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About Seaside signal. (Seaside, Or.) 1905-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 19, 2018)
SEASIDESIGNAL.COM OUR 112th YEAR • January 19, 2018 City seeks details on campus plan Construction, traffic are topics of discussion By R.J. Marx Seaside Signal With a new year, the Seaside School District took a second shot at bringing their new campus within the city’s boundaries. The district went to City Hall on Jan. 8 seeking passage of Ordinance No. 2018-01, perhaps the biggest administrative step to- ward construction of a new school campus. The ordinance would bring 89 acres into the city’s urban growth boundary, provid- ing services including roads, water and oth- er infrastructure. The campus, approved by a $99.7 mil- lion bond vote in November 2016, will be built on 89 acres, 49 of those formerly des- ignated as county forest and 40 zoned res- idential. Although councilors voted on a version of this ordinance in 2017, the revised ordi- nance includes new language, boundaries and site details. See Campus, Page 6A Dollar General moves ahead in Gearhart Parking in rear eliminates need for review KATHERINE LACAZE Cast of Alice in Wonderland. In front: Alona Whisenunt. Front row (from left to right): Ella Crater, Luna Hammack, Everett Olsen, Lila Thornburg, Jennifer Donoghue, RoseMary Allen, Kalaya Young, and Tommy Donoghue. Back row (from left to right): Jayna Britt, Kiana Thornburg, Emry Seal, John Donoghue, Logan Rainey, Patrick Donoghue, Patrick Rainey, Lola Boulanger, Daylin Olsen, Hayley Ar- chibald, and Helen Fenison. Curiouser and curiouser! From ‘Alice’ to Sherlock Holmes By Nancy McCarthy For Seaside Signal By R.J. Marx Seaside Signal After denial of a parking variance in September, Dollar General is back with plans for a store in Gearhart along U.S. Highway 101. Now that designs show the number of parking spaces required by city code, the retail store is considered an outright use in a commercial zone. The application will be reviewed by Building Official Mark Brien, said City Administrator Chad Sweet, but will not undergo further Planning Commis- sion review. Parking and traffic issues were at the forefront of the September Planning Com- mission denial. At the time, Cross Develop- ment, the Dollar General developer based in Texas, sought a parking variance to reduce the number of spots from 46 to 27, argu- ing the business would not generate enough traffic to warrant that many. By designating a rear area of the building to accommodate shoppers’ parking, owners bypassed a sec- ond commission review. “Dollar General refiled their application with all the parking spots included, and is marching through the building process per- mit right now, with very little change other than the added parking I can see so far,” City Planner Carole Connell said at Thurs- day’s commission meeting. “They put it all in the back.” Cross Development hopes to build the 9,100-square-foot store in a vacant lot A mystery will unfold in Seaside this summer, and some local kids will help Sher- lock Holmes solve the crime. They will participate in a play involving the famous British detective who follows the clues to uncover the guilty party when no one else can. The play’s director, Katherine Laca- ze, received a $1,250 Clatsop County Cultur- al Coalition grant to stage the performance in partnership with the Sunset Empire Park and Recreation District. This is the second year that Lacaze has received a cultural coalition grant to produce a children’s play. Last year, she directed 25 children in “Alice in Wonderland,” complete with Alice, the Cheshire cat, the Queen of Hearts and lots of croquet players. “I hope we will get that many again; we need at least 20 kids,” said Lacaze. Although she hasn’t decided exactly which Sherlock Holmes play she will pres- ent, it will be one that is written especially for children. The younger children will be among the “Baker Street Irregulars,” street-smart See Theater, Page 6A KATHERINE LACAZE Alona Whisenhunt as “Alice,” with Katherine Lacaze. KATHERINE LACAZE Scene from last year’s “Alice in Wonderland (And Back Again.)” PAID The Whet Spot opens in Seaside PERMIT NO. 97 ASTORIA, OR PRSRT STD US POSTAGE See Dollar, Page 7A Tap room and bottle shop on North Holladay By Eve Marx For Seaside Signal Tracy Linder of the Whet Spot EVE MARX/FOR SEASIDE SIGNAL Tracy Linder had it in her mind she would open her own place for a long time. She knew it would be a neighborhood place to enjoy craft beer, having developed a passion for craft beer while enlisted in the Army. “I was stationed for three years in Germany,” Linder said. “Germany is where I learned to appreciate good beer.” On a drizzly afternoon in Seaside, Linder shared her story with a reporter for this paper. It’s not just beer she’s spent time learning about. She’s also something of a wine maven. “I learned a lot while working at the Montinore Vineyard in Forest Grove,” she said. “I was there one day and I was offered a job. I was in grad school. The next day I became part of the winemaking process. I was covered in wine. It was a revelation.” The Whet Spot opened to little fanfare at 12 N. Holladay Drive in early December. A tap room and bottle shop, The Whet Spot currently offers patrons a rotating selection of 20 craft beers on tap, with four or five local beers on tap all the time. Linder also offers three hard ciders and a selection of wines, white, red, and rosé. Take a gander at the refrigerated case and you’ll find about 150 different beers, wines, and ciders by the bottle. “By March, I expect to offer 200,” Linder said. “You can also buy beer to go by the growler, or bring in your own growler which I’ll fill.” A small but delightful nibbling menu of chips and salsa; chili and soup; a hummus platter; an antipasto platter of red wine salami, garlic white cheddar cheese, smoked black pepper cheddar, figs, olives and chocolate. A chocolate hazelnut brownie made by Patty’s Wicker Café and made with the Hazelnut Brown Ale by Rogue rounds out the food offerings. “We’re working on pretzel bites next,” Linder said. “Dough Dough Bakery is going to make them for us just up the street.” Linder is a North Coast native who grew up around Seaside and Cannon Beach. She is See Whet Spot, Page 7A