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About Seaside signal. (Seaside, Or.) 1905-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 18, 2017)
Page 10A SEASIDESIGNAL.COM • COMPLIMENTARY COPY OUR 111th YEAR • August 18, 2017 SPIKE! Tourney is a winner Seasiders lukewarm on urban renewal Issues raised about traffi c, growth By Brenna Visser Seaside Signal PHOTOS BY JEFF TER HAR/FOR SEASIDE SIGNAL The event is a major summer attraction for downtown Seaside with 154 volleyball courts set up on the beach. Seaside beach volleyball delivers sun, fun, sand By Kaelia Neal EO Media Group T he 36th annual Seaside Beach Vol- leyball tournament was full of sand, sunshine and spikes. After two extremely close sets, Chelsea Ching, Garrett Wilson, Kacey Losik and Wyatt Harrison won the fi nal quads coed open on Sunday, Aug. 13, the last champi- onship game of the tournament. “It was incredible,” Ching said of her ex- perience at the tournament. “You hang out and have a good time.” In the fi nal match, every player was es- sential for the team win. Considering this was their fi rst time playing together as a team, it was impressive to see their chem- istry. Wilson, Losik and Harrison fought hard on the net as blocking and hitting machines. Ching took care of the defense and was an asset for picking up tips. After back and forth rallies, Ching, Wil- son, Losik and Harrison won set one 24-22 and set two 21-19. The team travels with a crew from Santa Cruz of about 35 people. “It’s kind of a tradition,” said Ching , who has been to the tournament three times. “It was an epic year,” Wilson said. “We had a really good group of people.” In a heated public hearing, residents ex- pressed concerns to the Seaside City Coun- cil Monday about the impact of a proposed s outheast urban renewal p lan . The hearing was a chance for city coun- cilors to consider whether the urban renew- al district is in compliance with city goals. It also is the last stop before city councilors vote Aug. 28 whether to adopt the urban re- newal plan, which has been in development since January. While the city has heralded the $68 mil- lion program as an effi cient way to pay for long-term infrastructure projects, some res- idents and the Oregon Coast Alliance argue that plans to include unincorporated forest- land outside of the urban growth boundary do not follow the city’s comprehensive plan. Others were concerned about overde- velopment, traffi c and how projects would be implemented . But the largest sentiment coming from the audience was the feeling there was not enough public comment lead- ing up to the vote. “All we want to do is be heard. I don’t think people are necessarily against devel- opment — we just want it to be smart,” Ma- ria Pincetich, a resident, said in the hearing. City councilors said there were multiple public meetings on the issue . “Urban renewal is a proven tool in Sea- side for infrastructure. How many enjoy the North Holladay boulevard? If we didn’t See Renewal, Page 7A The amateur beach volleyball tournament is considered the largest of its kind in the world bringing in more than a thousand teams. Below: Volleyball players hit the beach in Seaside over the weekend. See Spike, Page 10A Gearhart to dive deep into the weeds Tree-topping at core of beach dune controversy By R.J. Marx Seaside Signal GEARHART — City councilors agreed to consider recommendations from the Dunes Vegetation Committee after fi nding that city rules on tree trimming, removal of noxious weeds and invasive species failed to provide clear guidance. “In my opinion there is nobody in this debate who is right or who’s wrong there are just differences of opinion,” committee member George Van Hoomissen said at the Wednesday, Aug. 4 , City Council meeting. Mayor Matt Brown acknowledged the ordinance, which allows for “thinning or pruning of 50 percent of the plant’s pres- ent growth,” was unclear and offered little guidance to offi cials. PAID PERMIT NO. 97 ASTORIA, OR PRSRT STD US POSTAGE See Gearhart, Page 7A Cannon Beach Academy is a go with temp permit said. “We are blessed to have all Volunteer efforts help tor, of the support from the community.” charter school meet The road here building deadline Because the location for the school By Brenna Visser Seaside Signal CANNON BEACH — Cannon Beach will have an elementary school again. It’s a project that supporters of the charter school have been working to- ward for almost four years after the old elementary school was closed for tsunami safety reasons and a budget shortfall. But as of Tuesday, Aug. 15, the a cademy, a tuition-free, public charter school offering kindergarten to second grade, has secured a temporary occupancy permit that will allow the school to open for classes on Sept. 5. “I’m over-the-moon excited,” Amy Moore, the school’s executive direc- was secured only two months ago, vol- unteers, academy board members and Coaster Construction worked down to the wire to meet the Tuesday deadline set by Seaside School District. The last-minute need to fi nd a new location came when the board received an es- timate of $150,000 over the $90,000 they budgeted for construction costs at the original location on Sunset Bou- levard. Costs were driven up because the space would need to be renovated extensively to meet state school fi re codes. The academy was able to fi nd an al- ternative in the former Preschool and Children’s Center at 3781 S. Hemlock St. But by the time lease negotiations See Academy, Page 7A BRENNA VISSER/ SEASIDE SIGNAL Volunteers helped sweep up leaves at a clean up event in July for the new Cannon Beach Academy at the former Preschool and Children’s Center.