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About Cannon Beach gazette. (Cannon Beach, Or.) 1977-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 30, 2015)
January 30, 2015 | Cannon Beach Gazette | cannonbeachgazette.com • 3A Council to consider North Laurel Street proposal Three new homes and a rebuilt cottage are proposed By Erick Bengel Cannon Beach Gazette The fate of property on North Laurel Street, where landowner Jeff Nicholson wants to build three reg- ular family-sized houses and rebuild an existing 99-year-old cottage on the northwest corner may be decided by the City Coun- cil Feb. 10. Nicholson, of Portland, hopes to rebuild the cottage to modern building stan- dards but use the house’s original building materials. In its current state, the his- toric cottage is “on its last legs,” Nicholson said. To carry out his recon- struction project would require an investment of several hundred thousand dollars, which he said he cannot afford without sell- ing the other three houses he is proposing for the site at 532 N. Laurel St. Nicholson, who pur- chased the property last summer for $895,000, will ask the council to make an exception to the municipal code’s “slope density re- quirement,” which limits the number of houses that can be built on a steeply sloped property. If an exception is granted, the city will recognize four buildable 5,000-square- foot lots on his 0.57-acre parcel. Because it is sloped more than 30 percent, the city currently considers the parcel one consolidat- ed 25,000-square-foot lot Publisher Steve Forrester Editor Nancy McCarthy Reporter Erick Bengel Advertising Manager Betty Smith ERICK BENGEL PHOTO ERICK BENGEL PHOTO With members of the planning commission watching, Jeff Nicholson, of Portland, explains a model of his property on North Laurel Street. Foreground from left: Commissioner Charles Bennett, Vice Chairman Hank Johnson, Nicholson and Chairman Bob Lundy. Jeff Nicholson’s model of the North Laurel Street area shows how he plans to position four homes at 532 North Laurel St. The commission turned down the proposal. (which also includes two half-sized lots) where, for safety and stability reasons, only one house is allowed. Nicholson will have to make his case without the blessing of the city plan- ning commission. The planning commis- sion voted 6-1 on Jan. 22 not to recommend that the council grant his request. Ryan Dewey was the only commissioner who voted in Nicholson’s favor. Nicholson said he fears he will ultimately be forced to sell the entire property to someone who will demolish the cottage and, in its place, erect a 15,000-square-foot house out of scale with the other houses in the neigh- borhood. Skepticism Armed with a $2,000 model of the site measuring 11-by-11-by-2-inches, Nich- olson tried to assuage the Production Manager John D. Bruijn Circulation Manager Samantha McLaren Advertising Sales Laura Kaim Wendy Richardson commission’s doubts that only to future subdivisions. four houses could actually The Seal Rock Beach subdi- ¿WRQWKHSURSHUW\ vision encompassing Nich- Three experts — Mat- olson’s property was platted thew Dolan, in 1890. an engineer the ‘I don’t believe p l But from KPFF anning there’s any way commission Consulting Engineers; remained we can justify Jay Orloff, that approving this skeptical a designer waiving the from Tolova- plan as it stands’ slope density na Architects; rule would be and Don in the best in- Planning Commissioner Rondema, a terests of the Lisa Kerr geotechni- city. cal engineer “I don’t be- from Geotech Solutions — lieve there’s any way we can sought to persuade the plan- justify approving this plan as ning commission that the it stands without complete- site is capable of supporting ly ignoring our own steep- both the existing cottage slope requirements, our own and the three other proposed ordinances,” Commissioner houses. Lisa Kerr said. Will Rasmussen, Nich- It marked the second time olson’s Portland-based at- the planning commission re- torney, previously argued, jected Nicholson’s plan. The based on his interpretation FRPPLVVLRQ GHQLHG WKH ¿UVW of the city code, that the iteration of the proposal, and slope density rule applies the City Council upheld the CANNON BEACH GAZETTE The Cannon Beach Gazette is published every other week by EO Media Group. 1555 N. Roosevelt, Seaside, Oregon 97138 503-738-5561 • Fax 503-738-9285 www.cannonbeachgazette.com • email: editor@cannonbeachgazette.com SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Annually: $39.00 in county, $55.00 in and out decision last fall. Nicholson then appealed to the State Land Use Board of Appeals. He chose to put that appeal on hold, how- ever, while he tried again at the local level, seeking a variance to the slope den- sity rule and a planned unit development. When he goes before the City Council next month, he is technically not ap- pealing the planning com- mission’s January vote; the commission is required to hear all planned unit de- velopment requests, even though the council makes WKH¿QDOGHFLVLRQ “Worn out” Nicholson remains opti- mistic that the City Coun- cil, now under the leader- ship of Mayor Sam Steidel, will let him move forward. He has already sunk about $150,000 into the project so far: “It’s expensive to do stuff like this,” he said. However, he may reac- tivate the State Land Use Board of Appeals appeal anyway, he said after the January planning commis- sion meeting, which he called “pretty hostile.” “I just want to work with the city, and I don’t like holding things over people’s heads,” he said. At this point, though, he added, “I’m kind of getting worn out with this process.” The way Nicholson sees the dilemma, Cannon Beach can either have four regular single-family dwellings on his site, or it can have a McMan- sion, which potential buyers have expressed interest in building there, he said. Last year, as he embarked on this project, he “didn’t think there would be so much opposition to having normal-sized houses (on the land),” he said. “That did blindside me.” of county. THE NATIONAL AWARD-WINNING Postage Paid at: Cannon Beach, OR 97110 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Cannon Beach Gazette, P.O. Box 210, Astoria, OR 97103 Copyright 2015 © Cannon Beach Gazette. Nothing can be reprinted or copied without consent of the owners. We have the Sweetest Treats for your Valentine! Pre-order CHOCOLATE DIPPED S STRAWBERRIE 4th for February 1 s) (limited supplie Valentine’s Day Balloons NOW Available!! 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