6A • February 9, 2018 | Cannon Beach Gazette | cannonbeachgazette.com
With affordable homes the goal, rules face scrutiny
Planning
commission
considers code
changes
By Brenna Visser
Cannon Beach Gazette
Does city code hinder af-
fordable housing? The Plan-
ning Commission considered
possible code amendments
that proponents argue would
help eliminate barriers for
private developers seeking to
building affordable housing in
Cannon Beach.
A Jan. 25 public hearing
was continued after some
planning commissioners took
issue with the fact those who
live in the zone that would be
affected were not notified.
Last fall, Mike Clark of
Coaster Properties and former
City Planner Rainmar Bartl
proposed changes that would
reduce parking and landscap-
ing requirements, as well as
increase height restrictions in
the R3 zone — a zone desig-
nated for multifamily housing.
The changes would only apply
to developers willing to put a
deed restriction on a project,
which would forbid the apart-
ments from turning into vaca-
tion rentals or condos.
COLIN MURPHEY/EO MEDIA GROUP
Nick Betts with Coaster Construction paints a room in a new house in Cannon Beach.
The idea came as Clark
was looking into ways to re-
build the Sea Lark apartments,
which reside in the R3 zone,
that burned down last winter.
The planning commission has
granted a parking variance
that reduces the number of
parking spots he must provide
to allow Clark to expand the
complex from four to eight
units. But Clark wanted to
look at long term solutions for
developers, said Bartl.
Bartl argues reducing the
city’s parking requirements
would be a way to entice
more developers to build by
allowing them to maximize
the number of units on the
property.
A study by the Victoria
Transport Policy Institute in
British Columbia found that
one parking space per afford-
able housing unit increases
costs by 12.5 percent, which
eventually translates into
higher rent.
It also found the demand
for parking in affordable
housing complexes surveyed
was 50 percent of what most
cities required.
By raising the roof-line
limit from 28 feet to 32 feet,
maximum building height for
hotels in town, developers
could build three stories to
include more units, which ul-
timately drives down the rent
charged at the end of the proj-
ect, said Bartl.
But
commissioners
throughout these hearings
have raised concerns about
how raising rooflines would
ultimately affect the character
of the town. Commissioner
Robin Risley said it is pos-
sible to build a three-story
home under the current regu-
lations if ceiling heights were
kept at 7 feet.
Two times in the last five
years, Dave Norstedt and his
team at Martin North have
attempted to build affordable
housing for their employees.
And each time, the team ran
into roadblocks, he said. Nor-
stedt came out to support the
amendments because of how
it would allow developers to
build a third story and less
parking, Norstedt said.
“You gave us a condition-
al use permit twice to build
affordable housing, and we
aren’t. We put out this project
to bid, and it was obvious fast
the cost was going to be undo-
able for us,” he said.
One of the main concerns
planning commissioners have
voiced about the proposal is
the reduction in parking. With
limited public transportation
and skepticism surrounding
parking studies conducted in
large metro areas in compar-
ison to a small coastal town,
commissioner Lisa Kerr ar-
gues providing parking is a
necessity.
“If there was a parking
comparison with another
small town that would be one
thing. But these places all
have robust public transporta-
tion,” Kerr said. “It’s not like
that here.”
But Norstedt argued the
majority of the employees
Martin North hoped to house
in this project are employed
through a J-1 Visa program,
which brings students from
foreign countries to work to
help fill the growing number
of hospitality jobs that are re-
maining vacant. Most of those
students do not own cars and
walk to work.
“For affordable housing to
work, you need to do some-
thing that ensures some kind
of profitability,” he said, “un-
less you come up with some
kind of subsidy.”
Another public hearing
will be held Thursday, Feb.
22.
Water rate increase will fund repairs to system City tackles
Water from Page 1A
But city councilors worried
that without full funding from
rates, the system would not be
maintained and would eventually
depreciate. Lingering questions
about whether or not the plans
should be fully funded by rates
alone led city councilors to only
approve the first year of increases
with a commitment to re-evaluate
in a year.
“When you do a 20-year mas-
terplan, it’s something you’ll be
constantly modifying and evalu-
ating. We’re trying to anticipate
what’s going to happen, but ap-
proving these plans doesn’t com-
mit us to any single project,” said
City Manager Bruce St. Denis.
“Each year we will evaluate what
needs to be done, and any project
will be vetted and ran through the
budget process.”
Master plan problems
Part of what stalled this deci-
sion was concerns public works
committee members had with how
the water and wastewater plans
were created. Committee mem-
ber Les Wierson, who has been
involved with city public works
in some capacity for 60 years, has
long disagreed with what projects
were listed as priorities.
While he agrees with the need
to increase rates to finance need-
ed repairs, he said certain items in
the plans, like land acquisition and
rebuilding reservoirs, shouldn’t be
factored in to be paid for by rates,
but should voted on through bonds.
“Our new city manager and
our soon-to-be new public works
director should be given more
time to consider it, because it will
have an impact on rate payers for
the next 10 years, especially on
fixed incomes,” Wierson said in
the meeting.
Councilor Mike Benefield ar-
gued that the plan is a living docu-
ment, and provides context for how
different projects interconnect.
“This plans also says we need
to look at long term financing rath-
er than being surprised a couple of
years down the road when some-
thing fails,” Benefield said. “Each
one of our public works directors
has had to start from scratch. This
provides continuity.”
Sharing the burden
The question of how much res-
idents should pay for repairs on a
system that is disproportionately
large for a community of 1,700 to
serve the influx of tourists contin-
ues to be raised by both city coun-
cilors and citizens.
Jeremy Clifford, owner of
Voyages Toy Co., argued tourists
should contribute more to sub-
sidizing the costs of water infra-
structure improvements before
raising rates.
“We have 1,600 people living
in Cannon Beach, but we have
500,000 people visiting every
year, Clearly 500,000 people use
significantly more Cannon Beach
water than the 1,600 citizens,” he
wrote in a letter to the city. “There-
fore, it is illogical to force the citi-
zens and the businesses in Cannon
Beach to pay for the entirety of the
water infrastructure costs when
the majority of the wear and tear
is coming from tourists.”
Clifford suggested the city
consider a food and beverage tax
similar to the City of Ashland,
which uses the revenue to fund
water infrastructure and parks. He
also suggested picking one of the
city’s parking lots and metering it
for day use.
“If only 10 percent of tourists
paid $5 to park all day, the city
would generate $250,000 in park-
ing revenue. Use that revenue to
fund your city water issues,” he
said.
Others, like Mike Manzul-
li of the Ecola Creek Watershed
Council, supported the increase to
fix what he said has long been a
culprit in high bacteria readings at
outfalls that drain onto the beach.
A section in the water and waste-
water master plan highlighted 40
different locations where sewer
pump stations and pipelines had
leaks that could be contributing
to high bacteria readings at places
like the Gower Street and Chisana
Creek outfalls.
“The public health issues sur-
rounding these leaks in the Chis-
ana and Gower Basins demand
immediate attention and high pri-
oritization,” he continued.
What projects will be financed
with the new revenue will be de-
cided during the budget process
this spring, St. Denis said.
emergent issues
at goal retreat
Goals from Page 1A
affordable housing is going to address larg-
er realities like the prevalence of short term
rentals and high property values.
“How do you provide long-term when
short-term rental is the profit?” Steidel
said. “The income you could get from
long-term versus a short-term rental used
to be on par, now you can make much more
than a short-term.”
“Those houses aren’t rental properties.
They aren’t properties people can rent,”
councilor Brandon Ogilvie added, in refer-
ence to high property values.
There was also renewed interest in pri-
oritizing the purchase of the former Cannon
Beach Elementary School. In the most re-
cent citizen survey, more than two-thirds
citizens said buying the property from Sea-
side School District was a high priority or
medium priority.
Finally, city staff and council expressed
issues with the current city hall. Some asked
that a study be conducted to see whether it
is economically advantageous to attempt re-
pairs like installing a fire sprinkler system
and other structural issues, or if a full reno-
vation is in order.
Going coastal with new women’s marketing event in Seaside
Oregon Coast
Women’s Expo
coming Feb. 18
By Eve Marx
For Cannon Beach Gazette
When Allie Kloster moved
to Seaside two years ago,
among other things, she saw
opportunity. “I’m a full time
social media consultant and
manager,” Kloster said. “I live
on Wi-Fi.”
Kloster, who grew up in
western Pennsylvania, met
her husband, a Seaside native,
when they were both living
in Portland. (His mom now
lives in Gearhart.) The couple
enjoyed spending time at the
beach; two years ago they de-
cided to move to Seaside and
make it their full-time resi-
dence. Recently Kloster had
the idea to produce a coastal
WOMEN’S COASTAL EXPO
Event organizer Allie Kloster.
women’s expo and hold it at
the Seaside Civic and Con-
vention Center.
“It’s a one-day event,”
Kloster said. “We’ll have a lit-
tle bit of everything of interest
to women — fitness, lifestyle,
mindset, local artisans, non-
profits, activity groups, busi-
ness owners, inspiring speak-
ers, a charity raffle and even
an awards ceremony.”
Women vendors will
showcase unique products
and services from the Ore-
gon coast. “It’s a celebration
of creative entrepreneurs and
the womanly spirit. It’s a fam-
ily friendly event open to all
ages,” she added.
Kloster expects a turnout
of established business own-
ers, entrepreneurs, Pacific
Northwest enthusiasts, and
“Basically anyone looking to
have fun and be inspired.”
Kloster said she was in-
spired to produce the expo
herself after experiencing the
Portland Women’s Expo, held
at the Oregon Convention
Center, a 400-exhibitor event
featuring food, wine, music,
fun and fashion, and often
described as the number one
choice for girlfriends day out
in Portland for over 20 years.
“The Oregon Coast Wom-
en’s Expo is a brand new
event,” Kloster said. “I’m a
powered by
businesswoman and I enjoy
bringing more people to the
coast. I love creating events
and awareness and empower-
ment around women in busi-
ness.”
The expo was conceived
as a fun event she would want
to attend herself. “When I saw
there was nothing like the
Portland Women’s Expo hap-
pening in Seaside, I decided
to make it happen,” she said.
“It’s free, it’s fun. All you
have to do is show up.”
Professional and inspira-
tional speakers are scheduled,
covering a variety of topics.
“There are speakers on fit-
ness, health, lifestyle, and
entrepreneurship.” Vendors
will be selling handcrafted
soaps and lotions, as well as
other artisanal goods. There
is a vendor selling locally
dyed yarn, as well as other
colorful and wearable items.
Handmade jewelry is for sale
Experience Family Dining in
a Relaxed & Friendly
Environment
Serving Seafood, Pizza,
Sandwiches, Espressos, Beer,
Wine, Ice Cream and our
Homemade Desserts
We have a fabulous patio
where you can enjoy the
weather and your meal.
“TO-GO”
Orders Welcome
music fi rst
inspired by the Pacific North-
west. The expo also features
naturopathic women’s health
care resources, as well as pro-
fessional services.
And then there’s the wine
and spirit tasting. Bottles will
be for sale.
A charitable element en-
gages donations for dogs and
cats to benefit a local shelter.
Sponsors, volunteers, and
exhibitors are still wanted.
The Women’s Expo takes
place on Sunday, Feb. 18.
from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.. at the
Seaside Civic and Convention
Center. Check out ocwexpo.
com. For more information,
contact Allie Kloster at 503-
317-7163, or email her at
ocwexpo@gmail.com.
THE COASTER THEATRE
PLAYHOUSE PRESENTS
February 2-24, 2018
Tickets $20 or $25
Shows begin at 7:30pm
Sunday shows at 3:00pm
Sponsored by
Mike & Tracey Clark
COASTER THEATRE PLAYHOUSE
108 N Hemlock St
Cannon Beach, OR
Tickets: 503-436-1242
coastertheatre.com
SERVING
LUNCH &
DINNER
OPEN AT 11:30
Tuesday’s Open at 4pm
Delightful Beer
Garden • Ocean View Deck
Pool Tables • Darts
Full Bar ( including Bill’s Tavern brews )
but that’s not all...
Smoked Pork Ribs • Steak • Seafood
and much, much more!
156 N. Hemlock • Cannon Beach
Located in SOUTH Cannon Beach
Owned and Operated by the Cleary Family
3301 S. Hemlock St. • Tolovana Park
503.436.1130 • Minors Welcome
503.436.9551