DailyAstorian.com // WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10, 2018
145TH YEAR, NO. 137
ONE DOLLAR
Kevin Willett
A close-up photograph taken in 2014
shows damage to a septic tank near
Kevin Willett’s property in Gearhart.
DOUBLE
TROUBLE
Gearhart neighbors spar over septic system
By R.J. MARX
The Daily Astorian
Joshua Bessex/The Daily Astorian
Mayor Arline LaMear will not run for re-election.
LaMear
will not seek
re-election as
Astoria mayor
Renewal of the Astoria
Library was one of LaMear’s
priorities and under her
watch the council settled on
a compromise to renovate the
existing 50-year-old building
By KATIE
instead of breaking ground
FRANKOWICZ
on a new library. Plans are
The Daily Astorian
also moving forward to turn
the historic Waldorf Hotel
Astoria Mayor Arline next door — neglected and
LaMear, who has guided the empty for years — into
city with an understated con- affordable housing. On Tues-
fidence since her election in day, LaMear and Interim
2014, will not seek another Police Chief Geoff Spalding
led the second meeting of a
term in November.
The mayor cited personal new task force intended to
reasons for choosing not to address issues surrounding
homelessness.
run again.
A former librarian,
“I really enjoy knowing
how the city works and fig- LaMear was elected to
uring out ways to
the City Coun-
cil in 2008. When
make it work better,”
Willis Van Dusen
LaMear said of her
announced his retire-
role. “I love it.”
ment after 24 years
Her
four-year
as mayor, LaMear
term ends in Decem-
ber, as do the City
felt the council
Council terms of
needed
someone
Zetty Nemlowill and
familiar with the
Cindy
Cindy Price. The trio
city. She defeated
Price
formed the city’s
Larry Taylor to win
the job, the sec-
first council with a
ond woman — after
majority of women.
Edith
Hennings-
While Nemlow-
ill said she is not yet
gaard — to lead the
city.
sure if she will seek
“We will have a
re-election, Price is
new city manager, a
positive she will run
Zetty
new council person,
again and is con-
Nemlowill
templating a bid for
a new finance direc-
tor,” she told The
mayor.
“I certainly plan to be Daily Astorian at the time.
on the ballot in November,” “And I think we need some-
Price said. “Whether that’s one to be there who can pro-
as city councilor or mayor I vide continuity. I can provide
continuity.”
don’t know yet.”
LaMear had also served
LaMear and the two
councilors still have an entire five years on the Planning
year ahead of them regard- Commission. She had served
less, and there remains plenty on the Astoria Library Board
to keep them busy — from and the Clatsop County
the city budget and vacation Commission on Children and
rentals to homelessness and
See LaMEAR, Page 7A
affordable housing.
The former
librarian was
chosen in 2014
G
EARHART — Duplex owner Kevin Lee
Willett says his neighbor Richard Derby’s fail-
ing septic system is contaminating his prop-
erty, and the city needs to take immediate action to
stop it.
The smell from the leaking system is
hurting his property’s value and impacting his quality
of life.
“When we get a good rain, we’ll get a smell,” Wil-
lett said. “But the biggest concern is raw sewage going
into the ground that the city of Gearhart has chosen to
turn a blind eye to.”
Environmental Health Specialist Nancy Men-
doza of the Clatsop County Public Health Department
examined the system twice in September and delivered
a notice and order to correct the violation to Derby in
early October.
“The on-site sewage system is creating a public
health and safety hazard for the residents of the home
and for the public,” Mendoza wrote.
R.J. Marx/The Daily Astorian
See SEPTIC SYSTEM, Page 7A
Kevin Lee Willett presents a photo he said shows
cracking in a neighbor’s septic system.
Colin Murphey/The Daily Astorian
A septic tank at the duplex photographed here on Fifer Heights Road
in Gearhart is the source of controversy.
Astoria OKs plans to turn historic Waldorf into apartments
Hope for a long-vacant
property near City Hall
By KATIE FRANKOWICZ
The Daily Astorian
For the past 30 years, depending on the day
and the developer, the historic Waldorf Hotel
downtown has been something people want to
reopen, rebuild or demolish.
At a meeting Tuesday night, the Astoria
Planning Commission unanimously approved a
conditional use permit for Innovative Housing,
Inc. to turn the Waldorf into 40 workforce hous-
ing units with retail space on the bottom floor,
putting the vacant and neglected hotel firmly on
the path to renovation.
Parking was the one sticking point — though
ultimately not a strong one — for some com-
missioners, given the perceived parking prob-
lems downtown and the Waldorf’s location next
to City Hall. But they agreed with Commis-
sioner Joan Herman, who said, “We’d be really
short-sighted if we were to let parking get in the
way of having this building not only restored
but also provide more affordable housing.”
As a condition of approval, Innovative
Housing will work with the owners of down-
town leased parking areas to reserve several
off-street parking spaces. These spaces will
be made available to tenants to lease when the
building opens.
“This decision allows us to apply for state
funding,” said Julie Garver, director of housing
development for Innovative Housing, which has
a purchase and sale agreement with the build-
ing’s owners, Groat Brothers, Inc. “This was
critical and very much appreciated. … This was
the most critical step of the entire year.”
Jeff Daly
See WALDORF, Page 7A
The view in the reception area of the Waldorf Hotel.