»INSIDE
THURSDAY
DEC. 16
2021
MAN’S BEST
FRIEND IS
HOME FOR
THE HOLIDAYS
‘THE
SHOW
MUST
GO ON’
PAGE 4
ALMOST
BAROQUE
CHRISTMAS
PAGE 6
HANDMADE
GIFTS FROM
THE NORTH
COAST
ASTORIA
TRADITION
RETURNS WITH
A NEW TWIST
PAGE 15
PAGE 8
149TH YEAR, NO. 73
DailyAstorian.com // THURSDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2021
WATERFRONT PLAN
COMES TOGETHER
Port, city share
fi nal outline
Legislators
approve
rent relief
State also takes steps
to prevent evictions
By PETER WONG
Oregon Capital Bureau
By ETHAN MYERS
The Astorian
T
he Port of Astoria and the city
gave a clearer picture of their
plans for development along
the waterfront in Uniontown during
a virtual public meeting on Tuesday
evening.
In November, Walker Macy, the
landscape architecture, urban design
and planning fi rm hired to help
develop the waterfront master plan,
presented two scenarios for develop-
ment between Pier 1 and the Astoria
Bridge. After receiving feedback from
the public and stakeholders, the con-
sultant team returned on Tuesday to
share their fi nal outline .
“We’ve done a lot of work with the
community, with the Port and with
the city to get to this point. We have
received all kinds of great feedback
from people, which has helped hone
the plan,” said Mike Zilis, a principal
and a landscape architect for the fi rm.
“This is a tremendous place in your
city, in our state and in the country.
Astoria is known internationally as an
incredible connection to the ocean and
the Columbia River.”
The plan features a number of
opportunities for development.
T he majority of Pier 1 would con-
tain maritime industrial uses. The Port
is in conversation with businesses
interested in the site, Zilis said. Among
the types of activities that could oper-
ate in the space include manufacturing
or assembly of water-related products,
seafood processing and shipping.
“The prime industrial development
opportunity is out on the end of Pier 1,
due to its size and water access,” said
Calder Gillin, Walker Macy’s project
$1.50
Lydia Ely/The Astorian
The West Mooring Basin is central to redevelopment plans.
WATERFRONT
MASTER PLAN
Learn more and provide feedback
on the waterfront master plan via
the Port of Astoria’s website:
bit.ly/3GGQfi W
manager. “The smaller sites that are
around the West Mooring Basin are
really better suited to supportive uses
that are public facing.”
New hotel
On the east side of Pier 1, the plan
contains a tower overlooking the West
Mooring Basin, a footbridge and space
for transporting cruise ship passengers.
T he Astoria Riverwalk Inn and Chi-
nook Building are not part of the rede-
velopment plan . During the fi rst public
meeting in November, the consultant
team said they will advise the Port to
replace both buildings.
On the east side of the West Moor-
ing Basin, where the Riverwalk Inn
partially sits, a new hotel is being pro-
posed, which would contain 60 to 90
rooms. In order to do so, the hotel
would likely be built higher than the
city’s zoning codes allow. The city
would need to amend city codes if the
project moves forward .
Astoria Mayor Bruce Jones
indicated he would support some
fl exibility.
Next to the hotel would be a market
hall, featuring a fi sh market, local ven-
dors and a space for events.
On the south side of the West Moor-
ing Basin — where most of the River-
walk Inn sits — the consultant team is
recommending a boardwalk, a fi shing
village and a multi use structure sup-
porting the basin.
A key component , Gillin said, is to
support the businesses and uses that
already exist .
To aid in redevelopment, room for
more parking and a new street has
See Waterfront, Page A2
SALEM — State lawmakers cleared
the way in a scripted special session for
$100 million more in state rental assis-
tance and $100 million more for local
eff orts to prevent evictions.
During the one-day special session
on Monday, lawmakers also approved
$25 million for enforcement against ille-
gal cannabis-growing in s outhern Oregon
and $18 million for resettlement of up
to 1,200 refugees who fl ed after the Tal-
iban takeover of Afghanistan. They also
released $100 million already set aside
for relief from the drought in outlying
areas of Oregon.
Gov. Kate Brown called the special
session, the year’s second, to approve
more rental assistance and extend the
grace period for evictions stemming from
the coronavirus pandemic. But the fi nal
agenda came together just a few days
beforehand, when Brown and legisla-
tive leaders from both parties agreed to
include a few other items.
“There was no plan. No agreement.
Success was not guaranteed. Your Legis-
lature worked hard since that day,” state
Senate President Peter Courtney, the vet-
eran Salem Democrat, said.
“Oregonians can be proud of their leg-
islators today, Democrat and Republican.
See Salem, Page A3
Johnson leaving
state Senate
Four-term senator to focus
on her bid for governor
By ERICK BENGEL
The Astorian
State Sen. Betsy Johnson announced
Tuesday that she will resign from the state
Senate to focus on her independent cam-
paign for governor.
The Scappoose Democrat said her res-
ignation would be eff ec-
tive at 11:59 p.m. on
Wednesday.
“Serving in the Sen-
ate has never been a
part-time job for me but
neither is running for
governor. Northwest Ore-
gon deserves a full-time Betsy Johnson
senator and running for
governor is a full-time job,” Johnson said
in a statement.
Johnson represents state Senate Dis-
trict 16, which covers the North Coast.
Elected to the state House of Repre-
sentatives in 2000, she served until 2005,
when she was appointed to fi nish the Sen-
ate term of Joan Dukes. She was elected to
the Senate in 2006 and is in her fourth term.
“Together, we’ve done some great
The Port of Astoria and the
city want to redevelop the
waterfront in Uniontown.
Lydia Ely/The Astorian
See Johnson, Page A2
Warrenton commissioners
urge colleague to resign
By ERICK BENGEL
The Astorian
WARRENTON — Three city
commissioners on Tuesday night
urged their colleague Rick Newton
to resign , arguing that his behavior
is problematic and disrupting the
city’s business.
Commissioner Mark Baldwin,
Commissioner Gerald Poe and
Mayor Henry Balensifer expressed
concerns about how Newton has
handled himself over a controver-
sial infi ll on his property.
A formal process for removing
Newton from the City Commis-
sion has not been initiated. New-
ton indicated at the meeting that he
does not intend to step down.
The pleas came after the com-
mission agreed with a Planning
Commission determination that
an infi ll Newton had arranged to
be dumped on his S.W. First Street
property last summer was illegal.
The commission voted to give
Newton until 7:30 p.m. on Friday
to fi x the fl ooding that the infi ll has
caused on neighboring properties
or face fi nes of $500 per day until
he does. Newton recused himself
from the vote.
The fi ll material is on a lot where
Newton and his girlfriend, Patty
See Warrenton, Page A3
Bonamici, providers talk gaps in child care
By KELCIE GREGA
Oregon Capital Bureau
It’s no secret that Oregon is in desperate need of
more child care.
Every county was deemed a child care desert for
infants and toddlers in 2018 in an Oregon State Uni-
versity report, long before COVID-19 put the issue on
the forefront. Child care providers and advocates say
the problem has only worsened .
U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici reiterated this point
during her quarterly Oregon Child Care Advisory
Board meeting on Monday.
“I want to say that it’s fi nally getting the attention
it needs and deserves: the issue of aff ordable accessi-
ble child care,” the Oregon Democrat said. “And we
know it was a challenge even before the pandemic,
and the pandemic exacerbated it.
“I’ve been working to deliver this sort of long
overdue investment in both providers and in aff ord-
able access.”
The Build Back Better Act is designed to improve
the nation’s “care economy,” as proponents put it.
President Joe Biden’s signature legislation
Hailey Hoff man/The Astorian
Clatsop County is considered a child care desert.
includes a historic investment of nearly $400 bil-
lion, which is intended to both lower the cost of child
care and secure universal pre kindergarten for 3- and
4-year-olds .
Today, only about 23% of Oregon children in that
age range have access to publicly funded preschool,
See Child care, Page A2