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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (July 11, 2017)
3A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, JULY 11, 2017 Cannon Beach tables timed parking downtown nomic impact for businesses. “What I found was the pub- lic lots are supporting the busi- nesses and Hemlock is sup- porting the beachgoers,” Davis said. Davis said he has found that in most cities the economic benefits of an occupied parking space drop off after two hours. “If people are going to spend money, they are going to do it quickly.” Parking options on hold until after summer By BRENNA VISSER The Daily Astorian CANNON BEACH — After impassioned arguments from the community, the Can- non Beach City Council voted Monday night to table any dis- cussion of timed parking or any other parking solutions until after the summer. Three-hour parking limit signs on Hemlock Street between First and Third ave- nues, as well as on First, Sec- ond and Third streets between Hemlock and Spruce were suggested by the City Coun- cil in May as a pilot program to see whether or not timed parking increases turnover in parking spots. The pilot was intended to help the city reach the goal of creating 50 new spots by the end of 2018. But many business own- ers and residents rejected the idea that timed parking would increase business and felt they were shut out of the deci- sion-making process. Last month, a petition argu- ing that timed parking would “negatively impact the relax- ing atmosphere” of the town, “increase traffic congestion when cars need to be moved,” and “not allow visitors enough time to enjoy the restau- rants and browse through the Other solutions Brenna Visser/The Daily Astorian Jim Oyala, owner of Bill’s Tavern & Brewhouse, speaks before the Cannon Beach City Council Monday to express his opinions about plans to implement timed parking. local shops” generated 120 signatures. “If there is a spot a tour- ist can park in, let him park there,” Jay Shepard, the owner of Dueber’s Variety and Shore- lines, said during the meeting. “If there are employees park- ing there, that can be solved with education. But the last thing we want to do is make this town unwelcoming.” Why timed parking? “There is a method to my madness,” joked Brian Davis, of Lancaster Street Lab, who presented a parking study to the city. His method was to walk around 24 block faces in Can- non Beach to track how occu- pied the town was, how long cars stayed and the number of unique vehicles that would enter the space between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. He conducted his study over two days — March 31, the last day of Ore- gon’s spring break, and April 15, the last day of Washington state’s spring break — as rep- resentative samples. In the world of parking studies, an 85 percent occu- pancy rate is considered the time when parking becomes inconvenient and difficult to find. Davis found that Hem- lock Street and Second Street were at full capacity almost all day, while other parts of town ebbed and flowed. Davis said he suggested timed parking because 7.5 percent of the cars he tracked in his study were parked lon- ger than three hours. Hav- ing those cars park in the lots would open up more spots throughout the day, which he said would result in more eco- Stray bullet kills camel in animal rehab center Associated Press CAVE JUNCTION — A man who fired dozens of rounds from a rifle and wounded a former friend he was feuding with also shot and killed a camel at a nearby ani- mal rehabilitation center in southwestern Oregon, officials and witnesses said. Joseph Carl Sallman of Grants Pass opened fire on July 1 near a group of cabins where he lived south of Cave Junction, Oregon State Police officials and witnesses said. Across the Redwood High- way is the Tiger Preservation Center, where Camille the camel had lived for two years. One of the rounds struck the one-humped dromedary above the eye, said Robert Ringo, who runs the center. Ringo said five or six bul- lets came close to him and other employees. After the presentation, some questioned the need for timed parking if only 7.5 percent were staying longer than what timed parking would enforce — including City Councilor Nancy McCarthy. “If it’s only 7 percent, why are we talking about this?” she asked. Many in the community suggested to the City Council that the town does not have a parking problem as much as it has a traffic problem, and sug- gested the city consider a one- way grid downtown, expand shuttle service or invest in dif- ferent ways to direct traffic to parking lots to avoid traffic jams. “The traffic can be a safety issue,” Joyce Lincoln, owner of Northwest by Northwest Gallery, said. Aesthetic Others were concerned with the number of signs ruining the aesthetic of the town. “This will make the town seem unfriendly, and as busi- ness owners we will get the brunt of the unhappiness,” said Sharon Amber, owner of Jew- elry by Sharon Amber. Amber also suggested the city invest in a parking garage to increase the number of spaces, but Davis warned about expanding too much with little to gain. “The next space you build will be your worst,” he said. “The return on investment eco- nomically would not be high with the capital cost.” Bill’s Tavern & Brew- house owner Jim Oyala said he doesn’t think Cannon Beach has a parking problem. Oyala has lived here since 1970, and said he wants other peo- ple to discover the town with the same ease he did almost 50 years ago. “This place is magic. It’s a beautiful walking town, and we should help people enjoy that,” Oyala said. “We already had a bad winter. We’re just trying to have a summer.” City councilors took notes during the hearing for future discussion the council plans to have after the peak season comes to a close. “At the movie theater when all the seats are full and the last ticket is sold, you close the doors,” City Councilor George Vetter said. “But we can’t close the door to our town. When we are full we are full, and we need to learn to manage that.” JOIN US FOR BARBEQUE AND DRINKS! Community Open House Thursday, July 13 4-6 pm Fisher Bros. Building 42 7 th Street Across from Buoy Beer in Astoria W A NTED Alder and Maple Saw Logs & Standing Timber www.craft3.org N orth w es t H a rdw oods • Lon gview , W A Contact: John Anderson • 360-269-2500 Wauna Credit Union is 50 & we’re giving you a gift! 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