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About Cannon Beach gazette. (Cannon Beach, Or.) 1977-current | View Entire Issue (March 8, 2019)
A6 • Friday, March 8, 2019 | Cannon Beach Gazette | CannonBeachGazette.com Keeping the Ecola Creek Forest Reserve healthy By CARA MICO Cannon Beach City of Cannon Beach The health and future of the Ecola Creek Forest Reserve was on the agenda as the Cannon Beach Parks Committee at the Feb. 28 work session. Depending on future input, recommendations could include a temporary moratorium on rec- reational fi shing and limits on logging within the 1,040-acre property. The Ecola Creek Forest Reserve plan, updated every fi ve years by the the Parks Commit- tee, highlighted almost two-dozen priorities. While the primary objective is to lay the groundwork for the plan update, potential projects surfaced. Along with fi sh habitat mon- itoring and a possible morato- rium on recreational fi shing in the reserve to better understand its impact on salmon populations, the plan could provide guidance on road maintenance, tree thin- ning, invasive species removal and better signage. Committee members said road maintenance impacts every aspect of the plan, including log- ging, fi re prevention and public access. More roads mean more people which can mean more trash and a greater fi re risk. “If we recommend improv- ing roads, that increases access,” committee vice chair Jillayne Sorenson said in reference to the increased fi re hazard when peo- ple enter forested areas. While tree thinning may be necessary in some areas of the reserve either for ecological rea- sons or for safety, preparing the roads so that the trees can be removed might be too expensive. The committee was in gen- eral agreement that the cost of improving the roads for the pur- pose of timber removal alone likely exceeded the resale value of the trees. Rules and signage about fi sh- ing are unclear, committee mem- bers said, and more information is needed on aquatic habitat. Sorenson suggested a tempo- rary fi shing moratorium in order to collect more information. The committee will hold another work session on March 14 in preparation for the regular meeting March 21. Clatsop County commissioners concerned about opt-out charges for smart meters By BRENNA VISSER The Daily Astorian County commissioners are concerned about how opt-out fees for smart meters could fi nancially impact Pacifi c Power customers. Over the past several weeks, dozens of peo- ple have approached the county commission and cities on the North Coast with complaints about the new meters, which are dig- ital and track power usage through a secure wireless mesh network. Some customers want to opt out of getting one, but feel the monthly $36 fee makes that prohibitive. “For a lot of constituents, that’s burdensome,” Com- missioner Kathleen Sulli- van said. The project, which will upgrade 24,000 meters across Clatsop County, is part of the company’s state- wide effort to build a more resilient power grid better suited to adapt to renewable energy, said Alisa Dunlap, a regional business manager with Pacifi c Power, during a presentation to the county commission on Wednesday, Feb 27. More than two-thirds of Oregon homes and busi- nesses have already made the switch. But some people object to the technology due to pos- sible health risks associated with radio frequencies emit- ted from the digital electric meters. Others have privacy concerns, fearing their per- sonal power usage informa- tion could be hacked over a wireless system. These fears are largely unwarranted, Dunlap said. The wireless system is encrypted, making it diffi - cult to hack. The radio fre- quencies are negligible compared to what is emitted from smartphones and other Wi-Fi-enabled devices. Colin Murphey/The Daily Astorian Alisa Dunlap, with Pacifi c Power, speaks about the company’s new smart meters. ‘A 15-MINUTE PHONE CALL HAS MORE (RADIO FREQUENCY) THAN SITTING OUTSIDE YOUR SMART METER FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR.’ Alisa Dunlap, a regional business manager with Pacifi c Power “A 15-minute phone call has more (radio frequency) than sitting outside your smart meter for an entire year,” she said. Pacifi c Power decided to let customers opt out of the program for a fee of $36 a month. The fee was set to cover the cost for an employee to take a special trip to read a standard meter, Dunlap said. But some residents, like Christopher Paddon, said the fee is excessive and pro- hibits many customers from exercising their choice. After hearing complaints from several friends about the issue, Paddon circu- lated a petition that gar- nered about 100 signatures. The petition asks the county commission to issue a mor- atorium against Pacifi c Power levying any kind of opt-out fee until the matter can be re-evaluated by the state Public Utility Com- mission, which regulates the power company. “I was appalled when I learned what they were charging,” Paddon said. In a letter shared with the county commission, state Rep. Tiffi ny Mitch- ell, D-Astoria, also echoed these concerns, writing that she found the program over- all to be a benefi t but noted the loss of local jobs and the cost burden. The concern over opt- out fees is not unique to the North Coast. In Octo- ber, Josephine County com- missioners adopted an ordi- nance prohibiting utilities from charging opt-out fees for customers. The Public Utility Commission sued the county, saying it does not have the authority to set rates. Pacifi c Power has sub- mitted an alternative opt- out plan to the Public Util- ity Commission, where customers would pay $9 a month for less-frequent meter reads. It is not within Clatsop County’s power to stop the rollout of smart meters or change the rates, accord- ing to county counsel. But commissioners felt it was important to communicate constituent concerns to the Public Utility Commission. “The pricing makes it really unavailable, so that’s my concern,” Commis- sioner Lianne Thompson said. “I think it’s an upgrade. I’m going to have one at my house ... I respect that other people have a different idea, and I don’t want to price people out of a choice.” Commissioner Mark Kujala disagreed, and said while he appreciated the community input, smart meters are a benefi t to the county — especially for major public works opera- tions in Warrenton, a city he represents. “I feel strongly that we do not intervene in this,” Kujala said. The county commis- sion will consider sending a letter to the Public Utility Commission. “I know a lot of people that are very fi ne with smart meters,” Thompson said. “But in respect to people who are not, I want to raise their concerns with the body that has the authority to deal with them. And that’s not us.” Lessons from Cannon Beach, for Gearhart By R.J. MARX Cannon Beach Gazette FLOORING CCB# 205283 Luxury vinyl planks and tile. you walk on our reputation Flooring Installation 3470 Hwy 101 Suite 102 • Gearhart, Oregon 503.739.7577 • carpetcornergearhart.com PAINTING Randy Anderson Licensed • Bonded • Insured CCB# 89453 36 Years Experience Anderson Painting (503) 738-9989 • Cell (503) 440-2411 • Fax (503) 738-9337 PO Box 140 Seaside, Oregon 97138 www.andersonpainting.biz “Custom Finishing” CONSTRUCTION B oB M c E wan c onstruction , inc . E xcavation • u ndErground u tiitiEs r oad w ork • F ill M atErial s itE P rEParation • r ock owned and operated by M ike and C eline M C e wan 503-738-3569 34154 Hwy 26, Seaside, OR P.O. Box 2845, Gearhart, OR S erving the p aCifiC n orthweSt S inCe 1956 • CC48302 LANDSCAPING Laurelwood Compost • Mulch • Planting MacMix Soil Amendments YARD DEBRIS DROP-OFF (no Scotch Broom) 503-717-1454 34154 HIGHWAY 26 SEASIDE, OR Laurelwood Farm CONSTRUCTION “Helping shape the character of Cannon Beach since 1973” Residential • Commercial • Remodeling New Construction • Storm Damage Repair Full Service Custom Cabinet Shop 503.436.2235 Should Gearhart take greater control of the city’s commercial development? Cannon Beach Commu- nity Development Director Jeff Adams came to Gear- hart’s Planning Commis- sion on Feb. 14 at the invita- tion of commission member David Smith. Adams was asked to lead a discussion of design review, a topic he has stud- ied throughout the coun- try. “I came from coastal Georgia, worked in Illinois, Kansas, resort areas, deal- ing with a lot of these same issues everywhere I go,” Adams said. Adams, who arrived in Cannon Beach late last year, described the planning pro- cess as one of “making bet- ter decisions.” Design review may con- sider corridor planning, signage, size and scale, historic districts and land- scaping, he said. Cities may regulate parking, or types of www.coasterconstruction.com • CCB# 150126 STORAGE STORAGE AVAILABLE CANNON BEACH BUSINESS PARK Google Maps 10’ x 10’ Heated View of Gearhart along U.S. Highway 101. stores to prohibit arcades, food carts or other drive-in facilities. General development policies in the Cannon Beach code discourage “commercial uses which detract from the unique character of downtown, or are detrimental to the small town atmosphere of Cannon Beach shall be prohibited.” That includes no “for- mula food” — restau- rants defi ned as businesses required by contractual or other arrangements to offer standardized menus, ingre- dients, food preparation, interior or exterior design, or uniforms. In Cannon Beach, mod- ifi cations to commercial or multifamily structures are subject to design review, a process currently not in place in Gearhart. Gearhart’s plan features three levels of commer- cial zones, with the goal of achieving a compact town center in the vicinity of Pacifi c Way and Cottage Avenue. The city will estab- lish zoning ordinance stan- dards to protect residential areas from adjacent com- mercial development. Adams stressed a regional approach to many of the concerns here, start- ing with each city’s com- prehensive plan. “We need to work not just within our jurisdic- tions,” he said, particularly with transportation, housing and corridor planning. Contact Holly at 503-436-2235 ADVERTISING YOUR AD HERE! Our Business Directory is an inexpensive way for your business to advertise with us! ONLY $ 25 Call APRIL OLSEN 971- 704- 1715 to discuss new and exciting ways to promote your business on the North Coast
