8A • March 13, 2015 | Cannon Beach Gazette | cannonbeachgazette.com
Council unanimously denies dune grading
Current sand
management
plan relevant
for now
By Erick Bengel
Cannon Beach Gazette
The City Council, at
its March 3 meeting, vot-
ed unanimously to deny
the Breakers Point Home-
owners Association’s re-
quest for a conditional use
permit that would have
allowed grading nearly
74,000 cubic yards of sand
from the dunes.
If it had been approved,
the grading would have
occurred west and south of
the condominium complex
over the next few years.
The council’s vote upheld
the planning commission’s
denial in January.
The council also de-
cided that the current
sand management plan —
which several dune grad-
ing opponents argued is
outdated and not designed
with a project of this mag-
nitude in mind — still
holds. However, the coun-
cil has made updating the
plan one of its goals for
2015.
Proposals old and new
Windblown
sand,
trapped in the European
dune grass along the beach
in front of the complex,
has caused the dunes to
grow as high at 40 feet in
some areas, according to
Tom Horning, a local ge-
ologist working with the
homeowners association.
The dunes have begun
to block the oceanfront
views of some condo own-
ers and cause stray sand
to encroach on decks and
patios.
“The dunes grow back
rather quickly,” said Horn-
ing, who estimated they
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10 years.
The dune grading proj-
ect, which would reduce
the dunes from the current
40 feet to about 31 feet, is
meant to restore the res-
idents’ views and stave
off sand inundation while
returning some sand to the
beach’s sedimentation sys-
tem.
As originally proposed,
the project included dump-
ing about 7,000 cubic
yards of graded sand into
the Ecola Creek estuary
to shore up the embank-
ment beneath a condo’s
foundation where erosion
is occurring, according
to Bruce Francis, proper-
ty manager for Breakers
Point.
However, between the
planning
commission’s
December and January
meetings, the homeowners
association revised its pro-
posal in response to criti-
cism from the commission
and the public.
Francis said that Break-
ers Point would be willing
to avoid putting any sand
in the estuary; to depos-
it the graded sand above
the high-tide line rather
than along the shoreline
to avoid smothering ra-
zor clams; and to spread
out the dune grading so
that 15,000 cubic yards
would be graded every
six months, beginning
this spring, through 2017.
Meanwhile, the homeown-
ers association would pro-
vide the city with ongoing
environmental monitoring
reports.
ner Rainmar Bartl arrived
at an “Aha!” moment in
the late 1990s, when Bartl
realized that the dunes are
“not a natural environ-
ment.”
“They are a big pile of
sand covered with a hor-
rible invasive species,”
Morgan said. “The dunes
always grow back. It’s
like snow falling on the
East Coast: It has to be
dealt with.”
Misgivings
The council ultimately
decided to ignore Break-
ers Point’s revised pro-
posal, vote against the
original proposal and
advise the homeowners
association to start over
ERICK BENGEL PHOTO at the planning commis-
Bruce Francis, property manager of the Breakers Point Homeowners Association, indi- sion.
cates where the first phase of the proposed dune grading at Breakers Point would have
In addition to his mis-
begun. In some places, the dunes reach higher than 40 feet.
givings about the size of
the proposal, Councilor
“This is an issue of admit that building those 0LNH%HQH¿HOGH[SUHVVHG
Because the planning
Clay condos on the foredunes, concern about what the
commission decided that reasonableness,”
Francis had essentially in- Newton, a Cannon Beach on the estuary, was a bad graded area would look
troduced a new plan, it vot- homeowner told the coun- LGHDLQWKH¿UVWSODFHDQG like after the project was
ed down the dune-grading cil. “This project is much never should have been ¿QLVKHG%DVHGRQ%UHDN-
ers Point’s application, he
request 4 to 2. Planning more sand than has ever allowed.”
Carol Bennett, a home- said it looks as though the
Commission
members been proposed to be grad-
owner on the north side, homeowners association
Charles Bennett, Joe Ber- ed in Cannon Beach.”
He pointed out — as reminded the council that plans to scrape the sand
nt, Hank Johnson and Lisa
Kerr voted to deny the re- did north Cannon Beach many families and tourists GRZQ ³WDEOHWRS ÀDW´ DW
quest, and members Ryan residents Lisa Fraser, Jeff come to Cannon Beach for 31 feet, which he called
Dewey and Chairman Bob Harrison and Jan Sie- its natural environment. “I “totally unacceptable.”
Horning said that the
Lundy voted to approve it. bert-Wahrmund — that think the dunes are for ev-
Member Janet Patrick, a Breakers Point was sup- eryone and should not be ¿QLVKHGSURGXFW³LVQ¶WJR-
Breakers Point homeown- posed to submit monitor- destroyed the way (Break- ing to look like a football
ing reports for each of its ers Point is) talking about ¿HOGRXWWKHUH,W¶OOEHXQ-
er, recused herself.
eight dune grading proj- it,” she said.
dulated. We’ll be putting a
Residents weigh in
ects since 2000, but most
“Is it really worth few small dune structures
At the City Council of those reports didn’t oc- the views of a few for in and replanting, so it’ll
meeting in March, sev- cur.
this monstrous project?” KDYH D QDWXUDO FRQ¿JXUD-
eral local residents, who
Resident Susan Glarum asked Fraser.
tion.”
said they value the dunes, said that an impact assess-
%HQH¿HOG VDLG %UHDN-
On the proponents’
spoke out against the un- ment on the effects of dune side, however, was former ers Point’s intention to
precedented size of the grading should be done Cannon Beach Mayor give the graded sand a
project, which is substan- before the council decides Mike Morgan, working as natural appearance should
tially larger than anything whether to approve the a consultant for Breakers EH UHÀHFWHG LQ IXWXUH
undertaken before in the Breakers Point propos- Point. He said that former dune-grading
applica-
city.
al. She added, “Let’s just Cannon Beach City Plan- tions.
Cannon Beach Police Log
Feb. 15
12:34 a.m. East Second
Street: camping within city
limits. Two subjects warned
for overnight camping.
1:04 a.m. 200 block of North
Hemlock Street: camping within
city limits. Subject warned for
overnight camping.
1:26 a.m. Tolovana Way-
side: camping within city limits.
Subject warned for overnight
camping.
1:33 a.m. Tolovana Way-
side: camping within city limits.
Subject warned for overnight
camping.
1:38 a.m. Tolovana Wayside:
camping within city limits. Two
subjects warned for overnight
camping.
1:49 a.m. 84000 block of
U.S. Highway 101: suspicious
circumstances. Located male
hunched over and asleep be-
hind the wheel. Vehicle was
running, in park, and lights were
on. Contacted male, who had
fallen asleep while texting wife.
Negative impairment.
fireworks offense. Report of
fireworks south of Haystack
Rock. Located spent fireworks,
but suspects were gone prior
to arrival.
Feb. 16
2:28 a.m. East Second
Street: camping within city lim-
its. Subject warned for overnight
camping.
11:33 p.m. Second Street
RV parking: camping within
city limits. Subject(s) warned
for unlawful lodging.
Feb. 17
2:25 p.m. Hemlock and Sec-
ond streets: other all. Complaint
of a man yelling. Officer arrived
and made contact with the man,
who was preaching. Nothing
further. Officer cleared.
Feb. 21
5:47 p.m. Les Shirley Park:
suspicious circumstances. Sub-
ject contacted for suspicious cir-
cumstances. Subject found to
be on probation. Subject had
consumed heavy alcohol. Offi-
cer advised and issued detainer
for subject. Subject taken to jail,
where she provided breath sam-
ple of 0.28. Taken to Columbia
Memorial Hospital and cleared
by ER doctor. Taken back to jail
and turned over to jail staff.
10:13 p.m. Gower and Hem-
lock streets: hit and run, vehicle
vs. property.
Feb. 22
1:47 a.m. Tolovana Way-
side: camping within city limits.
Subject warned for overnight
camping.
1:55 a.m. Tolovana Way-
side: camping within city limits.
Subject(s) warned for overnight
camping.
Feb. 23
1:15 p.m. 100 block of Elliott
Street: dog at large. Report of
cold, aggressive dog at large.
Dog came onto the reporting
party’s property. Reporting
party had to shoo away with a
broom. Owner came and took
control of the dog. Officer con-
tacted dog owner, who apolo-
gized profusely, stating that the
dog is territorial and not used
to the beach house. Owner will
keep dog on her property until
she leaves later today and will
leave dog at home next time.
streets, but the vehicle did not
come back.
8:57 p.m. U.S. Highway
101 at north entrance: fugitive.
Driver cited for driving while
suspended and arrested for
outstanding warrant.
Feb. 25
Feb. 24
Feb. 27
12:10 p.m. East Adams and
South Hemlock streets: suspi-
cious circumstances. Received
report of a white van with two
bald men that had stopped and
asked complainant for direc-
tions to downtown. Reporting
party stated it was suspicious
and was concerned they would
come back and kidnap her. No
other information. Caller wished
to remain anonymous. Officer
checked downtown and then
waited in the presidential
6:47 p.m. 3300 block of
South Hemlock Street: trespass.
Trespass notice signed by man-
ager of the Warren Pub. Person
trespassed from the Warren Pub
and Bill’s Tavern. Person located
at the American Legion, issued
his copy of the signed trespass
notice.
5:03 a.m. U.S. Highway 101
at milepost 32: motor vehicle
accident.
Feb. 28
4:37 p.m. Spruce Street:
motor vehicle hit-and-run.
2:14 p.m. Second Street
at ocean shore: missing per-
son. Person reported missing
9-year-old. Prior to officer ar-
rival, missing person was found.
7:28 p.m. City Hall parking
lot: motor vehicle accident. Hit
and run.
8:56 p.m. Nelchena Street:
5:29 p.m. West Gulcana
Avenue: camping within city
limits. RV parked on the west
end of Gulcana. Owner not in
the area. Officer left note on
the RV explaining the parking
and overnight camping code.
Checked the area later; the RV
was gone.
M a rch 24 th
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