SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ SATURDAY, AUGUST 19, 2017
Regarding marijuana growing in Dunes City
Dear Dunes City Residents:
The city has recently received
a number of inquiries regarding
Dunes City residents who have
submitted applications to the
state to grow marijuana.
First, please understand that
the licenses to grow are issued by
the state, not Dunes City. State
Measure 91, which allows pos-
session, manufacture and sale of
marijuana in Oregon, passed by a
51 percent margin among Dunes
City voters.
Neither the City Council nor
the voters of Dunes City placed a
local ban on the November 2016
ballot. As a result, these marijua-
na licenses are legal within the
city.
Indeed, in November 2016,
the city voters voted to imple-
ment a tax on marijuana retail
sales.
Additionally, the city does not
enforce federal criminal laws. To
the extent the activities of a mar-
ijuana licensee might be illegal
under federal law, the licensee
Letters
from 4A
C ONCERNED WITH
OCHS ISSUES
Regarding the front page article
in the Aug. 12 edition of the
Siuslaw News (“Past and Present
Volunteers, Board Members Clash
Over Care”), I have concerns about
the Oregon Coast Humane Society.
These concerns came about recent-
ly when I went to the shelter to
adopt a cat. I have adopted four
cats from OCHS.
Going into the cattery was
depressing due to the crowded
conditions and the odor.
However, my biggest concern
was that information I received
about the cat I wanted to adopt was
conflicting. It seemed difficult to
get the right information.
I understood that she was not
ready to go; she had been nursing a
litter and was a recent arrival. I
was told she was spayed.
When I went back days later to
visit with the cat, I was told she
had not been spayed and that they
have trouble finding enough vet-
erinary care. I was astonished
when I was told they need to take
them to a Veneta veterinarian.
Is this true or misinformation?
Staff I spoke with seemed
almost uninterested in my con-
cerns, which included the cat’s
drippy eyes and questions about
her health.
What has happened to all the
money that was bequeathed to the
OCHS? How will these issues be
resolved?
The board seems dysfunctional
from what I read. While people
disagree and let their egos get in
the way, homeless animals do not
get the care they need. Homeless
animals often have been trauma-
tized and neglected before arriving
at the shelter. They deserve to be
well cared for.
Good management, a responsi-
ble board and good training of staff
and volunteers can benefit these
animals and the community, and I
understand that constant fundrais-
ing is necessary for success.
But not everyone cares about
homeless animals. Those of us
takes that risk on their own. For
now, the federal government has
decided not to enforce federal
criminal laws related to state-
licensed marijuana business.
Marijuana is an agricultural
product. Dunes City
Code permits agricul-
tural activities under
certain conditions.
Except for certain
reasonable
times,
places and manner
regulations allowed
by state law, the city does not
have the authority to treat mari-
juana differently from other agri-
cultural crops.
When asked to provide the
Land-Use Compatibility
Statement (LUCS) for the state
permit, state law requires the city
complete the form within 20
days. Failure to do so results in
an automatic approval of the
LUCS. The city can — and does
— provide conditions that must
be met such as:
• Marijuana grows must pro-
vide evidence to the city of where
the water source comes from.
Water under the Dunes City
Shared Domestic Water Supply is
not allowed to be used for mari-
juana grows. In fact, most state
who do, need to speak up and help
where we can.
—Linda Kanter
Deadwood
Please act responsibly and don’t
play with a man’s reputation.
—Liat Meller
Florence
K EEP THIS IN MIND
L OST BET
Seven months ago, on or about
Jan. 25 of this year, I made a bet
with myself — which I now have
to concede I have lost.
At that time I made a bet with
myself that after Donald J. Trump
won the presidential election in our
country, the Democratic National
Committee, many democrats and
the left-wing media would do
everything possible to disrupt his
presidency for the next six months
in order to take him off his stated
agenda.
Well, it is now seven months
later and they are still out there full
ply with all Dunes City codes, so
they are prohibited from using
phosphate containing fertilizers
or pesticides and further prohibit-
ed from allowing waste water
from running off their property
(it must be captured).
• Each marijuana grow
operation must submit a
detailed site plan to the
state for issuance of a
permit. That site plan
must be reviewed by
Dunes City as well to
ensure requirements are met as to
set-backs, environmentally sensi-
tive lands, lot coverage percent-
ages, building height restrictions,
etc.
The LUCS process is an
administrative process, meaning
the city’s review is based on
objective criteria. In other words,
the criteria are basic yes/no ques-
tions and do not take into account
discretionary factors. The city
does not have the ability to reject
the LUCS simply because of
community objections.
To my knowledge, none of the
applicants for marijuana grow
operations in the Dunes City lim-
its have been permitted by the
state; so, as far as I know, none of
them are operational.
You can look up licensed facil-
ities online at Oregon.gov/olcc
/marijuana/Documents/Marijuan
alicenses_approved.pdf.
While at the OLCC website,
you can also peruse the regula-
tions and restrictions imposed
upon grows by the state that are
over and above Dunes City’s reg-
ulations.
I hope this clears up some of
the misconceptions and misun-
derstandings I have been hearing.
Please feel free to give me or the
City Council member of your
choice a call for additional clari-
fication.
scale trying to do exactly that.
I have now placed myself
another bet. Never mind my previ-
ous six-month bet; this one is
going to continue until the next
election in November 2020 — or
possibly until November 2024 if
President Trump is re-elected.
If we can get the election
process cleaned up and voter ID
installed, I feel he stands a good
chance for re-election no matter
how many lies and distortion of
truths I see being cooked up
against him by the DNC and left-
wing media.
It’s clear to me they will go after
him regardless of what he says or
doesn’t say, regardless of what he
does or doesn’t do.
A prime example is the recent
episode regarding the KKK
attempting to march down south
and the opposition it met, which
prompted our president to issue
comments regarding same.
I have seen and heard numerous
statements by the president dis-
avowing any agreeing with — or
supporting of — that radical group.
Yet the left-wing false media and
democrats seem to just keep dis-
torting what he said into something
other than what he meant.
And I expect this to continue.
So, to my fellow conservative
Republicans (that excludes sena-
tors Lindsey Graham, John
McCain and the likes), I say pre-
pare for a non-ending continuation
of the previous seven months of
bad mouthing by the liberal false
news media and the DNC.
—Tony Cavarno
Florence
Letter to Dunes City residents
ABOUT KKK, A NTIFA
A Twitter friend in Finland sent
me this. They have experience in
these things and we would do well
to keep this in mind:
“In reality, the difference is that
#KKK attacks people who look
different and #Antifa attacks peo-
ple who think differently.”
—Dave Peck
Florence
S TEVEN ’ S GOOD NAME
Steven Leskin was treated poor-
ly by the Port and by Siuslaw
News.
He was the Port Manager and
came to do the work the port need-
ed him to do. But when it came
time to collect fees, they turned
against him.
Collecting fees and taxes was
part of Steve’s job, but since sever-
al people on the board own boats,
they were not interested in paying
the bills. Instead, they turned
against the man they hired to do
the job.
But no one knows that because
Steven’s side of the story was
never included in the articles that
appeared in Siuslaw News.
It doesn’t look like the newspa-
per even reached out to Steven to
hear his side.
The port used dirty words and
ugly accusations against him that
ended up in the newspaper. This
included accusation from an angry
board member telling Steve he
needed anger management class,
and a sexual harassment story that
was proven wrong.
These accusations are not news
and they don’t belong in the news-
paper. They hurt the name and rep-
utation of the person and can
destroy his future ability to find a
good and decent job. Unless
proven right, there is no room in
the paper to publish speculations.
I feel both the port board and
our newspaper owe Steve an apol-
ogy for all the damage that was
done to his career and his name.
B Y J AMIE M ILLS
D UNES C ITY A DMINISTRATOR
permits and certificates do not
allow much in the way of irriga-
tion.
Also, a commercial grow must
get a commercial well drilled.
• Marijuana grows must com-
ply with all Dunes City nuisance
codes, including odor, noise,
lights, etc.
• Marijuana grows must com-
ply with all Dunes City building
codes, including fencing require-
ments/limitations and set-back
requirements.
• Marijuana grows must com-
Florence Food Share provides food to those
who are hungry in our community. If you have
four hours a week available, we are in need of
volunteers to staff our Front Desk and also act
as Guides as clients walk through the pantry.
Please call our volunteer coordinator, Gina Yates,
@ 541-997-9110 (Monday – Friday, before noon)
to learn more about volunteering. info@lorence-
foodshare.org 2190 Spruce Street.
Volunteers needed for new home construction, home repairs, general
offi ce work, public relations and program administration. Join an
operating committee and help Habitat help others!
Call 541-902-9227 or e-mail to fl orencehabitat@gmail.com
Offi ce located at 2004 HWY 101, Florence
Hwy 101 S #2000, #2001, #2300 – One of a kind
48 acre Siltcoos Lakefront parcel. Zoned RR1 in
Dunes City with potential 6-8 lot subdivision. Visit
Dunescityhall.com for community and zoning in-
formation. Gated entry, call for an appointment
today! $495,000. #2715-17018995
1749 Highway 101 • 541-997-1200
DENTURE SERVICES INC.
LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED
Open 4 days a week!
Donate
Do your part and
volunteer today
to help support
these local non-proft
organizations in
our community!
Th e Florence Senior center
is in need of
Volunteer Receptionists
and Kitchen Helpers
If interested please call or stop by.
1570 Kingwood, Florence
541 997 8844
Assisting those in need in our Community.
Free Hot Meals Mon-Wed-Fri, 11:30 AM - 1 PM
NEW LOCATION SOON!
HELPING HANDS COALITION
Volunteer
Desiree Clifton
Principal Broker
541 999-5223
Volunteer
Get
involved
Buying or Selling? I can help.
Price Reduced
—Jamie Mills
Dunes City Administrator
United Methodist Church,
333 Kingwood, Florence
Call 541-997-5057 to Volunteer
Get
involved
Join the Peace Harbor Hospital Volunteers.
You will find an area of interest
in a caring organization.
Donate
400 9th Street, Florence, OR 97439
541-997-8412 ext. 209
Do your part and
volunteer today
to help support
these local non-proft
organizations in
our community!
Peace Harbor
Volunteers
Meals on Wheels are available to people over the
age of 60 who cannot get out much due to illness
or advanced age and who are not eating properly,
regardless of income. Cafe 60 is available for those
who prefer to make new friends in a dining room
setting.
1570 Kingwood • PO Box 2313, Florence
541-997-5673
laneseniormeals.org
Operating Monday, Wednesday and Friday
Here to serve your denture needs:
Dentures
Partial Dentures
Immediate Dentures
Implant Dentures
Relines & Repairs Same Day
Monday-Thursday
10am - 2 pm
524 Laurel St.
541-997-6054
William Foster LD
Sherry, Offi ce Manager
“As a denture wearer myself,
I can answer your
questions and address
your denture concerns.”
~ William Foster, LD
Financing: Citi Health Card
12 Month no Interest
Saving men one
PSA test at a time.
541-997-6626
maribob@oregonfast.net
Someone to talk to...
who understands!
To include your
organization in
this directory,
please call us @
541-997-3441
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