DECEMBER 15, 2017 • VOL. 41, ISSUE 25
WWW.CANNONBEACHGAZETTE.COM
Santa Claus has
come z town
COMPLIMENTARY COPY
R.J. MARX/CANNON BEACH GAZETTE
Water, wastewater and storm water man-
agement costs could face increases in
Cannon Beach.
Council
lukewarm
on water
rate hike
Some members are
concerned rate increase
won’t be enough
By Brenna Visser
Cannon Beach Gazette
BRENNA VISSER/CANNON BEACH GAZETTE
City councilors had mixed reaction to
the water and wastewater rate increase pro-
posal presented by the public works com-
mittee at Tuesday’s work session.
The committee recommended to fund 50
percent of all projects detailed in the water
master plan and 75 percent in the wastewa-
ter plan with a rate increase. The 20-year
plan is required by the state, and projects
would focus on rehabbing or replacing a
variety of systems, including brittle water
lines and water storage tanks.
The proposal would keep the city’s cur-
rent rate structure and raise the average
Charlie Clifford, 2, poses for a photo at the “Pictures with Santa” event put on by Cannon
Beach Library Saturday, Dec. 9, at the Chamber Community Hall.
See Water, Page 6A

Planned
pot shop
application
is now ‘dead’
Pictures with
Santa event
held at Chamber
Community Hall
By Brenna Visser
Two Cannon Beach
shops remain in play
Cannon Beach Gazette
C
hildren in Cannon Beach
were able to meet Santa on
Saturday, Dec. 9, at the “Pic-
tures with Santa” event hosted by
the Cannon Beach Library. After
taking a photo with Santa by the
fire place at the Chamber Com-
munity Hall, children were invit-
ed to do crafts and enjoy a spread
of holidays treats and cocoa.

By R.J. Marx
Cannon Beach Gazette
BRENNA VISSER/CANNON BEACH GAZETTE
Families write down their contact information at the “Pic-
tures with Santa” event put on by Cannon Beach Library
Saturday afternoon at the Chamber Community Hall.
One of three cannabis dispensaries
planned for Cannon Beach has dropped out.
Daryl Bell, who had planned to open
a marijuana shop at 3115 S. Hemlock St.,
decided recommendations from the Design
Review Board were too extensive to pur-
sue.
“The application for 3115 S. Hemlock
was denied by the Design Review Board at
their Oct. 19 meeting,” City Planner Mark
Barnes said Tuesday. “I’ve had no further
communication with the applicant, so I as-
sume the project is dead.”
PAID
PERMIT NO. 97
ASTORIA, OR
PRSRT STD
US POSTAGE
See Pot, Page 6A
Conservancy thanks volunteers with holiday soirée
‘Gratitude to the
entire community’
By R.J. Marx
Cannon Beach Gazette
Staff and supporters of the North
Coast Land Conservancy filled the
Cannon Beach Chamber of Com-
merce community center for a holiday
party Friday, Dec. 8.
“We are here to express our grat-
itude for the entire community that
supports our conservation work,” Ka-
tie Voelke, executive director of the
conservancy, said. “It just keeps grow-
ing and growing.”
Voelke was surrounded by conservan-
cy board members, volunteers and do-
nors as the group mingled over light hors
d’oeuvres and beverages. A video presen-
tation by Neal Maine was accompanied
by text from the Onondaga tribe offering
thanks to nature and the environment.
Left, Neal Maine and Jeanne Henderson, and right, Mary Blake and Tom
Horning, show their support at the North Coast Land Conservancy volun-
teer thank-you party on Dec. 8.
R.J. MARX/CANNON BEACH GAZETTE
In terms of land acquisition and
preservation, “It’s been a great year,
every year seems like more and more,”
Voelke said. “We’ve made great head-
way on our big rainforest reserve cam-
paign and doing work in Tillamook
County.”
The Coastal Edge program will be
a focus for the next four years, she
said. In 2016 the conservancy and On-
ion Peak Holdings LLC teamed for the
opportunity to purchase critical lands
for conservation within the Coastal
Edge Initiative target area.
The two-phase program includes
Onion Peak, most of the Ango-
ra Peak complex and nearly all of
the Arch Cape Creek watershed —
3,500 acres of natural habitat and
the headwaters of creeks that supply
drinking water to Cannon Beach and
Arch Cape.
While eyeing a 17.6-acre parcel of
forested land near Arcadia Beach, con-
servancy talks with the property own-
er are not yet underway, Voelke said.
The owner sought temporary road ac-
cess to the parcel earlier this year with
the intent to build an upscale RV park.
“We’ve expressed we’re interested,
but the owner hasn’t reached out yet,”
Voelke said.
For the guests enjoying salmon,
cheese, wine, hearty bread and pump-
kin beer, the night was a celebration.
“There have been some amaz-
ing donations and pledges toward
the campaign,” Voelke said. “Some
people who have never contributed
pledged thousands of dollars for the
next few years.”