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About The Columbia press. (Astoria, Or.) 1949-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 28, 2020)
The Columbia Press August 28, 2020 3 City moves to restrict new storage units downtown Repeated misuse of 911 leads By Cindy Yingst The Columbia Press City commissioners strug- gled with the idea of banning ministorage facilities in com- mercial corridors, but even- tually voted Tuesday night to prohibit new units in the War- renton and Hammond down- towns. The decision, the first of two votes needed to finalize the plan, came after a public hear- ing on new design standards for the city’s main thorough- fares. “Do you want your down- town, where the city has de- veloped a vision plan (and needs) a sense of place, do we want something so stagnant, static,” Mayor Henry Balen- sifer asked his fellow com- missioners. “Or do we want to have the vision (for the next) 20 to 30 years for more walk- ability.” The commercial corridor design standards will apply to commercial property front- ing Highway 101, Alternate Highway 101, Dolphin Ave- nue, Marlin Avenue, Neptune Drive and Harbor Drive, and along Pacific Drive in down- town Hammond and South Main Avenue in downtown Warrenton. For much of the past two years, Balensifer has advo- cated keeping storage units off Harbor and the two down- we can have a great towns as a way to “sal- change.” vage what’s left of a liv- A final public hear- able downtown.” ing and vote on the Commissioner Mark standards, which Baldwin said he’d prohibit ministor- rather see ministorage age facilities through facilities on Harbor, the two downtowns one of the city’s pri- but allow them with mary entryways, than Balensifer increased design re- what’s there now: an quirements along endless stream of tran- Harbor Drive, is ex- sient camps. pected at the Sept. 8 Commissioner Pam commission meeting. Ackley joined Bald- Also on Tuesday, the win in recommending City Commission: more stringent design • Approved an agree- standards for com- ment with the city mercial development employees’ union that Baldwin on Harbor, which provides a 1 percent could include storage cost-of-living adjust- facilities. Ackley rec- ment and has the city ommended requiring picking up the health a deep setback on Har- insurance deductible. bor with smaller retail The agreement al- stores and offices clos- lows employees to re- er to the road. negotiate next year, Both agreed with when the city should Balensifer and Com- Ackley have a better picture missioner Tom Dyer that ministorage units aren’t of the pandemic’s impact on appropriate in the two down- the budget. • Approved a $33,152 con- towns. tract with TSR Corporation of Commissioner Rick New- Vancouver, Wash., as low bid- ton stated his opposition to ministorage units on Harbor der of three bids for a project and in the downtowns, but left to clean the city’s sewer mains and inspect them by video. the meeting before the vote. • Approved raising the rates “I just think, as we look at how do we create a Warrenton for recycling from $7.58 to we’re proud of … that we not $7.80 per month effective Oct. allow a hodgepodge of what- 1. The 2.9 percent increase is ever people want to put wher- a pass-through of increased ever they want,” Balensifer fees Recology is charging the said. “With that little impact, city. Public safety calls Continued from Page 2 She told an officer she was doing because of the environmental impact of vehicles driving on the beach and became agitated when told she had to move. She was given a warning and gas money so she could continue her trip to California to visit a relative. Fire and service calls • Brush fire, 7:52 a.m. Aug. 20, Hammond Marina. • Smoke coming from sailboat, 7:09 a.m. Aug. 22, Warrenton Boat Basin. • Carbon dioxide alarm, 11:53 a.m. Aug. 24, 200 block Ski- panon Drive. Medical calls • Suicidal female, 12:45 p.m. Aug. 19, 100 block Northwest Fourth Street. • Male who’s feeling ill, 6:37 p.m. Aug. 20, 200 block Southwest Alder Avenue. • Male with low blood sugar, 9:38 p.m. Aug. 20, 200 block Southwest Alder Avenue. • Male who’s passed out, 11:55 p.m. Aug. 21, Fred Meyer. • Male with chest pain, 2:57 p.m. Aug. 23, 1100 block Nautical Drive. • Male patient who’s down, 8:45 p.m. Aug. 23, 1200 block South- west Ninth Street. • Male having a seizure, 2:08 p.m. Aug. 24, Fred Meyer. • Male in distress, 8:56 p.m. Aug. 24, 1500 block Discovery Lane. to arrest of homeless man A homeless man was warned several times to stop calling 911 without cause be- fore officers cited him Aug. 17, then again on the morn- ing of Aug. 22 and at noon on Aug. 22. Bradley Joel Crupper, 58, initially was arrested by As- toria Police on Aug. 13 for allegedly creating a distur- bance at Columbia Memorial Hospital. Four days later, Crupper was found drinking wine and lying in a grassy area behind Staples in Warrenton, ac- cording to a Warrenton po- lice report. He’d repeatedly called 911 saying he couldn’t walk and needed to go to the hospital. But he refused to provide his location or other details. “I recognized him from the week prior at CMH, where he was trespassed and arrested for disorderly conduct,” Offi- cer Aaron Berndt wrote in a police report. After a long conversation, Crupper told the officer he wanted to go to the hospital. Medix was called, but then the man became uncoopera- tive and Medix staff left. Crupper continued to call 911, threatening dispatchers. When the officer cited the man for improper use of 911, he “became angry and start- ed walking toward me in an aggressive manner,” the offi- cer wrote. “I backed up and drew my pepper spray.” Eventually, Medix returned and took him to the hospital. But a short time later, Astoria police arrested him again for creating a disturbance. At 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 22, dispatch called Warren- ton police to let them know the man was again calling 911 and making threats from the area near Staples. He again was cited for misuse of 911. At noon, officers returned after he continued to make 911 calls. This time he became combative with officers and was arrested on suspicion of disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and misusing 911.
