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About Cannon Beach gazette. (Cannon Beach, Or.) 1977-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 23, 2016)
4A • September 23, 2016 | Cannon Beach Gazette | cannonbeachgazette.com Views from the Rock When saying yes means ‘just say no’ Seen and heard over the creek I I n Cannon Beach the biggest surprise of the November election is the sound of silence. After a City Council meeting this spring opened the doors licensing of retail marijuana dispensaries within city limits, opponents reacted quickly. “We will do an initiative,” Cannon Beach resident Marlene Laws announced after the meeting. CANNON SHOTS SUBMITTED PHOTO R.J. MARX Lawn signs like this one from NORML have yet to make their appearance in Cannon Beach. Despite the success of state Measure 91 allowing recreational sale and posses- sion of small amounts of marijuana — approved by 63 percent of Cannon Beach voters in November 2014 — the city only licenses businesses which abide by local, state and federal law, which excludes pot. After hearing opinions from both sides of the issue, councilors considered an array of options, including to opt out of state law and maintain a ban on marijuana sales Sam Chapman of New Economy Consulting appeared before the coun- cil announcing his intention to open a dispensary, but until the city makes up its mind one way or another, he decided to wait. “We are waiting for the Cannon Beach City Council to make a decision to allow medical marijuana dispensaries,” Chap- man, who lobbied for the state’s Measure 91 legalizing recreational cannabis, said in March. “It sounds like they’re split on the issue. I hope they decide that they’re bringing new jobs and a new economy … I’m hoping sooner rather than later the council will allow dispensaries to exist.” In April, with pressure to take action from the state, councilors were divided over the range of options: repeal of the existing ordinance that prohibits the op- eration of any marijuana facility, declare a ban on sales or refer the matter back to the voters. Councilors never actually approved or denied the licensing of retail dispensaries; rather, they voted not to vote. Their action effectively opened the city’s door to retail dispensaries and recreational sales. Either way, residents could have forced an initiative to reverse their deci- sion, and they did. Marlene and Gary Laws, Jeremy Ran- dolph, Nancy Giasson and Molly Edison formed the committee that brought the opt-out initiative to the city. “I’d ask that you consider the fact that there is no good place in Cannon Beach for recreational marijuana sales,” Ran- dolph said. “I moved to Cannon Beach for a very specifi c purpose. I wanted to live in a village. This is not a tourist town; this is a resort town.” Their declaration immediately sent off alarm bells. Pro-pot and anti-pot yard signs in Cannon Beach during peak tourist months? That’s something Cannon Beach City Councilor George Vetter said he feared. “It’ll be headlines in Portland,” Vetter said at a late-spring Cannon Beach Chamber of Commerce coffee meeting. “Not too many towns are saying no with the kind of reputation we have. We’re a very well-known community. We reach to Vancouver, Seattle. If we don’t have to go through that, I don’t want to be the impetus.” Vetter said he feared the city would lose out on state and local sales tax revenue on the sale of cannabis— dis- allow it and get nothing from the state’s annual more than $50 million cannabis tax revenue. “But the main risk of denying permits for cannabis sales is the publicity that would be associated with the decision,” Vetter said. “This is going to be during our peak season. We’re going to have all these marijuana signs, in stores and shops, signs that would be a distraction.” In early July, the City Council voted 4-1 to adopt an ordinance with time, place and manner restrictions for medical and recreational marijuana businesses, limiting sales down from Ecola Creek to Washington Street on the south, mid- town from Harrison Street on the north to Elliot Way on the south, and Tolovana Park from Delta Street on the north to the northern boundary of Sand Castle Condo- miniums on the south. As they had announced, Randolph and the anti-cannabis lobby in Cannon Beach gathered the 155 signatures and fi led their petition. Measure 4-179 prohibits the sale of recreational marijuana in Cannon Beach, and asks voters: “Shall recre- ational marijuana producers, processors, wholesalers, and retailers be prohibited in Cannon Beach?” If voted in, the measure would prohibit the establishment and operation of recre- ational marijuana producers, processors, wholesalers and retailers within the City of Cannon Beach. If approved, the city would be ineligi- ble to receive a share of state marijuana tax revenue and unable to impose local taxes or fees on its sale. A separate vote initiated by the city will ask residents if a 3 percent tax should be applied to recreational marijuana sales. The lawn signs feared? Not so much. R.J. MARX/CANNON BEACH GAZETTE Zach Zappone of Sweet Relief at the August THC Fair in Astoria. Cannon Beach cannabis users may have to be satisfi ed with sweet relief outside of their own city limits. Cannon Beach cannabis advocates are more furtive than a tourist with a vape pen. Chapman and possibly others yet to declare themselves are waiting for the city’s results. “We are waiting for the November vote to occur, then will move forward with solidifying our fi nal location,” poten- tial dispensary owner Chapman said. Until then, the city is at a stalemate. City Planner Mark Barnes said the city’s business license requirements remain the same as they were before state residents endorse Measure 91. “Since marijuana is still illegal by fed- eral law, we can not accept any business license applications at this time,” Barnes said. As for the lawn signs and national publicity? No one registered an opposition to the initiative when it was advertised in the paper per Oregon law, Barnes said. “So I do not know of any organized opposition to the initiative to ban recreational mari- juana businesses within the city limits of Cannon Beach.” City Manager Brant Kucera said there has “not been a lot of activity” on either side and the city had not received any licensing requests. “I’ve had maybe in the last six months two phone calls — and really nothing. It’s pretty low-key, apparently.” “It’s pretty much under the covers,” Cannon Beach Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Court Carrier said this month. “I do hear that people have so much access in other communities, it doesn’t seem to be a pressing issue.” “I think Trump’s trumping it,” Kevan Ridgway of the chamber added. t’s hard to be embarrassed in front of my family, we are very close. But it happened last weekend and it was because of birds. The day started great with my sister and I sitting in the living room, looking out over the creek and fi elds, enjoying a morning cup of joe. Well, pretty quickly we both had binocu- lars in hand and spotted several fun BIRD NOTES species, SUSAN BOAC greater yellowlegs, green heron, gpotted sandpiper and red –breasted mergansers, to name a few. Our plans for the day included a quick shopping trip to the outlet mall and then on to our mother’s for visiting and chores. Plans also included keeping a bird list for that day on the kitchen chalkboard wall (something I frequently do). Being bold, I mentioned that there were a few migrant shorebirds being seen in the Necanicum estuary and maybe we could stop by before the mall visit (the tide was perfect, incoming and pushing the birds into a smaller eating area which equals a better chance to see them)? We stopped and although we did not see the target birds, we did add a few species to our day list. On to Mom’s where she feeds the birds and has some great habitat for cedar waxwings, sparrows, hummingbirds and the osprey nest in plain view. By this time, I am into full birding mode. Noticing every move- ment in the bushes and overheard. Later that afternoon, back at my house for a big family dinner (Mom’s birthday) we are sitting on the back porch and I am listing the birds we could/should see, American robin, Lincoln’s sparrow, band-tailed pigeon, etc. We enjoyed a beverage and a tray of appetizers and added a few birds like red-tailed hawk, peregrine falcon, northern fl icker. Then we were called into the meal. Because of my bird turrets, my husband usually insists that I sit with my back to the windows but all those seats were taken and I sat in the worst(best) seat in the dining room — full view of sky and water. We were enjoying a lovely meal and then it happened — the embarrassing moment. A fl ock of approaching birds gathered my attention and I leapt to the window, practically knocking over my daughter, and exclaimed “band-tailed pigeons!” not once but twice! Screaming at the top of my lungs, smooshed up against the window (which now needs to be washed) saying it like the world needs to know. As I turned to sit down and fi nish my meal, I see my mother, husband, sister, daugh- ter and granddaughter looking at me like I have completely lost my mind. And that’s what happens when I start a list. Susan has spent her life enjoying the great outdoors from the lakes and woods of northern Minnesota, Mount Adams in Wash- ington and now the Oregon beach environs. After spending many pleasurable hours driving her avid birder parents around, she has taken up birding as a passion, to the mixed emotions of her husband Scott. The Boacs reside on Neawanna Creek in Seaside where their backyard is a birder’s paradise (confi rmed). Cookies, pies, pastries take the stage at library festival t’s fi nally arrived, library friends — our Cannon Beach Library Fall Festival for 2016! At 10 a.m. this coming Saturday the 24th, we will open our doors to welcome both locals and visitors alike to an autumn display of hand-prepared crafts and delicious home-baked pastries, cookies, pies, and breads! All summer long, knitters, cro- cheters, and other crafters have been diligently working on lovely autumnal craft items for the festival. And a little more recently, those of us who specialize in baking have been busy in our kitchens putting together scrumptious baked goods. Proceeds from the sale of the crafted and baked items will help fund our library and its assorted programs. New for this year, we are holding a gift certifi cate drawing for items donated by our local merchants and restaurants. The packages have been given the maritime titles of Pelican, Starfi sh, Halibut, Eagle, Seashell, and Ocean! Each package contains a collection of gift certifi cates equaling about $200. Tickets are I Publisher David F. Pero Editor R.J. Marx Reporter Lyra Fontaine Sales/Advertising Manager Betty Smith just $1 each, six for $5, and 24 for $20. Come try your luck! The lucky winner will be drawn during the Festival at 4 p.m. AT THE LIBRARY CARLA O’REILLY We are also having a Silent Auc- tion for Cannon Beach Hotel stays provided by the Hallmark, Land’s End, Ocean Lodge, Surfsand, and Tolovana Inn, valued between $300 and $600 each. A participant must bid one-third of the total value of a given package — but the goal would be to try and be the highest bidder for a desired package! Each package would be a wonderful gift for visiting friends or relatives! Auction results will be announced on Saturday at the close of the festi- val, which will be at 5 p.m. Cannon Beach reads has been reading “Falling from Horses,” by Production Manager John D. Bruijn Circulation Manager Heather Ramsdell Classifi ed Sales Jamie Ramsdell Advertising Sales Holly Larkins Brandy Stewart author Molly Gloss for September. The group met on Wednesday, with Joe Hummel at the helm as discus- sion leader. In October, the group will meet on the 19th at the same time. They will be reading “Am- sterdam: A History of the World’s Most Liberal City,” by Russell Shorto. Lynne Murray will lead that discussion. The popular Northwest Author Series will be beginning on Satur- day, Oct. 8, at 2 p.m. The visiting author will be Jack Estes. He will be discussing his latest book, “A Soldier’s Son.” Save the date! And lastly, the World of Hay- stack Rock Lecture series, presented by Haystack Rock Awareness Pro- gram will begin in November. During the summer, we had a reading contest with prizes for our children and teens. The lucky win- ners who read the most books were Reilly Harrington in the age 7-to-12 category and her sister Abby Har- rington in the 13+ category! Winners each received a $25 gift card, to be used at Cannon Beach Book Compa- 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: $40.50 in county, $58.00 in and out of county. 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. BUDDIE ANDERSON DENI/FOR CANNON BEACH GAZETTE A gift certifi cate and drawing help celebrate the library’s fall fundraiser. ny. Congratulations, girls! Finally, you can visit us anytime on our website: www.cannon- beachlibrary.org or on Facebook @ cannonbeachlibrary. The Cannon Beach Library volunteers and staff wish you a most cozy and enjoyable autumn season — see you at the festival on Saturday the 24th! THE NATIONAL AWARD-WINNING
