6A • April 1, 2016 • Seaside Signal • seasidesignal.com
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Gearhart leader says she has
‘no intention of running for
offi ce again’
coxie Barn
and guide-
lines
for
recreational
vehicles. She
presided over
By R.J. Marx
the opening
Seaside Signal
of the city’s
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dop, who survived a divisive recall plant.
election last year, will not run for
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Dianne Widdop
re-election in November.
also serves
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Council more than two decades ago, side Munic-
was elected mayor in 2012 .
ipal Airport Advisory Committee, a
“Absolutely and positively, I role she will retain.
have no intention of running for
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RI¿FH DJDLQ´ VKH VDLG ³%HWZHHQ City Council ended in a tie. After a
the Budget Committee and the City second election in 1995, she won by
Council, I’ve been involved with the a substantial margin.
city since 1993. This is 23 years of
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volunteering for everything.”
16 years before running for mayor
$V PD\RU :LGGRS¶V SROLF\ LQL in 2012 after the retirement of Kent
tiatives have included new rules on Smith, who had served in that role
short-term rentals , the improvement for 20 years.
of the Ridge Path, regulation of Nea-
“Kent Smith is a good friend of
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March 2015 special election, with 64
percent of voters opposing the may-
or’s recall.
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was glad there was a large margin.
“There is no question as to how
people have felt about this,” she said
at the time.
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not know who would follow her as
mayor, “but there is someone we’ve
Gearhart Mayor Dianne Widdop
been talking to.”
Councilors Sue Lorain, who took
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mine, so I always knew that while he 2012, and Dan Jesse, who ran and
was running, I wouldn’t run against won in 2012, are also up for re-elec-
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tion in Gearhart.
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Candidates have until mid-Au-
defeated opponent Bob Shortman. JXVW WR ¿OH IRU WKH 1RYHPEHU PD\
$IWHUDUHFRXQWRQO\¿YHYRWHVVHSD oral election.
rated the candidates.
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,Q :LGGRS IDFHG D UHFDOO plans are uncertain. “I’m going to be
challenge after Gearhart resident able to enjoy life, be off the hot seat,
Harold Gable claimed “abuse of go to a City Council meeting, sit in
leadership, lack of transparency and the back and voice my opinion,” she
strong personal bias.”
said.
‘I’m going to be able to
enjoy life, be off the hot
seat, go to a City Council
meeting, sit in the back
and voice my opinion.’
Neacoxie Barn remains shuttered
now represented by Dean Al-
Barn’s commercial
terman of Folawn, Alterman &
Richardson of Portland.
future in hands of
“She and I had a very pro-
county court
ductive meeting with the city
two weeks ago,” Alterman
By R.J. Marx
VDLG 7XHVGD\ ³:H DUH ORRN
Seaside Signal
ing forward to working with
the city to get the situation
County Circuit Court Judge squared away.”
Cindee Matyas extended a
The injunction’s March 1
stipulated injunction at the extension follows a long and
Gearhart barn used for parties tangled legal path.
and special events. The exten-
Smith repeatedly chal-
VLRQZLOONHHSWKH3DFL¿F:D\ lenged the city’s demand for
property off limits for com- a conditional use permit and
mercial use until owner Shan- rented out the barn for wed-
non Smith provides the city of dings, family reunions and
Gearhart with plans to obtain a RWKHU VSHFLDO HYHQWV :LWKRXW
YDOLGFHUWL¿FDWHRIRFFXSDQF\ toilets, sanitary facilities and
And with a new attorney, safety measures, the city cited
Smith hopes to reconcile with the barn for a string of build-
the city.
ing and zoning violations.
Smith, the owner of Nea-
Along with local zone and
coxie Barn, a former livery sta- municipal code actions, Gear-
ble turned into a party space, is KDUW RI¿FLDOV ¿OHG D PRWLRQ
in Clatsop County Circuit
Court to close the barn from
commercial use until health
and safety violations were
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occupancy delivered.
An additional $5,000 ad-
ministrative penalty is pend-
ing, the ninth state building
code violation delivered by
the city to the barn for holding
events without an occupancy
permit, Gearhart’s City Ad-
ministrator Chad Sweet said.
A hearing on that matter
is scheduled in Gearhart City
Hall in late April, Sweet said.
The stipulated agreement
between the city and Smith
was delivered New Year’s
Eve.
The March 1 extension
gives Smith two more months
to satisfy city requirements,
Sweet said. Any commercial
event at the barn would face a
full injunction through the Cir-
cuit Court.
Alterman said Smith next
steps will “probably include”
submitting building plans and
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event space up to code.
“More than that I can’t
tell you because I don’t know
myself,” Alterman said. “It’s
the sort of thing where the
building and the zoning code
are not quite in sync. They
weren’t designed to work with
unusual and unique properties
such as this one.”
Alterman said he is “as-
suming” Smith will observe
the terms of the stipulated in-
junction prior to its expiration
May 1.
“There are a number of
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agreement with the city,” Al-
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sure which ones they are yet.”
Widdop Timeline
1994: Widdop’s fi rst bid for
City Council ended in a tie.
1995: After a second election,
she won by a substantial
margin.
1996-2012: Widdop served
on the council for 16 years
before running for mayor.
In that election, Widdop
narrowly defeated opponent
Bob Shortman by fi ve votes.
2014: Widdop faced a recall
challenge after Gearhart res-
ident Harold Gable claimed
“abuse of leadership, lack
of transparency and strong
personal bias.”
2015: Widdop won the March
2015 special election, with 64
percent of voters opposing
the mayor’s recall.
DINING
on the
NORTH COAST
Great Restaurants in:
GEARHART
SEASIDE
CANNON BEACH
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Appeal fi led challenging
market transition
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“I feel that the residents
were not informed about this
issue and did not have time to
By R.J. Marx
even respond,” 40-year Gear-
Seaside Signal
hart resident Susan Edy said.
“There is no need for a brew
:KDWLVWKHQHHGIRUDQHZ pub, nor is the location of the
brew pub and deli in Gear- market an appropriate place
hart?
for a brew pub.”
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Earlier this month , plan-
dents seeking a review of a ning commissioners voted
Gearhart Planning Commis- 4-3 to OK the transition of the
sion decision to grant a condi- market to a brew pub.
tional use permit to Gearhart
Mark and her husband,
Station, a 40-seat brew pub :LOVRQ ZHUH MRLQHG E\ (G\
and specialty deli. The restau- Vickie Abrahamson, Penny
rant would replace the Gear- Sabol, Rick Sabol and Steven
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“If they can’t prove a need ning Commission’s decision,
for a brew pub, the City Coun- which they say was made
cil has grounds to deny a con- with “minimal homeowner
ditional use permit,” Gearhart and resident comment regard-
resident Jeanne Mark, one of ing this major change in our
downtown community core.”
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day at Gearhart City Hall,
within the 15-day period to
do so.
“It was really odd the way
that it happened in the middle
of winter, hardly anyone was
present, it almost just kind
of popped up, no warning to
speak,” Mark said. “This is
a major, major thing that is
going to affect the communi-
ty. It’s not just an ‘Oh, by the
way.’”
The idea of a brew pub
goes against the comprehen-
sive plan and the goal of keep-
ing tourism down to a mini-
mum, Mark said. “It takes out
of the picture a grocery store
that we really do need.”
In their appeal, residents
say approval of the permit
“sidesteps the intended pur-
pose of the central city zone,
to provide needed supporting
services to the locals or resi-
dent community.
Mark Mead, who rep-
resents Molly and Terry
Lowenberg, the owners of
the Gearhart Grocery, told
the Planning Commission
earlier this month the gro-
cery was unable to com-
pete with chains both to the
north and south of Gearhart.
The Lowenbergs had unsuc-
cessfully sought to sell the
property before deciding to
alter its use, Mead said. The
family intends to close the
market and remodel for the
brew pub and deli.
Asked about the appeal
Tuesday, Terry Lowenberg
said he had “nothing to say.”
By R.J. Marx
Seaside Signal
An additional room tax,
business license and mini-
mum rental terms are among
the changes to Gearhart laws
in an effort to curb issues
with some short-term rentals.
Property owners with short-
term rental s received a letter
about upcoming changes in
city law, City Administra-
tor Chad Sweet said. The
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lodging , which is overnight
occupancy of 30 days or less.
The proposed ordinance
requires short-term rental
property owners to pay a 7
percent room tax, in addition
to the 1 percent Oregon lodg-
ing tax, Sweet said. The tax
goes into effect April 1, and
is paid quarterly . A $40 busi-
ness license is also required
by April 1.
About 85 owners of short-
term rental properties have
been contacted about the pro-
posed new rules. At a March
Planning Commission work
session, commissioners pro-
posed a rule designating a
minimum rental period of
seven days . A public hearing
is scheduled for April 14.
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