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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 4, 2018)
146TH YEAR, NO. 112 ONE DOLLAR DailyAstorian.com // TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2018 Colin Murphey/The Daily Astorian Visitors to the Astoria Column admire the view from the top. See more photos online at DailyAstorian.com SIGN OF THE SEASON Astoria adopts new homestay lodging license Some hosts complain fees are too steep By KATIE FRANKOWICZ The Daily Astorian Colin Murphey/The Daily Astorian Higher rates are driven by new regulations in China on recycling imports. Garbage rates will go up in Astoria Expected increase of $1.50 a month By KATIE FRANKOWICZ The Daily Astorian Garbage rates are going up in Astoria because of the grow- ing cost of recycling. The average ratepayer can expect to see an increase of just over $1.50 to their bill each month after the City Council on Monday approved a request by Recology Western Oregon to raise the rates beginning in January. The request revises what the company had proposed at a rate review in May. China, once a major pur- chaser of recycled material from the United States, passed new regulations on imports earlier this year, a major blow to U.S. garbage companies’ profits. Across Oregon, some rate- payers saw substantial increases almost immediately. But not in Astoria. In May, Carl Peters, gen- eral manager for Recology, had requested a slight increase for one-time use of a dumpster, but said there were no major rate increases because of China’s actions on the horizon. The city had just also approved a bump in rates to take on curbside collection of glass and compost and the company, mindful of these changes, did not request a rate increase last year. Instead, Recology looked into other measures to save on costs. Now, like other companies across the country, Recology has seen the costs of handling recyclable materials only con- tinue to climb. These costs have pushed the company outside the limits of an operating ratio established in a franchise agree- ment with Astoria. See GARBAGE, Page 7A Astoria will require hosts of Airbnb-type vacation rent- als to pay for a new city license if they want to stay in business. The City Council adopted the new licensing process Monday night amid out- cry from several hosts who said the fees the city plans to impose are too steep. Some said the income they earn by offering homestay lodging helps them stay in their homes. They feel they provide a valuable ser- vice by giving visitors a vari- ety of lodging options and promoting local businesses. But Astoria, like other cit- ies across Oregon and the United States, has struggled with how to manage short- term rentals. Not all of the rentals MORE INSIDE Astoria will fill a vacant east side council seat by appointment Page 7A available in Astoria pay the required lodging tax or oper- ate under the city’s guide- lines, which allow hosts to only rent out one to two bed- rooms in homes they own and occupy. City Councilors Zetty Nemlowill and Cindy Price believe homestay lodging takes away long-term hous- ing from residents, impacts the market rate of long-term rentals and changes the char- acter of neighborhoods. But Mayor Arline LaMear has long maintained that homestay lodging is an important option for seniors, who might otherwise strug- gle to afford to maintain the large older homes common in Astoria. Under the new permit, a homestay lodging license See LICENSE, Page 7A Local family buys Knappa restaurant property Lot was eyed for another Dollar General By EDWARD STRATTON The Daily Astorian The Daily Astorian A Knappa property once considered for a Dollar Gener- al store has been bought by a local family who has ex- pressed interest in an RV park or laundromat. KNAPPA — A local fam- ily has purchased the property in Knappa once proposed for a Dollar General store, with ideas for a laundromat or an RV park. The lot at the southeast cor- ner of U.S. Highway 30 and Hillcrest Loop was recently sold by Rod Zweber to Sandhu & Brar, a company owned by Tek Sandhu, Govrdan Singh and Gurdev Singh. The property, most recently the Hwy 30 Roadhouse, has hosted several restaurants but has long sat vacant. Cross Development had applied to build a 9,100-square- foot store at the site for Dol- lar General, more than twice the size of what is usually allowed in Clatsop County’s Rural Community Commer- cial — Light Industrial zones. They argued the larger store size was necessary to create an economy of scale. County staff and plan- ning commissioners found a larger Dollar General would fail to meet several criteria in the zones, such as supporting existing businesses, contribut- ing to the community’s iden- tity and providing necessary services for the surrounding community. The proposal was denied by the county Board of Commissioners in October and not appealed. Sundeep Sandhu, Tek Sand- hu’s son, said the family doesn’t have any immediate plans for the property, which sits across the highway from their conve- nience store and Chevron gas station, Knappa Market. The family owns similar markets See KNAPPA, Page 7A