Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 23, 2018)
3A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2018 Cannon Beach Planning Commission cool to workforce housing amendments Recommends council reject the changes By R.J. MARX The Daily Astorian CANNON BEACH — Members of the Cannon Beach Planning Commission recognize the city needs work- force housing. But zoning amendments brought before them Thursday night are not the way to do it, they decided. The commission recom- mended the City Council reject the changes intended to reduce barriers for private developers seeking to build affordable housing. The amendments were intended to meet housing needs by reducing construc- tion costs and subsequently reducing rental costs to ten- ants, wrote Martin North Vice President of Operations Dave Norstedt in January. Mike Clark, owner of Coaster Properties, with for- mer city planner Rainmar Bartl, proposed to amend parts of the code. Amendments focused on reducing parking require- Cannon Beach Housing stock in Cannon Beach as presented by the Can- non Beach Affordable Housing Task Force. ments to maximize the num- ber of units on a property and increasing height restric- tions in the R3 zone, which is designated for multifamily housing. By raising the roof-line limit from 28 feet to 32 feet, developers could build three stories to include more units, intended to drive down rents for tenants. Reduced landscaping area requirements and changes to condominium conver- sion rules for multifamily dwellings were also among proposals. “To me there’s nothing in this that would assure this would be affordable housing,” Commissioner Lisa Kerr said. “The proponents are all people involved in development and commercial endeavors. That’s fine — but the way it’s writ- ten here is a disaster waiting to happen. I don’t think how any of this could lead to affordable housing.” Commissioner Darryl Johnson objected to proposed roof-height changes. “Moving the height to 32 feet reminds me of going to Seaside,” he said. “We have a different feel in the city.” Parking changes could make spaces harder to find, he added. “Lowering the parking in the units downtown where there’s already a premium for parking, lowering those stan- dards doesn’t make any sense.” Commission Chairman Bob Lundy said statutes should stand as written, with variances to create workforce housing considered on a case- by-case basis. The commissioners recom- mended rejection of all amend- ments by a 7-0 vote. “We’re looking for another alternative to this,” Kerr said after the meeting. “It’s not just a blanket ‘no way.’ I just don’t see any outside controls on this. Outside developers com- ing in and charging $1,600 for an apartment — that’s not affordable housing anymore.” Interior boss alters overhaul after pushback By MATTHEW BROWN and DAN ELLIOTT Associated Press BILLINGS, Mont. — U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke is revamping a planned sweep- ing overhaul of his department with a new organizational map that more closely follows state lines instead of the natu- ral boundaries he initially pro- posed, he told The Associated Press in an exclusive interview. The changes follow com- plaints from a bipartisan group of Western state governors that Zinke did not consult them before unveiling his original plan last month. The agency oversees vast public lands, pri- marily in the U.S. West, rang- ing from protected national parks and wildlife refuges to areas where coal mining and energy exploration dominate the landscape. Zinke told AP that his goal remains unchanged: decentral- izing the Interior Department’s bureaucracy and creating 13 regional headquarters. “At present we are mis- managing and squandering our assets through a layered bureaucracy that reflects a very old department that really has not reorganized since the turn of the last century,” he said. “We will be moving assets to the front lines and moving authority to make decisions and, I would argue, better deci- sions to the front lines.” The redrawn map shows that states such as Colo- rado, New Mexico and Wyo- ming would fall within a sin- gle region instead of being split among multiple regions. Other states remain divided, includ- ing California, Nevada, Mon- tana and Oregon. Aspects of the original map — which was first made public by AP — remain, with some regions labeled accord- ing to river systems, such as the Upper Colorado Basin and the Missouri Basin. But the new lines tend to cut across geographic features and follow state lines, not boundaries of rivers and ecosystems. The new proposal resulted from discussions with gov- ernors, members of Con- gress and senior leaders at the agency, Interior Department officials said. Zinke spokes- woman Heather Swift said the original proposal had been a “discussion draft” rather than a finished document and was now being refined through a collaborative process. Zinke, a former Republi- can congressman from Mon- tana, already has imposed major changes at the 70,000-employee Interior Department. He has rolled back regulations considered burden- some to the oil and gas indus- try and reassigned dozens of senior officials who were hold- overs from President Barack Obama’s administration. Tainted wells on North Coast Associated Press SALEM — A survey of groundwater wells by the state Department of Environmental Quality along the North Coast has found nearly 40 contami- nants in residential and irri- gation wells, a newspaper reported. Contaminants identified in Clatsop and Tillamook coun- ties include nitrates, pesti- cides, metals and bacteria, The Statesman Journal reported. Many were within federal guidelines but some were not, including two wells that tested above the limit for arsenic. The survey of 69 residential and irrigation wells included wells serving a fish hatchery and a public soccer field in the two counties and is part of an effort to compile groundwater aquifer data statewide that was authorized by state lawmakers in 2013. Ten different pesticide-re- lated chemicals were detected. All were at levels below health standards. But the state noted that little research has been done on the effect of multiple chemicals on human health. The results were expected, said Paige Evans, who coordi- nates the groundwater project for the Department of Envi- ronmental Quality “I would say nothing in this report is alarming,” she said. “The North Coast has shallow, sandy … geology that make the aquifers vulnerable. It’s a very distinct area of the state.” The vision of retooling the department’s bureaucracy plays into longstanding calls from politicians in the West to shift more decisions about nearly 700,000 square miles of public lands under Interior oversight to officials in the region. Some Democrats have speculated that Zinke’s true motivation for the overhaul is to gut the department, noting that more than 90 percent of its employees already work out- side Washington, D.C. Zinke contends that he’s trying to streamline the Interior Department’s management of public lands by requiring all of the agencies within the depart- ment to use common regional boundaries, including the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service and Fish and Wildlife Service. Congress has the final word on the proposal. Brown wants to hire 185 more child welfare workers By CLAIRE WITHYCOMBE Capital Bureau SALEM — Gov. Kate Brown says she wants to hire 185 more child welfare workers at the state Depart- ment of Human Services, to the tune of $14.5 million. That’s in addition to 184 budgeted field positions that remain unfilled. The governor announced her plan three weeks after state auditors found the state’s child welfare pro- gram was chronically under- staffed, among other per- sistent problems. On any given day, about 7,600 kids are in Oregon’s foster care system. The secretary of state’s audit found that case- loads are three to four times “higher than what is opti- mal, contributing to staff burnout, increased turnover and difficulty recruiting new workers.” Due in part to high turn- over, the state’s caseworkers are also fairly inexperienced. About one-third of case- workers have started within the past 18 months, accord- ing to the audit. Brown wants to hire 75 social workers, 75 case workers, 25 office support staff and 10 managers. The move would require legisla- tive approval. “I urge our elected repre- sentatives to take advantage of this session to make sure that more Oregonian chil- dren have access to a brighter future,” Brown said in a statement Thursday. The boost would go part of the way to what audi- tors say is a dire shortage of workers. In order to ade- quately meet the needs of the thousands of kids in its care, the state would need to hire about 769 more field staff, auditors said. Although the Depart- ment of Human Services already has the money to hire 184 field positions — that’s the difference between the number of field positions the department has bud- geted for in the biennium and the actual staffing aver- age as reported by state audi- tors — the governor’s plan would call for 185 separate positions, according to the department. It’s not yet clear what exactly the agency will do dif- ferently to onboard employ- ees expediently, though. A spokeswoman for the governor said that Brown has been working with Depart- ment of Human Services Director Fariborz Pakseresht and Child Welfare Direc- tor Marilyn Jones “to under- stand which changes would bring the most tangible impact most quickly.” WANTED Alder and Maple Saw Logs & Standing Timber Northwest Hardwoods • Longview, WA Contact: John Anderson • 360-269-2500 Adopt a Pet Nym 3 year old female Great Dane Stress Free Savings Let this jubilant dog capture, not only your heart, but also your imagination. (More on http://Petfinder.com/ ) Sponsored By C LATSOP A NIMAL A SSISTANCE C LATSOP C OUNTY A NIMAL S HELTER 1315 SE 19 th Street, Warrenton • 861 - PETS www.dogsncats.org Noon to 4pm, Tues-Sat EMERALD HEIGHTS APARTMENTS FREE C ORDLE PLUS SS 25 % 503-325-8221 Off 2 & 3 BEDROOM APARTMENTS Se Signa lect t Serie ure s EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY All Rents Include: Electricity • Garbage • Water ASK ABOUT NEWLY REMODELED APARTMENTS In-Home Consultation • Expert Measuring Professional Installation • The Strongest Warranty The Best in Custom Blinds and Window Coverings Oregon Coast 503-738-5242 Lincoln City 541-994-9954 SW Washington 503-738-5242 www.budgetblinds.com <*Applies to selected Signature Series ® window treatments by Budget Blinds. ® Some restrictions may apply. Ask for details. At partic- ipating franchises only. Not valid with any other offers, discounts or coupons. Valid for a limited time only. Offer good at initial time of estimate only. ©2015 Budget Blinds, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Budget Blinds is a trademark of Budget Blinds, Inc. and a Home Franchise Concepts Brand. Each franchise independently owned and operated. Franchise opportunities available.> IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR! ® H&R BLOCK Now offering Tax Identity Shield ® A tool to help you better protect yourself from tax identity theft. We Provide Year Round: • Tax Preparation • E-file • Tax Planning • • Business Services - Bookkeeping & Payroll • • Tax Audit Support & Services • • Free 2nd Look Review • Peace of Mind • • Enrolled Agent Audit Representation • • DLTC 26932 & OBTP B15100 & B14489 ½ PRICE WEDNESDAYS 60 & OVER EAT FOR HALF PRICE ALL DAY CHECK OUT OUR $ 6 DAILY SOUP & LUNCH SPECIALS MON: TUE: WED: THU: FRI: TRIPLE GRILLED CHEESE WITH TOMATO BASIL SOUP CHICKEN SALAD WRAP WITH MINESTRONE SOUP BOWL OF BLACK & WHITE BEAN CHILI AND CORNBREAD FRENCH DIP WITH POTATO LEEK SOUP COD FISH TACOS WITH A CILANTRO LIME SAUCE AND RICE OUR SOUPS ARE, OF COURSE, HOMEMADE OPEN DAILY AT 11AM Our preparers are Licensed with the Oregon Board of Tax Practitioners ASTORIA 1092 MARINE DR. SEASIDE 575 S. ROOSEVELT 503-325-1166 503-738-3151 1 BLOCK OFF BROADWAY • 1 BLOCK FROM BEACH 20 N. COLUMBIA, SEASIDE • 503-738-4331 NormasSeaside.com
