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THE DAILY ASTORIAN • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 2, 2017
Dollar General under city design scrutiny
Eyeing east
Astoria location
By KATIE
FRANKOWICZ
The Daily Astorian
City staff have recom-
mended denying an application
to build a Dollar General store
on property near NAPA Auto
Parts in the Mill Pond neigh-
borhood, saying the design
does not meet Astoria’s criteria.
“I generally try to avoid
sending projects to (Design
Review Committee) for denial,
but your project does not quite
meet criteria yet,” City Planner
Nancy Ferber wrote in an email
to Cross Development in June.
The proposed retail store
will be discussed at a Design
Review Committee meeting
Thursday.
The committee could deny
an application if it misses even
Jennifer
Dawn
Hernandez
David
James
Prahl
Colin Murphey/The Daily Astorian
A new branch of the nation-
al retailer Dollar General is
being proposed near the
Mill Pond neighborhood.
one requirement; the Dollar
General application missed
more than 10, Ferber said on
Tuesday. However, the devel-
oper can continue to submit
information up to and at the
meeting Thursday.
Ferber noted in her find-
ings that the proposed build-
ing does not complement the
downtown area or “establish
visual or physical linkages to
the Columbia River riverfront
area … The street frontage and
Adam
Wentworth
Jennifer
Kosala
Kevin
Cosmen
design does not create a pedes-
trian-friendly environment.”
The orientation of the build-
ing would also make for a
roundabout pedestrian route.
She also noted that the
height, mass and scale of the
building are “out of propor-
tion with the other commercial
structures.”
“I assure you, we aim to
provide you with an approv-
able plan,” wrote developer
Mike Stults in an e-mail as he
submitted additional changes
to the design plan.
The new, 9,100-square-foot
building would be located in
“one of the first major commer-
cial areas encountered when
approaching the city from the
east end of town,” Ferber wrote
in the staff report.
The property straddles two
overlay zones: the Civic Green-
way Overlay zone that extends
from 16th Street to 41st Street
and is intended to, among other
Luanne
Cleveland
Wayne
Brooks
things, “protect views of and
access to the Columbia River”
and the Gateway Overlay zone,
an “intensively developed,
mixed-use area which comple-
ments downtown Astoria and
the community as a whole.”
It is an area that, while
home to busy facilities like
the Astoria Aquatic Center,
Columbia Memorial Hospital
and Columbia River Maritime
Museum, also contains several
large stretches of vacant land
ripe for redevelopment.
Dollar General has more
than 13,000 locations nation-
wide. The Astoria location is
expected to employ six to 10
people. The land is zoned local
service development, which
would allow — outright —
uses such as retail stores like
Dollar General. The Design
Review Committee is the only
city panel that will review
an application from the busi-
ness — since the property falls
within the two overlay zones —
however any decision could be
appealed to the City Council.
“While I’m not thrilled
about the kind of business that
wants to build, I would like
HONORED
to be a part of the communities we serve
Seven arrested in Seaside meth bust
Children and
dogs were
inside house
By JACK HEFFERNAN
The Daily Astorian
Commission Vacancy Announcement
Port of Astoria
Seven people were arrested
during a drug raid Saturday in
Seaside.
Multiple police agencies,
with the help of a police dog,
executed a search warrant at
1226 East Avenue. Authori-
ties found methamphetamine,
digital scales and packaging
material.
Jennifer Dawn Hernandez,
47, and David James Prahl,
55, were charged with deliv-
ery of methamphetamine and
first-degree child neglect. Two
minor children and two dogs
were inside the residence at the
time of the raid.
One of the children was
transfered to Child Protec-
tive Services, and the other
was returned to his parent or
guardian. The Clatsop County
Animal Shelter is housing the
dogs.
Five other people —
Kevin Cosmen, 47, Jennifer
Kosala, 43, Wayne Brooks,
47, Luanne Cleveland, 48, and
Adam Wentworth, 38 — were
arrested and charged with fre-
quenting a place where con-
trolled substances are used.
Further charges may fol-
low as the investigation con-
tinues and the evidence is ana-
lyzed, according to the Clatsop
County Sheriff’s Office.
Both Prahl and Hernandez
have been convicted of past fel-
onies. In late June, Hernandez
was indicted on charges of pos-
session methamphetamine and
two counts of driving under the
influence of intoxicants.
Their arraignments for the
most recent charges have been
scheduled for next week.
to encourage the city to min-
imize the ‘strip mall’ appear-
ance of their typical signage
and building style and require
something that blends in with
the motif that is Astoria,” wrote
Astoria resident Tom Leiner in
response to the application.
The Design Review Com-
mittee could choose to approve
the application despite staff’s
recommendation, but would
need to amend the findings
of fact to support such a deci-
sion. The committee will meet
at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at City
Hall.
EO Media Group newspapers are proud
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year’s Oregon Newspaper Publishers
Association Summer Convention
We would like to thank the readers and
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we serve for their loyalty and support
eo
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eomediagroup.com
• The East Oregonian won
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Best Overall Website and placed
second in General Excellence
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Sweepstakes award as best
associate member publication
group
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Due to the recent announcement by Port Commissioner Robert Mushen of his
immediate resignation from the Port Commission, the Commission is seeking
candidates for Dr. Mushen’s position (Position 4). Position 4 remains active until
June 30, 2019. Position 4 will be up for election in May of 2019.
Th e Commission is seeking to appoint a new Commissioner to Position 4 at the
August 22, 2017 Regular Meeting of the Commission in Open Session. (Note: this
is a change from the Port’s Regular Meeting originally scheduled for August 15).
Th e Commission will be interviewing candidates during the August 22 meeting.
To be considered for the position, the Commission requests that interested
candidates please forward a letter of interest expressing your desire for
consideration. Please include your qualifi cations and stated desire as to why you
should be considered. Also, please provide a brief biography or resume along with
your letter of interest.
All applications will be reviewed by all Commissioners prior to the
August 22, 2017 Commission Meeting. Candidates must be registered voters of
Clatsop County.
Please mail or hand deliver your documents to the
Port Offi ce in Astoria in sealed envelopes addressed to:
Port of Astoria Commission
Attention: Frank Spence, President
#10 Pier One, Suite 308
Astoria, OR 97103
Applications must be received no later than
12:00 noon, August 16, 2017.
For any questions please contact Frank Spence at:
503-325-2365
