6A • January 6, 2017 • Seaside Signal • seasidesignal.com
Gearhart sees late boost in vacation rental applications
Clock runs out for short-
term rental owners
“We had one inspection
with a window that was too
high so people couldn’t get
out, that was easily correct-
ed with a ladder system,” he
said. “We’re asking for ba-
sic safety: egress windows,
so people can escape from a
bedroom; smoke detectors;
tsunami information.”
By R.J. Marx
Seaside Signal
The one-time chance for
vacation rental permit appli-
cations ended Friday, Dec.
16, with an upsurge.
In early December, the
city reported 43 applications,
short of the city’s estimates.
In two weeks that number has
almost doubled.
“It’s a little bit of a mov-
ing target, but I think we’ll
end up with about 84,” City
Administrator Chad Sweet
said Tuesday.
The city’s new ordinance
regulating vacation rentals
limited applications to home-
owners who can prove they
have rented out their homes
by paying the lodging tax to
Appeals, initiative
R.J. MARX/SEASIDE SIGNAL
Gearhart City Administrator
Chad Sweet reviews applica-
tions for short-term rental
permits.
the city prior to submitting
the application.
Of the applications com-
ing in, most if not all are
“pretty thorough,” Sweet
said.
While city officials con-
sider the application period
over, some property owners
hope to repeal or alter the
rules for short-term rentals.
Two state Land Use Board
of Appeals cases are pend-
ing, and opponents of the
new rules have indicated they
will propose an initiative to
change aspects of the ordi-
nance.
With a new mayor, Matt
Brown, property owner Da-
vid Townsend said he and
others may seek to make the
ordinance “more user-friend-
ly.”
He said he is particularly
concerned about occupancy
limits and permit transfer re-
strictions. “The rules are a bit
Draconian,” he said.
“Personally, I hope the
City Council will take a hard
look at the net effect of fewer
rentals and its economic im-
pact,” added property owner
Jim Whittemore, one of those
participating in the state
board appeal.
Whittemore said compro-
mise can be reached on occu-
pancy limits, biannual septic
inspections and permit trans-
fer during a property sale.
“All we have to do is sit
down and work out a reason-
able and equitable solution,”
Whittemore said. “Too much
time, effort and money has
been spent on a nonissue.”
Presentation highlights crucial role of salt
Salt from Page 1A
The expedition also in-
cluded three dozen hand-se-
lected noncommissioned offi-
cers and privates, and “yeah,
they were worth their weight
in salt,” Wilson said.
Economic stimulus
One of President Thomas
Jefferson’s purposes in com-
missioning the expedition
was to establish trade with
the Native Americans and
partners to the east, particu-
larly capitalizing on sea otters
as a trade good. In order to
be successful, Wilson point-
ed out, “they have to survive.
They have to get here and get
back.”
After crossing the Rocky
Mountains, the expedition
began running low on sup-
plies, including food, trade
goods and salt. By the time
they were at the station camp
at the mouth of the Columbia
River, the situation was dire.
Unable to rely on trade
with the Native Americans to
get provisions, officers had to
make an important decision.
According to the journal
of Pvt. Joseph Whitehouse,
the officers “had our whole
party assemble in order to
consult which place would be
best for us to take up our win-
KATHERINE LACAZE/FOR SEASIDE SIGNAL
Historian and National Park Service ranger Tom Wilson talks
with attendees after his presentation on the critical role
salt-making played in the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
ter quarters.”
During the winter of De-
cember 1805, the expedition
set up their winter camp at
Fort Clatsop.
On Dec. 8, Clark set out
to find a direct route to the
ocean. On Dec. 28, Joseph
Field, William Bratton and
George Gibson followed,
making their way to the coast
near a Clatsop village about
15 miles south of Fort Clat-
sop, bearing five large kettles.
The salt-making began, as
the explorers harvested about
3 quarts to a gallon per day
and operated three kettles
day and night. The operation
continued through Feb. 21.
Gibson and Bratton, at least,
were at the salt works the en-
tire time.
In all, the Corps harvested
about 28 gallons of salt.
They left for the return
journey with approximately
20 gallons — enough for a
large part of their return voy-
age. They knew once they
reached the east side of the
Rockies, they would have
access to salt stashed there
before, as well as plains of
roaming buffalo.
Memorializing
the salt-making
Wilson concluded his
presentation by discussing
how they know for certain
The Salt Works site, now run
by the National Park Ser-
vice, is the correct location.
The answer is Tsin-is-tum,
also known by her English
name Jennie Michel, a mem-
ber of the Clatsop tribe. Al-
though she was born about
1818, her mother witnessed
the expedition’s salt-making
endeavors and showed her
the site.
In the early 1900s, the
Oregon Historical Society
traveled to find where the
original salt works was lo-
cated. They relied on the in-
formation from Michel.
The Cartwright family
gave the land to the society,
which started the process of
maintaining the site, includ-
ing the original rock struc-
ture. In the 1950s, the Lions
Club, wanting to maintain
the site, did more work, in-
stalling the monument and a
salt cairn replica.
Wilson said he likes to
think “the rocks you see
there now are the original
charred rocks of the expe-
dition,” but there is no evi-
dence to confirm that.
The National Park Ser-
vice took over in 1979 and
continues to strategize how
to best portray and interpret
the site.
Tillamook gathering draws SHS alumna
Review period
Sweet said the rules repre-
sent the recommendations of
both the Planning Commis-
sion and the City Council over
a multiyear review and public
comment period.
Property owners may still
rent their properties during
the permit review.
“We need to get through
this process,” Sweet said.
“But as of the middle of June,
everything will need to be
complete and the permits will
have to be perfected so we can
hold people accountable who
are renting without them.”
The city’s review process,
conducted by Building Of-
ficial Mark Brien, takes 30
days. Homeowners have six
months to bring their proper-
ties up to code.
Applicants must pay a
$500 application fee, a $125
dwelling inspection fee and
a fee of $50 if more than one
inspection is necessary.
After a vacation rental
dwelling is found to meet the
city’s requirements, the city
will issue a permit to be post-
ed within 4 feet of the front
entrance of the home.
Property owners who have
not applied for a permit and
continue to rent will be in vio-
lation of Gearhart’s zoning or-
dinance and subject to a $500
fine for each day of offense.
If a Gearhart property
owner came in today and tried
to file a short-term rental per-
mit application, would they be
considered?
“No,” Sweet said. “Dec.
16 was a hard date. Future
councils can make any de-
cisions they want to make,
but this is how this Planning
Commission and City Council
said they wanted to start.”
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Gathering from Page 1A
have an idea for an activity
or field trip can submit an ap-
plication requesting funds to
cover costs. The committee
determines which applica-
tions get funded.
In the past, proceeds from
the gathering have been spent
to fund an arts day at the high
school; help send the choir to
perform in Los Angeles; bring
in professional musicians to
perform in various classes;
send members of the yearbook
staff to a photography work-
shop; and provide a field trip to
an animations studio for mem-
bers of the robotics program.
Soul singer and songwriter
Kelsey Mousley, who graduat-
ed from Seaside High School
about 12 years ago, will per-
form with her Portland-based
band, Kelsey Mousley and The
Next Right Thing. The event
will include a silent auction
for artwork donated by local
artists, as well as light fare pro-
vided by The Stand.
Mark Mizell, an English
teacher at the high school for
more than 30 years, came up
with the idea for the Tilla-
mook Head Gathering a few
years ago, and it took shape
and became a reality with the
help of Wunderlich; Karen
Emmerling, owner of Beach
Books; and Mizell’s daughter,
Lindsey.
Each committee member
has found their involvement
with the project rewarding,
particularly because of how
they value the arts and stress
the importance of giving stu-
dents access to them during
school.
“It certainly broadens them
as people to recognize there
is more than just the basics of
life, that creativity is such an
important part of humanity,
and of course, I think the world
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Seaside High School alumna
Kelsey Mousley, a profes-
sional singer and songwriter.
opens if you read,” Emmerling
said. “We want kids to realize
the world is a bigger place
than Seaside, Oregon, and that
they can see themselves with a
future that may be outside of
here.”
Added Mizell, “It makes
their worlds bigger. It gives
kids kind of a spiritual nourish-
ment, I guess you might say.”
When he started teaching,
the school had a field trip fund
to cover costs for activities, but
that’s changed.
“In general, the arts have
been hit kind of hard; not just
here, but elsewhere, too,”
Mizell said.
A different event each year
Currently, the Tillamook
Head Gathering is an indi-
vidual event that is operated
through the Seaside School
District. The committee hopes
to convert the event into an
official and separate nonprof-
it organization at some point,
though, Mizell said.
Each year, the gathering
assumes a slightly different
atmosphere depending on the
featured acts. During the first
year, authors Peter Lindsey
and Karl Marlantes focused
on the literary arts and spoke
about their published works.
Last year, “Frogtown,” a na-
tionally-touring live action
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COURTESY OF KELSEY MOUSLEY FACEBOOK PAGE
Kelsey Mousley and The Next Right Thing, who produce
soul-infused R&B and rock music, will be performing at the
Tillamook Head Gathering.
musical, was the featured act,
with a strong appeal to fami-
lies. This year’s event, featur-
ing a showcase by Mousley,
also will have a unique flavor
that appeals to a different au-
dience, the organizers suspect.
The fact that each year is
different in terms of its per-
formers and audience “has
been really nice, because it’s
expanded the people who
know about it,” Emmerling
said. “We’re not talking to the
same people each year.”
One common theme so far,
however, is the inclusion of
a performer or speaker who
graduated from Seaside High
School. Finding alumni who
have advanced to find profes-
sional success in various art
forms but are willing to return
to participate in the Tillamook
Head Gathering hasn’t been
difficult.
“When you have a connec-
tion to here and find out kids
aren’t getting the same things
we got when we were younger,
I think the consensus is people
want to come back and be a
part of it and help, so the kids
that are here now aren’t miss-
ing out on the things we got,”
Wunderlich said.
Another tradition that’s
started is for a senior to partici-
pate in the event for their Paci-
fica Project. The responsibility
of the student so far has been to
coordinate the silent auction.
This year, senior Will Garvin is
filling the role, which includes
work before, during and after
the event, from asking local
artists for donations, setting
up bid cards, collecting money
and distributing the right piec-
es to auction winners.
“It’s nice to have a kid’s
perspective in the planning of
things,” Wunderlich said, add-
ing they hope to continue the
tradition
At this year’s event, a few
students will share first-hand
how they have benefited from
the donations in the past to
give attendees a clear idea how
the money is being spent.
Tickets for the Tillamook
Head Gathering are $10 in ad-
vance, available for purchase
at Seaside Coffee House,
Beach Books or the Seaside
High School business office,
or $15 at the door.
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