zoinks!
to
I can’t forget
ock!
change my cl
Daylight Savings Time
ends on Sunday at 2 a.m.
when clocks are turned
backward one hour to 1 a.m.
VOL. 42, ISSUE 22
WWW.CANNONBEACHGAZETTE.COM
NOVEMBER 2, 2018
A flattening demand for vacation
rental permits raises questions
Growth seen in Seaside
and Arch Cape
By Brenna Visser
Cannon Beach Gazette
Vacation rentals have surged in popularity
on the North Coast, part of a pattern of tre-
mendous growth in an industry expected to be
worth $36.6 billion nationally by the end of the
year.
Seaside issued about 430 vacation rental
permits last year, compared to 350 seven years
ago, about a 23 percent increase.
In rural Clatsop County, vacation rentals
went from 93 in 2010 to 161 last year, half of
which were in Arch Cape.
But in Cannon Beach, contrary to public
perception, the number of permitted vacation
rentals has actually plateaued, sitting at about
200 a year for the past five years.
For people involved in the vacation rental
industry, there isn’t a clear answer why permits
in Cannon Beach remain flat.
Unlike some communities, such as Gear-
hart and Manzanita, Cannon Beach does not
cap the number of standard permits and the
number of second homes remains largely un-
changed.
Somewhat complicated regulations could
possibly be a deterrent for property owners,
City Planner Mark Barnes said, but not a large
one.
“Whenever I talk to someone getting their
first rental permit, I warn them, ‘This is really
complicated,’” he said. “In my five years here
I’ve never had anyone throw up their hands and
say it’s not worth it … so my general feeling is
our rules are not much of a disincentive.”
See Rentals, Page 5A
What’s on
the ballot
Election Day is Nov. 6
By Brenna Visser
Cannon Beach Gazette
With election day coming up this Tues-
day, Cannon Beach voters will have to con-
sider a Clatsop County jail bond, a coun-
ty-wide marijuana tax, the Fire Chief levy
and two City Council seats.
Here’s a quick overview of what’s on the
ballot:
City Council position
A student runs across the playground equipment at Cannon Beach Academy.
TIME TO PLAY
Cannon Beach Academy
celebrates its first
playground equipment set
By Brenna Visser
Cannon Beach Gazette
Students at the Cannon Beach Academy got
to slide, jump and climb for the first time on the
school’s new playground equipment Thursday,
Oct. 18. The equipment was made possible by
long time charter school supporter and board
member Barb Knop, who donated the equip-
ment in honor of her late husband, Mike Knop.
“Mike loved to play. He made play a part of his
day every day of his life,” Knop said while watch-
ing the students run up and down the play set. “I
try to honor him everyday day, and I thought this
would be a perfect way.”
Two seats on the City Council and the
mayor’s seat will be on the ballot. The may-
or’s race is uncontested, with incumbent
Sam Steidel seeking re-election.
On the council, incumbent Mike Bene-
field, real estate agent Robin Risley, and
hotelier and Cannon Beach Chamber
board president Greg Swedenborg are vy-
ing for two council seats currently held
by Benefield and George Vetter in the
November election. Benefield served four
years on the Planning Commission before
being appointed to the council in 2013.
He was elected in 2014, largely on a plat-
form to push for more affordable housing.
If re-elected, Benefield said developing
more long-term housing would remain a
priority.
Over the course of three decades, Ris-
ley has served on several boards and com-
mittees, including the Cannon Beach and
Clatsop County planning commissions, the
Oregon State Parks and Recreation Com-
mission and Cannon Beach Chamber of
Commerce board. She was also appointed
the president of the Clatsop Association of
Realtors last year. If elected, Risley would
work on finding solutions for the Cannon
Beach Elementary School property, re-
building City Hall and other capital projects
on the city’s plate. Priorities for Risley are
bolstering the arts, as well as preserving the
character of Cannon Beach for both full-
time residents and tourists.
A Cannon Beach native and co-owner
of The Waves Oceanfront Lodging, Swe-
denborg decided to run after feeling the
business community and working families
needed a stronger voice. If elected, Sweden-
borg would focus on promoting sustainable
tourism, affordable housing and addressing
parking issues. He advocates for more pri-
vate and public cooperation to address the
affordable housing shortage, like support-
ing tax rebates, providing land at a lower
cost to those intending to build affordable
homes or other solutions that don’t involve
the city being a landlord.
Fire chief levy
PHOTOS BY BRENNA VISSER/CANNON BEACH GAZETTE
Students give the slides on the new playground equipment a try at
Cannon Beach Academy.
Voters will be asked to renew a five-year
fire chief levy for the Cannon Beach Rural
Fire Protection District. The levy covers the
chief’s salary, vehicles, administrative costs
and supplies. Voters originally voted 67 per-
cent to 32 percent in favor of the levy during
the Special Election in September, but it failed
PAID
PERMIT NO. 97
ASTORIA, OR
PRSRT STD
US POSTAGE
See Ballot, Page 5A
Community turns out to support Matt Owen
Fundraiser is a response
to a cancer diagnosis
By Brenna Visser
Cannon Beach Gazette
CLAIRE DEMAY
Matt Owen is the bar manager at the Cannon Beach Amer-
ican Legion Post 168.
Anyone who has stopped for a beer after
work from Gearhart to Cannon Beach in the
past decade has likely met Matt Owen.
Since moving to the North Coast in 1999,
Owen has been behind the counter at hangouts
like McMenamins, The Driftwood, The Lum-
beryard Grill & Rotisserie, and, most recently,
Cannon Beach American Legion Post 168.
Locally, he has earned a reputation as one
of the most notable bartenders.
“I just kind of fell into (the restaurant in-
dustry),” Owen said. “It’s fun to get to be in
people’s lives. I never wanted to be the guy
who sat behind a desk all day.”
But the customers he served for years are
now turning the tables to serve him.
For about a year and half, Owen, 36, was
getting constant migraines and blind spots in
his vision. At the end of August, one migraine
was bad enough to send him to the emergency
room, and he was flown to Portland for surgery
to remove a tumor.
About a month later, he was diagnosed with
brain cancer.
“I think I went numb when I heard … And
I’ve been numb since then,” Owen said. “I’ve
been too busy trying to balance my work, my
daughter, family … And how I’m going to pay
for all of this?”
When he told the American Legion about
the diagnosis, the legion’s auxiliary jumped
into action to organize a fundraising dinner to
help pay for health care costs.
“We’re just here to help Matt,” said Jack
Kerwin, the legion’s first vice commander. “I
mean, everybody just loves the guy.”
In one night, dozens of customers and
co-workers over the years came out to raise
about $16,000 to pay for treatment.
See Bartender, Page 5A