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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 11, 2018)
3A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2018 Deadline looms on Performing Arts Center Clatsop County sells land in Warrenton Backers have until May to for CMH care clinic decide to buy By EDWARD STRATTON The Daily Astorian The coalition covering the operation of the Perform- ing Arts Center in Astoria will have until May to decide whether to buy the build- ing from Clatsop Community College. The Partners for the PAC, a coalition of arts groups that use the center for rehears- als and performances, has been leasing the property for $23,611 a year. The group last year announced its interest in buying the center from the college, which no longer uses the building academically and wants to sell. The former church faces The Daily Astorian The Partners for the PAC has until May to decide whether to buy the Performing Arts Center from Clatsop Commu- nity College. significant deferred mainte- nance and costs to meet build- ing codes. The Partners last year began a due diligence phase before making a deci- sion. Chris Breitmeyer, the college president, said Tues- day he recently met with the group about their progress. “We talked about the fact that in December, when the lease is up for negotiations, that it will increase signifi- cantly,” Breitmeyer said. “I think some Partners would like to have the decision made before that lease is negoti- ated, as to whether they would be able to purchase the build- ing. But definitely we said we would need something by May.” Dave Ambrose, a local art- ist and representative of the Partners, said the group is going through what it will cost to upgrade the building, make repairs and deal with potential past issues such as asbestos. “There’s roof problems,” he said. “There’s other things that need to be addressed. They all seem to be manageable.” Breitmeyer also announced that another undisclosed party has come forward with inter- est in buying the PAC. The college board previously voted down an attempt by a developer to buy the cen- ter and include it in a housing project along with the former Lum’s Auto Center. But the new party is like-minded with the Partners and the college and could assist in keeping the center a community perform- ing arts venue. number climbed to more than 20,000. “So as we watch the War- renton community grow, we really believe our services and the need for our ser- vices will continue to grow,” Thorsen said. Because the hospital is a nonprofit, it is exempt from property taxes. As a result, its bidding price was higher than others, and it will accept responsibility for any wet- land mitigation costs, Clatsop County Manager Cameron Moore said. The hospital will now look to pay off wetland mitigation costs and pursue a design for the care facility, Thorsen said. A timeline for when it will open has not been established. By JACK HEFFERNAN The Daily Astorian Clatsop County agreed Wednesday to a $463,200 sale of nearly 8 acres in the North Coast Business Park in War- renton to Columbia Memo- rial Hospital for a relocated and expanded care clinic. County commissioners voted 3-0 to approve the sale. The clinic will be located on Ensign Lane a few hundred feet east of 19th Street. The hospital opened a care clinic in the nearby Warren- ton Highlands shopping cen- ter in 2013. In the first full year after it opened, the facil- ity saw more than 6,500 vis- its, said Erik Thorsen, the hospital’s CEO. In 2017, that Debate: All three mayoral candidates pushed for zoning changes Continued from Page 1A Michael “Sasha” Miller, a community activist, would devote the money to help- ing the homeless in numerous small ways, addressing a need for foster parents and retrofit- ting the city for natural disas- ters like earthquakes. Questions about how to address homelessness, the housing crunch and economic development continue to dom- inate the mayoral race. Under Breitmeyer’s questioning at the debate — sponsored by the American Association of Uni- versity Women, Coast Com- munity Radio, Clatsop Com- munity College and The Daily Astorian — the candidates delved into the specifics of what they plan to do if elected. When asked to name three solutions on affordable hous- ing, the candidates said get- ting a handle on Airbnb-type vacation rentals is key. The City Council took a first look at a new permit process to address illegal rentals at a work session Wednesday morning, Jones said. Taylor floated the idea of taxing the owners of vacant houses. “They are stealing from us, sort of, so why not tax them and get some revenue from those places?” she asked. Miller, in an answer that elicited laughter from the audi- ence, noted that Pioneer Cem- etery — a grassy site off Niag- ara Avenue dotted with old grave markers — is sitting on basalt. “So we have the dead peo- ple that are going to be safe from an earthquake while down below everybody’s going to die from the earthquake and the tsunami and I would love to move the dead down to the river … and build housing on that nice, safe basalt,” he said. Zoning changes All three candidates pushed for zoning changes to allow higher-density housing. Jones and Miller said there is land available on the city’s eastern edge in the Tongue Point area and in the Emerald Heights apartment complexes, which remains a source of lower-in- come housing. The City Council has dis- cussed a construction excise tax to raise money to increase the city’s housing stock. Such a program could be key to fund- ing affordable housing proj- ects, Jones said. The candidates diverged slightly when it came to home- lessness and offered few con- crete solutions. Taylor and Jones believe the mayor has a role in encour- aging housing projects and coordinating with social-ser- vice providers. Miller favors legalizing urban camping, an issue the other candidates did not mention. The City Coun- cil is in the process of amend- ing an ordinance that prohibits camping to address homeless camps in the woods. Asked to list the top chal- lenges and opportunities for economic development, Tay- lor said Astoria Makers, a col- lective of artists, craftsmen and entrepreneurs downtown, could be “an incubator space The Haunted Cove for light industry jobs.” She believes a proposed data center in Warrenton is also a good opportunity for Asto- ria. Taylor, a former illustrator at Microsoft, envisions a part- nership between the data cen- ter and the college to develop a curriculum. Jones highlighted deci- sions made by the City Coun- cil during his tenure, such as the expansion of the Clatsop Enterprise Zone to include Tongue Point, a move that could allow a marine fabrica- tion and repair facility to take root. Miller is cautious about eco- nomic development, especially as it gets more difficult for some people to afford to live in Astoria. If the city is moving toward a tourism-based econ- omy, he would like to see more historic interpretation to show- case the city’s history. No hotels Public meetings on the Urban Core, the final piece of the city’s Riverfront Vision Plan to guide development along the Columbia River, are in process. It is work that the new mayor will oversee next year. Taylor said she would not vote to allow any additional building in the Urban Core, an area that stretches from Second Street to 16th Street. None of the candidates sup- ported building more hotels. Developers have proposed a 60-plus room hotel along the Columbia River — a plan the city’s Design Review Com- mittee just denied for a second time — as well as a 90-plus room hotel along Youngs Bay on the South Slope. Jones said he would look at rezoning waterfront areas on the South Slope from commer- cial to residential. “I don’t think we need a 90-room hotel on the South Slope,” he said. “I think we need 90 apartments on the South Slope. That would help ease the housing crunch.” Clatsop Post 12 Meatloaf Dinner With Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, Veggies, Salad and Rolls Friday, Oct. 12 th 4 pm until gone $ 8. 00 6PM “Karaoke Dave” ASTORIA AMERICAN LEGION Clatsop Post 12 1132 Exchange Street 325-5771 ASSISTANCE LEAGUE® THE COLUMBIA PACIFIC Presents the 11 th Annual FOR MORE INFORMATION ASSISTANCELEAGUECP.ORG OR CALL 503.440.3557 BEACHES IN WARRENTON & GEARHART SATURDAY, OCTOBER 13 TH , 2018 11 AM TICKETS $ 30 TO 4 PM Tickets available at Friday & Entrance Fee: Saturday $ 3 October per person or 12th - 13th 3 19th - 20th 26th - 27th non-perishable food items 6pm - 9pm All proceeds go to CCA Regional Food Bank & KOA Care Camps 1100 NW Ridge Rd. 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