January 16, 2015 | Cannon Beach Gazette | cannonbeachgazette.com • 7A
North end property topic of discussion
By Erick Bengel
Cannon Beach Gazette
A city planning com-
mission discussion about
the development of a lot on
North Laurel Street, where
the property owner hopes to
restore one historic cottage
and build four new fami-
ly-sized homes, will contin-
ue Jan. 22.
But, before Jeff Nichol-
son can proceed with the
as-yet-undesigned
struc-
tures, he must persuade the
planning commission to
make an exception to the
city code’s “slope density
rule,” which limits the num-
ber of houses a property
owner can build on land that
LVVLJQL¿FDQWO\VORSHG
The task is proving
more strenuous than he an-
ticipated.
A slippery slope
Having purchased the
0.57-acre
property
for
$895,000 last year, Nich-
olson, of Portland, plans to
tear down the 95-year-old
house on the lot’s northwest
corner and rebuild it with the
original materials according
to current building codes.
Class offered
on Facebook
for businesses
A two-hour workshop that
provides an introduction to
Facebook for businesses is
planned in Seaside and Asto-
ria Jan. 20.
Jane Francis, a personal
computer trainer, will teach
the class, which will meet
from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. in
Clatsop Community Col-
lege’s South County campus
computer lab, 1455 N. Roos-
evelt Drive, Seaside.
The class will meet later
that day from 5:30 to 7:30
p.m. in Clatsop Community
College’s Towler Hall, room
105, 1651 Lexington Ave.,
Astoria.
Business operators will
learn how to create a Face-
book account, set sharing
preferences, add friends to
their networks and engage
customers. They also will
learn how to create a business
page separate from their per-
sonal Facebook pages.
Email SBDC@clatsopcc.
edu for a registration link, or
call 503-338-2402. Cost is
$15 per workshop, payable at
class by check or credit card.
He also wants to build
four additional cottages on
that same parcel, which
slopes on its west and north-
east portions. The slope den-
sity rule, however, doesn’t
permit so many houses on so
little land when the slope is
greater than 30 percent.
Instead, the city has con-
solidated what, on a more
level property, would be
four buildable 5,000-square-
foot lots and two half-sized
lots into one buildable
25,000-square-foot lot.
“That makes some sense.
We don’t want dense de-
velopment on steeply slop-
ing property” because such
property is “more likely to
be unstable,” City Planner
Mark Barnes said at the
planning commission’s De-
cember meeting.
But Nicholson believes
that the ground, though
sloped, is stable enough
to support the four envi-
sioned cottages.
In addition, he and his
attorney have argued, based
on their reading of the city
code, that the slope density
rule applies only to future
subdivisions rather than ex-
isting subdivisions. The Seal
Rock Beach subdivision that
encompasses Nicholson’s
property was platted in 1890.
After the city denied
Nicholson’s application for
a development permit, he
took his case to the planning
incumbent upon you to sell
this, and if we can’t see it,
it’s hard for us to buy it.”
“I can’t picture it either,”
commissioner Lisa Kerr
said. “I just can’t.”
7KH FRPPLVVLRQ ¿QDO-
ly voted to leave the public
hearing open and continue
A tight fit
the discussion at the Jan. 22
To avoid following meeting.
through with the LUBA ap-
Some members suggest-
peal, Nicholson returned to ed that Nicholson provide
the planning commission architectural site plans or
last month, requesting a vari- a three-dimensional model
ance to the city code. He bol- WR KHOS ÀHVK RXW KLV YLVLRQ
stered the variance request Until then, they made it clear
with a request for a planned that they could not support
development permit, which his proposal.
gave him the chance to ex-
“I would like to see this
plain his ideas for the site.
work, but I’m reluctant to
But, even though Nich- go along with approving it
olson provided geotech data without being able to visu-
testifying to the site’s soil alize some way that those
stability — backed up by houses, and that driveway,
the testimony of Matthew could be there,” commis-
Dolan, from KPFF Consult- sioner Bob Lundy said.
ing Engineers in Portland —
If Nicholson is ultimately
the commissioners had an unsuccessful and forced to
altogether different objec- live with what, for develop-
tion to Nicholson’s propos- ment purposes, amounts to
al: They just couldn’t picture one lot that happens to be
how four new cottages, plus 25,000 square feet, he will
WKHH[LVWLQJFRWWDJHFRXOG¿W VWLOOEHDEOHWR¿[XSWKHROG
into a such a tight space.
cabin, but no more primary
Commissioner Joe Ber- single-family-sized dwell-
nt expressed concern that, ings will be permitted on the
with setbacks and a shared site, Barnes said.
driveway included, Nich-
At most, Nicholson could
olson’s development plan build a 600-square-foot ac-
“pretty much uses up every cessory dwelling, or a small
square inch possible, and structure like a garden shed
there’s not much real com- or a detached garage, Barnes
mon area,” he said. “It’s added.
commission, which also de-
nied his request 5 to 1 last
August. The City Council
in October turned down his
appeal. He then went to the
State Land Use Board of
Appeals (LUBA), where his
appeal is still pending.
H EATING & C OOLING
Expert Service,
Repairs & In stallation
Residen tial & C om m ercial
G as, O il & E lectric Fu rnaces
D u ctless System s • Fireplaces
W ater H eaters • H eat P u m ps & A C
C om m ercial R efrigeration
L icensed & Bonded
L ocally O w ned & O perated
C annon B each, O regon
503-440-6975
coastheating@ gm ail.com
P AINTING
Licensed • Bonded • Insured
CCB# 89453
Randy Anderson
36 Years Experience
Anderson Painting
(503) 738-9989 • Cell (503) 440-2411 • Fax (503) 738-9337
PO Box 140 Seaside, Oregon 97138
www.andersonpainting.biz
“ Custom Finishing ”
C ONSTRUCTION
Scholarship winner
“Helping shape the character of Cannon Beach since 1973”
Residential • Commercial • Remodeling
New Construction • Storm Damage Repair
Full Service Custom Cabinet Shop
503.436.2235
www.coasterconstruction.com • CCB# 150126
A LARM S YSTEMS
Lo ca lly Ow n e d
a n d Ope ra te d
L icen sed • Bon d ed
In su red
CCB# 201010
503-738-9003
D en n is A. Stu ck • O w ner
Secu rin g H om e a n d C om m ercia l • Since 1973
P.O . Box 470, Sea sid e, O R 97138 • coa sta la la rm system s@ iin et.com
L ANDSCAPING
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Howard Hazelett, the master of Evergreen Masonic Lodge in Seaside, presents Haylie
Moon with a $500 check from the lodge’s Stanley Abramson Scholarship Fund. Moon
graduated from Seaside High last June and attends nursing school in Portland.
Beneficial for parents & caregivers
with children ages 5-10
Looking for ways to increase cooperation,
ease hassles and reduce misbehavior?
This one-time FREE workshop will provide you with skills
and tools including logical consequences, avoiding power
struggles and how to build healthy self-esteem.
Serving Seafood, Pizza,
Sandwiches, Espressos,
Beer, Wine, Ice Cream
and our Homemade
Desserts
We have a fabulous patio
where you can enjoy the
weather and your meal.
“TO-GO”
Orders Welcome
156 N. Hemlock • Cannon Beach
503.436.9551
Owned and Operated by the Cleary Family
Thursday, January 29th 6:15-7:30 p.m.*
Seaside Heights Elementary
Spanish Workshop
January 27th
Se habla español
GARDENER
arcadia organic
landscaping & design
Experience Family Dining
in a Relaxed & Friendly
Environment
See us online at
cannonbeachgazette.com
P O SITIV E D ISCIPL IN E
S TRATEG IES
*Arrive between 6:15-6:30
to sign children into free
childcare and enjoy
refreshments.
Program begins at 6:30.
L AWN & G ARDEN
CCB#1992 05
Proposal is
to build five
houses on
sloped land
BUSINESS DIRECTORY
503.440.1491
arcadialandscaping@hotmail.com
lcb 9071
C ONSTRUCTION
B OB M C E W AN C ONSTRUCTION , INC .
E XCAVATION • U NDERGROUND U TIITIES
R OAD W ORK • F ILL M ATERIAL
S ITE P REPARATION • R OCK
OWNED AND OPERATED BY
M IKE AND C ELINE M C E WAN
503-738-3569
34154 H WY 26, S EASIDE , OR
P.O. B OX 2845, G EARHART , OR
S ERVING THE P ACIFIC N ORTHWEST S INCE 1956 • CC48302
The January edition
available at a newsstand near you
L ANDSCAPING
Laurelwood Compost • Mulch • Planting MacMix
Soil Amendments
YARD DEBRIS DROP-OFF
(no Scotch Broom)
S E RV IN G
LUN CH &
D IN N E R
O P EN AT 1 1 :30
Tuesd a y’s O p en a t 4p m
D elightfu l Beer
G a rd en • O cea n V iew D eck
Pool Ta b les • D a rts
Fu ll Ba r ( inclu ding Bill’s Ta vern brew s )
b u t tha t’s n ot a ll...
Sm oked Pork Ribs • Stea k • Sea food
a nd m u ch, m u ch m ore!
Loca ted in SO U TH Ca nnon Bea ch
3301 S. H em lock St. • Tolova n a P a rk
503.436.1 1 30 • M in ors W elcom e
503-717-1454
al
ssjourn
erbusine
e 1
/coastriv
• Issu
k.com
e 10
faceboo
com •
olum
al.
V
rn
crbizjou
s in
nes
Busi
y of
e Jo
g th
niclin
Chro
s
n g e
alle conditions
h
c
w ith g ocean
34154 HIGHWAY 26
SEASIDE, OR
n
egio
ific R
-Pac
mbia
Colu
the
es changin
c op
e
m
espit
r
d
a
ic
f
sh s optimist
FREE
i
f
l
l
: he ain
Inside S Taylor rem
Y
FRIDA
E FIRST
ED TH
PUBLISH CH MONTH
OF EA
ary
Janu
2015
ight:
spotl
stry
Indu
A DVERTISING
lash
S ty makes a 10 sp
NEW
Coun pa ge
cifIc
biz
t
Pa
e po
in th
ad
S ffler and on Off pa -Ro ge 21
NEW
Mu
ati
aside reput
Se
up its
revs
TH
E MO Be N nd,
OF TH
uth
of So
BOAT
out
Sadie
The . pa ge 24
Wash
ERVED in
PRES rn Cannery
WEL es L O. Ha ge ntho 30
Jam
ria pa
Asto
TS
RTMEN .......................2 2
DEP New A s.................. ces .......... .................... re.. ..... ..... ...2 .....25
Main es, New Pla n & Mo
ctio
New Fac ate, Constru
03
3-37 com
Real Est 800-64 ournal.
crbizj
www.
Mike
y
h Ba
ellfis
r Sh
r Taylo
er fo
anag
m m
p, far
Stam
hine
mac
sting om
have urnal.c
-bulb @crbizjo
tulip
nix
es a IX /dmuli
erat
s, op MULIN
ation DAMIAN
er
er op
Cent
ted
adap
been
has
that
ms.
ell cla
rd-sh
y ha
pa Ba
t Willa
rves
to ha
ADVERTISE YOUR
BUSINESS OR SERVICE HERE!
ONLY $22 PER ISSUE
Call Laura Kaim
503-791-6709
lkaim@dailyastorian.com
crbizjou rn a l.com
