PAGE 9A DailyAstorian.com // TUESDAY, MAY 23, 2017 144TH YEAR, NO. 233 MAKING THE GRADE STATE GEOLOGIST LAYS OUT DUNE GRADING OPTIONS FOR CANNON BEACH HOMEOWNERS County’s syphilis outbreak continues Three new cases charted since February By BRENNA VISSER The Daily Astorian C ANNON BEACH — Residents concerned about dune grading by the Breakers Point Condo- miniums joined the Planning Commis- sion Monday to learn about dunes and how to manage them from the state Department of Geology and Mineral Industries. While not a public hearing, the pre- sentation was a follow-up of a 1997 study that documents the geologic forces that create dunes and suggests solutions for sand removal. This docu- ment would be the basis for whatever policy the city creates, City Planner Mark Barnes said. The study comes in light of the confl ict that has embroiled Breakers Point — a region south of Chapman Point and north of Ecola Creek — in recent years after residents from Jonathan the condominiums Allan requested large sand removal permits after complaints of sand on their property and lost ocean views. An attempt to remove an unprec- edented 73,400 cubic yards of sand from the 60-foot dune north of Ecola Creek in 2014 concerned some about the impact that much sand would have on the ecosystem, prompting the city to revist its policy. In his presentation, Jonathan Allan, the lead author of the study, suggested options for what steps the city could take with excess sand after a grading project: push it seaward or transport it to the southern part of the county that has more erosion. “It comes down to what is the pur- pose of the plan? Why are we grading ONE DOLLAR By JACK HEFFERNAN The Daily Astorian The Daily Astorian/File Photos The dunes west of the Breakers Point condominium complex block what were once the oceanfront views of several property owners. The Breakers Point Homeowners Association filed an intent to appeal the City Council’s decision not to allow the association to relocate up to 73,400 cubic yards of dune in 2015. the dune?” Allan said. After the grading There are many factors that contrib- ute to why sand forms where it does. Sea level, storm waves, wind patterns, erosion, climate change and whether or not it is an El Ni ño or La Ni ña year all affects where dunes are created. From Falcon Cove to Chapman Point, all these factors cause some sec- tions of the beach, such as Tolovana, to erod e and actually los e sand, while Chapman Point accumulates more and more sand, Allan said. To remain as a safe, natural struc- ture to withstand extreme storms and fl ooding, Allan recommended the city should not grade any lower than 27 feet. This would mean moving 255,900 cubic yards of sand toward the ocean in late spring, where the wind patterns would have a better potential of redis- tributing sand farther south where ero- sion is a larger problem. However, the dune would continue to rebuild in the same way, because of natural forces. “Everything is pointing to sand moving northward. It’s about main- taining that area,” Allan said. Carting sand off to a much-eroded Tolovana would help alleviate that cycle, Allan said, because the sand is less likely to be handled again during future dune grading. It would manu- ally help restore balance in the physi- cal system. Cannon Beach would also be the fi rst city to try this approach on the Oregon Coast, Allan said. “It’s a totally justifi able approach — and successful, in the short term,” Allan said. See DUNES, Page 4A Three people have tested positive for syphilis since public health offi cials declared an outbreak of the infection in Clatsop County in February. Offi cials declared the outbreak after noticing an increase of positive tests the past three years. In 2016, eight people tested positive for syphilis in the county, a rise from three cases in 2015 and two in 2014. Only two total cases were reported the previous seven years. Following the outbreak declaration, the county requested $10,000 in funding from the state to pay for supplies and staff time at special clinics. The state agreed to hand over roughly $8,000, and those funds will expire at the end of June. Since February, 47 people have been tested during 16 walk-in clinics at the Clat- sop County Public Health Department and County Jail. Two screenings have also been held at Providence Seaside Hospital. See OUTBREAK, Page 4A Pay equity bill heads for governor’s signature Bill allows workers to recover back pay By PARIS ACHEN Capital Bureau SALEM — A state pay equity bill is headed to Gov. Kate Brown’s desk, after the House of Representatives on Monday con- fi rmed Senate changes to the legislation. The bill allows workers who are vic- tims of pay inequity to recover up to two years of back pay by fi ling a complaint with the Bureau of Labor and Industries. The governor is expected to sign the Gov. Kate Brown bill next week. “I applaud the Legislature’s bipartisan efforts to pass the p ay e quity b ill and I look forward to signing House Bill 2005 into law. While workforce discrimination has long Bruce Francis, property manager of the Break- ers Point Homeowners Association, tromps through European dune grass that has trapped windblown sand west of Breakers Point in 2015. See PAY EQUITY, Page 4A Mayor, former mayor back Gearhart rental rules Residents divided over regulations By R.J. MARX The Daily Astorian GEARHART — As some residents and property owners seek to “repeal and replace” Gearhart’s short-term rental rules, others, including Mayor Matt Brown and former Mayor Dianne Widdop, came to the defense of the city’s regulations. They strongly disagree with the concept of repeal, as well as the way the rules Mayor Matt Brown Dianne Widdop are characterized . “We are in full support of the current ordinance and are looking to make sure people keep it in place,” Jeanne Mark of Keep Gearhart Residential said . A summary of a ballot ini- Jeanne Mark tiative to “repeal and replace” the legislation underwent changes as a result of a deci- sion issued by Circuit Court Judge Dawn McIntosh earlier this month . The ballot measure would repeal special regula- tions on vacation rentals related to off-street parking, residential appearance, garbage service, septic capacity inspections and cesspool requirements not required of other Gearhart residents. Proponents of a repeal called it a “huge win.” “The judge agreed with us, that they were 99 percent wrong,” property owner David Townsend said in announcing the result. Widdop said Townsend’s statement was a “gross exaggeration.” “If you go down word for word, there are so few changes it’s unbelievable,” Widdop said. “We like the way the ordi- nance has been written. It’s a wonderful compromise.” “I’m not sure if Mr. Townsend is just playing pol- itics, which is his job as an expert political strategist in Sacramento, but I defi nitely take issue with some of his claims that our city staff some- how misrepresented language in the ballot title or that the judge changed 99 percent of it,” Brown said . “We were very happy with Judge McIn- tosh’s ruling and review where she used most of the meaning of (City Attorney) Peter Watts’ ballot title. See GEARHART, Page 4A
