Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Cannon Beach gazette. (Cannon Beach, Or.) 1977-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 20, 2017)
October 20, 2017 | Cannon Beach Gazette | cannonbeachgazette.com • 3A Heck Gnaw! Zoning change pushes Seaside campus ahead By R.J. Marx Cannon Beach Gazette Porcupines spotted in Clatstop County By Katie Frankowicz and Brenna Visser Cannon Beach Gazette naw C latsop County tim- ber company saw porcu- pines for the fi rst time in forestland around the Ecola Creek w atershed near Cannon Beach this summer. Squashed, dead porcu- pines are a common sight on the side of highways on Wash- ington state’s Long Beach Peninsula, and hikers occa- sionally spot live ones lum- bering down trails and logging roads around Willapa Bay. But they are rare in Clat- sop County — even though the same mixed hardwood and coniferous forest habi- tat the large, stumpy-legged, quill-covered rodents prefer exists here . The Lewis and Clark National Historical Park between Astoria and Warren- ton keeps a list of animals spotted in its dense, forested land. Porcupines aren’t on it. But contractors for Green- Wood Resources investigating porcupine-related damage to young stands around the Eco- la Creek w atershed have now trapped 17 porcupines in a 1,500-acre area . These sightings are the fi rst offi cial reports of porcupines in Clatsop County received by the local Oregon Depart- ment of Fish and Wildlife o f- fi ce, said Michelle Dennehy, a spokeswoman for the depart- ment. But she doubts the porcu- pines seen on GreenWood’s land are new to the area. Like- ly, they’ve been here all along, and the sightings could be a sign that the population is growing. ‘A balance’ Depending on where they are, what they’re doing and how many of them are around, porcupines are either an ex- citing wildlife sighting or a threat capable of damaging acres of young, valuable trees. For GreenWood Resourc- es, a timber company that prides itself on a commitment to responsible stewardship and has been praised for its collaboration with local land conservation groups, it’s a lit- tle bit of both. “We want to embrace the critters. T his is their home,” said Kathryn Olson, an area forester with GreenWood Re- sources based in Gearhart. “But it’s a balance.” It is not unheard of for tim- ber companies to trap and kill porcupines, sources in Wash- ington state and Oregon say. Georg Ziegltrum, animal damage control supervisor with the Washington Forest Protection Association, says identifying markers such as bark being stripped away and eaten and distinctive tooth marks make it clear when por- cupines are to blame for tree damage. He said they can take a heavy toll on industrial tim- berland. Porcupines can weigh up to 40 pounds, but despite their bulk they will climb high in young trees, gnawing around the trunks — “girdling” them — eating the bark. They may expose roots and clip branches in their foraging, making the trees more susceptible to dis- ease and decay. A draft management plan for the Elliott State Forest in Coos and Douglas coun- ties named porcupines on a short list of wildlife species — including beaver, elk and black bear — that were caus- ing damage in the forest. The damage, the plan’s authors note , was “sporadic and oc- curs in varying severity as to the number of trees damaged.” Growing population Porcupine populations are believed to be robust in Or- egon. The rodents are found mostly east of the Cascade Range, but they have become more common in w estern Or- egon, as well, Dennehy said. On public land, they are considered unprotected mam- mals; people who want to trap or hunt them have to apply for a furtaker license through the state. The season is open the entire year and the state does not track harvests. In general, there tends to be very little public interest in hunting por- cupines, Dennehy said. On private lands, the state considers them predatory ani- mals for the damage they do to tree saplings and they can be trapped without permits. “The porcupine range has been expanding slowly for the last 30 years or so,” said Den- nehy. “ODFW saw much the same reaction in Tillamook County 25 years ago when the ‘fi rst one’ showed up as roadkill and people were fl abbergasted.” Not anymore. “They’re fairly common in Tillamook now, though the county isn’t overrun with them.” Olson grew up in Clatsop County and has seen a few por- cupines during her time here. She has also seen evidence of porcupine-related damage in the woods she helps manage for GreenWood, but she and other foresters weren’t wor- ried about a few girdled trees here and there. This summer, though, they saw several acres where numerous 10- to 20-year- old trees had been hit. Most of these trees will likely die or bush out, Olson said, los- ing their value. In her seven years with the timber com- pany, she has never seen the level of damage they are see- ing now. Next year, GreenWood expects to initiate an annu- al program to monitor where porcupine activity is taking place and if it is occurring in stands that are particular- ly vulnerable. The company will work with contractors to establish acceptable and un- acceptable levels of damage that will guide when, if neces- sary, more animals need to be trapped and killed. Before shovels can break ground for a new high school campus, Sea- side needed to rezone two parcels — one 40 acres and the second 49 acres. With the third reading of two ordinances Monday, Oct. 9, the Seaside City Council opened the door for development of the campus, designed to replace old and vulnerable buildings in the Cascadia Subduction Zone. “It’s one more step in the process of moving for- ward,” Seaside School Dis- trict Superintendent Sheila Roley said after the coun- cil meeting. “The meeting tonight was really about clarifi cation of wording and setting up clearly stat- ed ordinances that refl ect the urban growth boundary change.” The property, located at 2000 Spruce Drive, in- cludes the residential por- tion of the existing Seaside Heights Elementary School site outside the wetlands zone. The new campus, ap- proved by a $99.7 million bond vote in November, will be built on 89 acres, 49 of that designated as county forest and the other 40 zoned residential. Both these designations will be changed to institutional campus as a result of the City Council approval, clearing the way for the campus, with a total project budget of almost $113 mil- lion. In making their decision, city councilors relied on tes- timony and input from the school district, the compre- hensive plan, and P lanning C ommission decisions. Late changes and up- dates to the ordinance contained revised tax lot Dining on the North Coast Excellence in family dining found from a family that has been serving the North Coast for the past 52 years Great Great Great Homemade Breakfast, lunch and pasta, Clam but that’s dinner steaks & Chowder, not all... menu,too! seafood! Salads! Experience Family Dining in a Relaxed & Friendly Environment Seaside • 323 Broadway • 738-7234 (Open 7 Days) Cannon Beach • 223 S. Hemlock 436-2851 (7am-3pm Daily) Astoria • 146 W. Bond • 325-3144 Serving Seafood, Pizza, Sandwiches, Espressos, Beer, Wine, Ice Cream and our Homemade Desserts NORMA’S SEAFOOD & STEAK Photo by Joseph Bowman Photography Open House 10 am to 5 pm 90th Birthday Celebration “TO-GO” Orders Welcome 131 North Hemlock 156 N. Hemlock • Cannon Beach Downtown Cannon Beach 503.436.9551 503.436.1391/info@cannonbeachlibrary.org/www.cannonbeachlibrary.org/facebook@cannonbeachlibrary OF PLACES YOU CAN PICK UP A COMPLIMENTARY COPY OF THE LOTS G Visit us for all your Halloween Treats, Carmel Apples & Great Decorations! CANNON BEACH Picnic Basket Pig ‘N Pancake Purple Moon/Morris’ Fireside Restaurant RE/MAX Coastal Advantage Sea Ranch RV Park Sea Sprite at Haystack RockSea Sprite on the Estuary Surfcrest Market Sweet Basil’s Cafe & The Wine Bar The Land’s End Motel The Ocean Lodge The Stephanie Inn The Waves Motel Tolovana Inn US Bank/La Luna Loca Windermere Stellar Real Estate SEASIDE Providence Seaside Hospital Rite Aid Safeway Seaside Outlet Center Seaside Signal/Cannon Beach Gazette Office GEARHART Windermere Stellar Real Estate 4,000 COPIES DISTRIBUTED EACH MONTH Since 1976 discriminating diners have sought out this Seaside landmark. There’s a chalkboard fresh catchlist, exclusively natural Angus beef and a great regional wine list as well as local microbrews. From Steak & Lobster to Fish & Chips (and Chowder to die for) - this is worth the drive! 11am-10pm daily. Visit www.normasseaside.com FALL IS SWEET! AZETTE CANNON BEACH Cannon Beach Bakery Cannon Beach Book Company Cannon Beach Beach Store Cannon Beach Chamber of Commerce Cannon Beach City Hall Cannon Beach Conference Center Cannon Beach Family Market Cannon Beach Historical Center Cannon Beach Hotel Cannon Beach Liquor Store Cannon Beach Property Management Cannon Beach RV Resort Cannon Beach Vacation Rentals Cascade Sotheby’s Realty Duane Johnson Real Estate Ecola Creek Lodge EVOO Hallmark Inns & Resorts Inn at Cannon Beach Inn at Haystack Rock Mariner Market Martin Hospitality Mo’s Restaurant 20 N. Columbia, Seaside 503-738-4331 Saturday, October 21, 2017 We have a fabulous patio where you can enjoy the weather and your meal. Owned and Operated by the Cleary Family numbers and other minor changes, consultant Greg Winterowd of Winterbrook Planning said. “What the new ordi- nance does is make sure we are talking about the right properties,” Winterowd said. Planning Director Kev- in Cupples delivered re- vised fi ndings, along with a response sheet directed to public concerns. Findings determine the two ordinances comply with state planning goals as well as city and county re- view standards. During a public com- ment period, John Dun- zer, a resident, presented a summary of an appeal he planned to submit to the state Land Use Board of Appeals. In previous meetings, Dunzer said the city could fi nd alternate sites within the urban growth boundary that did not require building a new campus. Mayor Jay Barber and councilors Tita Montero, Dana Phillips and Steve Wright voted for the rezon- ing and comprehensive plan change. Randy Frank, Tom Horning and Seth Morrisey were absent. Architects Dull Olson Weekes anticipate the de- sign phase to reach next June, when construction could begin. The campus is slated for opening in the fall of 2020. “We’re still in the de- sign-development phase and that’s a long, complex process,” Roley said. “The City Council has been very helpful in guiding us through this process prop- erly.” Approval is subject to the Clatsop County Board of Commissioners and takes effect upon the board’s ap- proval. NS • O I T A C O L nt) • 2 & Convenie (Easy Downtown Cannon Beach 256 N. Hemlock St & Seaside Outlet Mall WE CAN SHIP CANDY DIRECTLY TO YOU! CB: 503-436-2641 Seaside: 503-738-7828 www.brucescandy.com