April 15, 2016 • Seaside Signal • seasidesignal.com • 7A
Gearhart pursues short-term rentals lottery
Business permits could be
limited to 35 properties
By R.J. Marx
Seaside Signal
GEARHART — The city of Gear-
hart sent notices to property owners
in late March to notify residents of
upcoming changes to the zoning
code. They suggest a new short-term
lodging rental policy that could lead
to a lottery system like that in place
in Cannon Beach, with limits on oc-
cupancy, parking restrictions and a
requirement for emergency contact
information.
The number of vacation rentals
could be capped at 35 properties.
There are 87 short-term rentals cur-
rently..
The rules are still in the discus-
sion phase, and subject to change,
City Administrator Chad Sweet said
Thursday, April 4.
”Planning
Commission
and City Coun-
cil are trying to
minimize the
impact of short-
term rentals,”
he said. “What
seems to be
R.J. MARX PHOTO
happening is
we see a growth
Chad Sweet
of short-term
rentals over the last two years that
has brought this to a head.”
Tenancy limits
The nine-page document sent to
Gearhart homeowners lists topics
discussed in work sessions, includ-
ing limits to transient occupancy and
parking, neighbor notice and rules
mandating garbage and septic service.
The code proposes a lottery sys-
tem similar to Cannon Beach’s to
limit the number of short-term rent-
als, capping the number at 35.
Short-term rental permits would
not be transferable. When a permit
is revoked, the city would accept a
new application by drawing from a
waiting list of interested property
owners.
Names of potential permit-hold-
ers would be drawn randomly. If a
property owner can’t obtain a permit
within 180 days, a new name would
be drawn.
7KHFRGHDOVRVSHFL¿HVWKHGZHOO-
ing “not exceed one individual
tenancy within seven consecutive
days.”
No additional occupancy, with
the exception of the property owner
or their guests, would be permitted
within the seven-day period.
Transient-lodging owners must
also provide a designated representa-
tive’s name, physical address, email
address and phone number, and must
be available at all times to “ensure
a response to complaints regarding
emergencies and the condition, oper-
ation, or conduct of the occupants.”
Owners would be required to
provide neighbors within a 200-foot
radius with contact information, a
parking plan and the city website
where the information is also posted.
“Good neighbor” policies and
emergency information would also
be required.
‘Meat left on bone’
Sweet said the city is receiving
letters on the short-term rental issue
every day.
One letter in the April 6 City
Council packet urged the board to
“enact regulations that are being
considered.”
Another advised the council to
consider the noise, safety and de-
struction of “the neighborhood fab-
ric,” as a result of short-term rentals.
Property owners and renters op-
posed to new rules said “a few dis-
gruntled homeowners does not a
problem make.”
Others asked the council to con-
sider “responsible homeowners who
care about Gearhart, their neighbors
and take rentals seriously.”
Sweet said he expects up to 50
people at Thursday’s 6 p.m. meeting
DWWKH¿UHKRXVH²FKRVHQDVDORFD-
tion because of the anticipated larger
crowd.
“I think people should participate,
based on two of the more restrictive
items in the proposal draft, only 35
available permits and seven-day res-
ervation blocks,” Sweet said. “That
was added on fairly recently.”
As for the rules that will eventu-
ally be adopted, “Anything is an op-
tion,” he said.
“This is where we’re starting the
discussion for the public meeting,”
Sweet said. “We’ll see what survives
and gets forwarded to the City Coun-
cil. There will be meat left on the
bone for the Planning Commission
to adjust prior to pushing it up to the
council.”
Rental owners School is ‘in’ for Gearhart’s Christy Bisping
Rentals from Page 1A
“What I’d like to see them do is educate
those who have short-term rentals, let every-
one know what they expect as good neigh-
bors,” Marshall said.
Schroeder said the number, and the threat,
of short-term rentals is vastly overrated and the
small number of vacation property owners —
by the city’s estimate, about 75 to 80 — does
not need to be regulated.
“People think there are lots of us,” Schro-
eder said.
The city has tried to prove higher numbers
of short-term rentals in Gearhart, but in the
last two years, the number of such homes has
UHPDLQHGDERXWWKHVDPHVKHVDLG6L[W\¿YH
percent of homes in Gearhart are secondary
homes. Of those, it’s a small handful who rent.
Bad apples among homeowners would be
dealt with by peer pressure, Schroeder said.
“We know who they are.”
Rather than new rules, the city should do
more to enforce existing regulations, and con-
dos or apartments should have a manager who
enforces rules on their properties.
“Gearhart has noise rules,” Schroeder said.
“They can enforce the noise rules, the garbage
rules, the parking rules. They’re already in the
books, they’re in the city code.
“In 28 years, not once have I ever had a let-
ter from the city to say my party misbehaved, a
party, or trash,” Marshall said.
Many of the complaints submitted to the
city are undocumented or vague, Schroeder
added, particularly complaints about garbage
strewn about or noise from parties.
“How did they know it was short-term rent-
ers?” Schroeder asked. “They could very well
be the owner using their own home.”
After closing in Cannon Beach,
children’s center makes a fresh start
Come meet the team
The Gearhart Kids Academy is located
at 3537 Highway 101 in Gearhart;
503-440-8560; gearhartkids.com.
There will be a gathering to meet the
Gearhart Kids Academy team at War-
renton grade school cafeteria Satur-
day, April 16, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
By R.J. Marx
Seaside Signal
Yes, she was blindsided. Who wouldn’t be?
Christy Bisping was the executive director
of the Cannon Beach Preschool and Children’s
Center since June. Last month, she got word
the center was suddenly closing.
She and board members had been unaware
WKDWWKH¿QDQFLDOVLWXDWLRQZDVVRGLUH%LVSLQJ
said.
Competition from neighboring centers in
Seaside, declining enrollment, long commutes
and barriers for Hispanic students were among
causes.
“We did know enrollment was dropping
fairly quickly,” Bisping said. “There were no
plans to put it back together until it was too
ODWHWR¿[´
The center had been on the verge of closing
before, in 2011, after years of losses, when it
received an infusion from the city.
Despite a prestigious three-star rating early
this year for its commitment to quality learn-
ing from Oregon’s Quality Rating and Im-
provement System, the center shut its doors.
Bisping, who lives in Gearhart with her
husband Brandon, a 16-month-old daughter
and 12-year-old niece, suddenly found herself
out of a job.
She developed a concept — Gearhart Kids
Academy — DFHUWL¿HGFKLOGUHQ¶VFHQWHURIIHU-
ing infant, toddler, full-day and half-day pro-
grams for children six weeks to 12 years.
Bisping secured a building in her home-
town on Highway 101 at the former site of
Christy Bisping
‘I don’t really believe in electronic
toys. I think there should be
purposeful play, purposeful items.’
Christy Bisping
North Coast Realty and took out a personal
OLQHRIFUHGLWWR¿QDQFHKHUGUHDP
She said she sees a niche for the new center.
Curriculum will be based on the Montes-
sori Method and the Creative Curriculum for
preschoolers.
“I don’t really believe in electronic toys,”
Bisping said. “I think there should be pur-
poseful play, purposeful items. That’s where
the Montessori inspiration comes. It’s very
much arts, clay, bringing things outdoors in-
side. But there will be play, too, because that’s
important for social development.”
Academy still hopeful for fall opening
academy in reviewing and ad-
dressing the conditions before
The school district denied board approval.
However, the academy
the academy’s proposal sev-
eral times, citing the lack of trusted the school district
an adequate location and not “would be reasonable” in
considering the conditions.
enough startup funds.
The academy stated the
In October, the Seaside
School District board of conditions were imposed to
directors unanimously ap- ³HUHFW DUWL¿FLDO EDUULHUV´ WR
proved a three-year contract the charter school.
“We trust we are incorrect
with Cannon Beach Acade-
my. Under the conditions, the in drawing this conclusion,”
charter school would serve board members wrote.
One condition required
at least 44 kindergarten and
¿UVWJUDGH VWXGHQWV LWV ¿UVW the school have “all the mon-
year. More grades could be ey they need for the 2016-17
school year” in the bank, as
added over time.
The charter school planned well as a 10-percent contin-
to open in fall at a temporary gency, amounting to about
location at 171 Sunset Blvd., $450,000.
The
academy
had
in a space that once housed
the Cannon Beach Athletic $145,798 by March 1, falling
more than $300,000 short.
Club.
Academy board mem-
µ$UWL¿FLDOEDUULHUV¶ bers said the school “has
In their letter, the acade- reasonably and appropriately
my board said they did not GHPRQVWUDWHG¿QDQFLDOVWDELO-
view the district’s conditions ity based on its cash at hand,
as reasonable or appropri- pledges, and the projected
ate when adopted. Board revenue that will come from
members were dismayed the public funding of the charter
district did not include the school.”
Academy from Page 1A
WHAT: “Meet the Team”
WHERE: Warrenton grade school
cafeteria
WHEN: Saturday, April 16, 10 a.m. –
1 p.m
CONTACT: 503-440-8560; gearhartkids.com.
The funds raised and
pledges received “demon-
strates an enormous level of
community support for the
school,” academy directors
said.
According to academy
members, the academy had
developed a program using
information from the Oregon
Department of Education that
they “reasonably believed”
to be state-approved, board
Enrollment
members wrote. The error is
fell short
“immaterial” and “easily cor-
The academy also object- rected.”
Academy board members
ed to the school district’s con-
dition of 22 students enrolled said the district’s decision
in a district kindergarten class. was “neither reasonable or
The district required a lawful.”
“Oregon law does not pro-
minimum of 22 enrolled stu-
dents in both kindergarten and vide for conditional approval
¿UVWJUDGH FODVVHV 6L[WHHQ and the purported conditions
¿UVWJUDGHUVZHUHHQUROOHGDV which are alleged to have not
been met are themselves un-
of March 1.
Superintendent
Doug reasonable and inconsistent
Dougherty and Superinten- with the spirit and intent of
dent-elect Sheila Roley said Oregon’s charter school law,”
without enough students, the they wrote.
Despite the March de-
district would be unable to
make necessary adjustments cision to revoke approval,
in programs, class size and Dougherty and Roley stat-
ed that the district remained
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The academy also lacked committed to seeing the char-
a state-approved English lan- ter school up and running and
guage learners program by that Cannon Beach Academy
proposing an outdated pro- could begin operating in fall
gram, Dougherty and Roley 2017, if it meets the condi-
tions.
wrote.
Hours will be from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
“We hope to have kids going all day long,”
she said.
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There were four teachers at Cannon Beach
Preschool, but “right now I can only take one
of them, Susan James, who was there the lon-
gest, four years,” Bisping said. “But my goal
would be to take all four of them. They’re all
wonderful, so it’s very hard.”
)HHVZLOOEH¿[HGDQGRQDPRQWKO\EDVLV
— “very competitive to the other children’s
center that’s in town, a little bit less,” she
said.
$ *HDUKDUW YROXQWHHU ¿UH¿JKWHU %LVSLQJ
ZLOORIIHUHPHUJHQF\PHGLFDOVHUYLFH¿UHDQG
police families a 10 percent discount on tui-
tion. Capacity will be 46. School starts May 2.
For more information, visit gearhartkids.
com.
AAUW fundraiser honors
Whitney Westerholm
Spring into Fashion Sea-
side AAUW Scholarship
Fundraiser takes place Sat-
urday, May 7, from 2 to 4
p.m. at the Astoria Golf and
Country Club, 33445 Sunset
Beach Road in Warrenton.
Tickets are $25; $15, students.
They may be purchased at By
the Way in Gearhart, Beach
Books in Seaside, from an
AAUW member, at the door
or by phone 503-717-2353.
This year’s event honors
‘breaking through barriers’
graduating senior Whitney
Westerholm. This award is
given to a local woman or girl
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mission in a manner that has
had a demonstrative impact
on our city’s women and girls
in the area of equity and ed-
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Seaside AAUW has chosen to
participate and honor a young
woman from our community.
:KLWQH\H[HPSOL¿HVWKHPLV-
sion and goal of equity for
girls, has had an impact on the
girls and women of Seaside by
her sports accomplishments,
SUBMITTED PHOTO/SEASIDE SIGNAL
Whitney Westerholm
has demonstrated a need for
new schools outside the tsu-
nami zone by the “Don’t
Catch this Wave” campaign,
and has been highly visible
in these pursuits in the local
press and Portland television.
Whitney graduates from
Seaside High School June 13
and will work over the sum-
mer. She has applied to Uni-
versity of California Davis
and intends to become a vint-
ner.
New chief executive, four full-time specialists join Providence Seaside Hospital
By Nancy McCarthy
For EO Media Group
A new chief executive and
four doctors are joining Prov-
idence Seaside Hospital.
The hospital’s chief ex-
ecutive, Kendall Sawa, RN,
who began work at the hos-
pital in January, introduced
the four new doctors during
a reception Wednesday,
April 6.
Sawa came to Providence
Seaside from Ocean Beach
Hospital, in Ilwaco, Wash-
ington, where he was chief
executive since 2012.
He formerly served as
vice president for patient care
services at PeaceHealth Ket-
chikan Medical Center, be-
fore taking the helm of Ocean
Beach Hospital under a man-
agement agreement between
the public hospital district
and PeaceHealth to manage
daily operations. The agree-
ment expired last Dec. 31.
Sawa said the newly hired
doctors added to the specialty
services at Providence Sea-
side. He acknowledged the
need for more primary care
doctors but added that hospi-
tals throughout the U.S. are
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doctors and it is even more
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such as Providence Seaside.
All of the new specialists
will work full time at Prov-
idence Seaside and will live
in the area, Sawa said. “Some
have even bought houses,”
he added. The new special-
ists are:
• Brook Benze, M.D.,
orothopedic surgery: Benze
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pedic surgery with a subspe-
cialty in sports medicine. He
received his medical degree
from Oregon Health & Sci-
ence University and complet-
ed an internship at Maricopa
County Medical Center in
Phoenix, Arizona.
• Christopher Nyte, D.O.,
otolaryngology: Nyte special-
izes in treatment of disorders
of the ears, nose and throat
and facial plastic surgery. His
interests include skin cancer,
nasal obstruction and thera-
peutic use of Botox for mi-
granes. He received his med-
ical degree at the A.T. Still
University School of Osteo-
pathic Medicine in Missouri.
• Laura Gordon, M.D.,
urology: Gordon earned
her medical degree from
Northwestern
University
Medical School in Chicago.
She interned in surgery and
completed a residency in
urology at the University of
California, Los Angeles. She
provides surgical and non-
surgical care for conditions
involving the urinary tract.
• Dale J. Veith, P.S.Y.D.,
psychology: Veith received
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versity School of Profession-
al Psychology and also com-
pleted a residency there. He
has been a psychologist for
19 years.