INSIDE
DailyAstorian.com // WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2018
145TH YEAR, NO. 192
ONE DOLLAR
A LEGACY OF
TRANSIT
Paris Achen/Capital Bureau
Gov. Kate Brown signed legislation and an executive
order Tuesday to combat drug abuse.
Brown declares
drugs a public
health crisis
Governor signs
addiction bills,
executive order
By PARIS ACHEN
Capital Bureau
PORTLAND — Gov.
Kate Brown on Tuesday
declared drug addiction
a public health crisis and
signed two pieces of addic-
tion-related legislation into
law.
“Unfortunately, right now,
our federal government is
recognizing the problem, but
it is certainly focused on pun-
ishment,” Brown said. “That
leaves us, the states, to right
the wrongs of a war on drugs
that has done absolutely noth-
ing to address the issues that
drive this public health cri-
sis while our prisons and our
foster care systems are filled
to capacity with its victims.”
The declaration is part of
an executive order Brown
issued Tuesday that charges
the state Alcohol and Drug
Policy Commission and
certain state agencies with
developing a statewide strate-
gic plan for addiction preven-
tion, treatment and recovery.
Addiction is the main
driver of foster care place-
ments in Oregon, the gover-
nor said.
Nearly 60 percent of chil-
dren in foster care have at
least one parent with a sub-
stance abuse disorder. Addic-
tion also heavily contributes
to the nation’s high rate of
incarceration.
“The criminal justice
system should not be Ore-
gon’s safety net for persons
See OPIOIDS, Page 7A
Planners reject
zone change at
former RV park
Questions
about land near
Hampton Inn
By KATIE
FRANKOWICZ
The Daily Astorian
A former RV park next to
the Hampton Inn on the east
side of Astoria will remain
industrial for now.
The owners, who also
own the hotel, had hoped the
Astoria Planning Commis-
sion would pass a recommen-
dation to rezone the property,
a move they believed could
make it more marketable by
opening up other develop-
ment options.
But all seven commis-
sioners agreed that, as Com-
missioner Sean Fitzpatrick
said, there are “too many
questions and concerns about
the unknown, about what
might happen and the future
use of the property.”
The commission unani-
mously denied the request.
Kevin Cronin, a former
Astoria community devel-
opment director, represented
property owner Sameer
Sharma and argued the zon-
ing — marine industrial
shorelines — is too restric-
tive and applies to uses that
are not in demand. In his
application, he wrote that
“marine lands are dormant
or have been converted to
serve other, more viable
uses,” pointing to places like
Mo’s Restaurant in a former
See RV Park, Page 3A
Colin Murphey/The Daily Astorian
A Sunset Empire bus sits waiting for passengers at the transit center in Astoria.
Sunset Empire bus system evolved
from trains, streetcars and horses
By EDWARD STRATTON
The Daily Astorian
he Sunset Empire Transportation District, the first countywide
bus system, turns 25 this year.
Jeff Hazen, the executive director since 2014, said the transit
district will celebrate the anniversary throughout the year, starting with
a ribbon cutting April 26 at the Astoria Transit Center.
The impetus for Sunset Empire was couched in what locals remem-
ber as a fledgling public transportation system by the early 1990s.
Knappa mink farmer Jack Davies was running his own bus system
in Astoria by the 1980s, said former Astoria City Councilor Russ Warr.
Donald Morden, former owner of Columbia Chocolates and an original
board member of Sunset Empire, recalled Robert Brown running his
own small, dilapidated bus between Astoria and Seaside.
“There was no public subsidy,” Warr said of the two operations.
“They were doing it on their own dime. It became obvious to them
at about the same time that they just couldn’t make it, and they didn’t
want to give it up.”
Davies approached Astoria, which eventually took over and con-
tracted out bus services, Warr said.
In 1991, the county commission convened a special task force to
explore creating a new countywide transportation district. On March
24, 1993, the county board voted to create the district with the help
T
See TRANSIT, Page 7A
Clatsop County Historical Society
Astoria Transit Co. brought in six 25-passenger Mack
buses in 1924 to replace the city’s streetcar system.
Clatsop County Historical Society
Clatsop County Historical Society
Astoria’s streetcar system was pulled by horses
before going electric in 1889.
A fire in 1922 decimated downtown Astoria and destroyed many
of the streetcar tracks, leading to an end of municipal train ser-
vice and the beginning of buses.
Food carts head to the waterfront
New options
planned for
11th Street pier
By KATIE
FRANKOWICZ
The Daily Astorian
Food carts are moving to
the waterfront.
The Astoria Planning
Commission approved con-
ditional use permits Tuesday
night that will allow Steve
and Karen Allen, who own
buildings at the end of the
11th Street pier, to include
food carts on portions of their
property. The food carts Good
Edward Stratton/The Daily Astorian
Food carts are planned for the 11th Street pier.
Bowl and Snackle Box hope
to set up shop.
There were few ques-
tions around a possible food
cart location at the front of a
smaller building on the east
side of the pier, a former sea-
food market now home to a
skate shop, where Good Bowl
hopes to locate. But com-
missioners had more ques-
tions about opening up spots
around the Pier 11 building
to the west. Commissioner
Joan Herman worried about
allowing a food cart on the
10th Street side of the build-
ing where it might alter views
of the river.
The other commission-
ers were not concerned,
however, and approved the
Allens’ request. Commis-
sioner Jennifer Cameron-Lat-
tek, co-owner of Street 14
Cafe several blocks away,
cited a conflict of interest and
recused herself.
The conditional use per-
mits allow the Allens, who
also own Astoria Brewing
Co., to provide space for the
current carts and any future
carts that might replace them.
The city will still require
other permits before the start
of any construction or oper-
ation. Each cart, for exam-
ple, must have a business
license.
Interim City Planner Mike
Morgan pointed out that the
city’s waterfront bridge end
replacement project, which
involves major construc-
tion at the end of 11th Street,
might delay the opening of
the food carts.
See CARTS, Page 7A