OUR 114th Year
October 15, 2021
SEASIDESIGNAL.COM
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Resetting
the clock
at Vista
Ridge II
Commission, neighbors
have long list of concerns
By R.J. MARX
Seaside Signal
Developers and neighbors will both
have an opportunity to regroup before
consideration of plans for Vista Ridge II,
a 17-home development on 6.5 wooded
acres in Seaside’s eastern hills.
Robin Montero, chair of the Planning
Commission, said at last Tuesday’s meet-
ing that the development “was a great
opportunity to create an inviting commu-
nity up there while being able to enjoy
the beauty of the natural surroundings.
The current plan is very aggressive, but
I think with adjustments, we can make a
beautiful addition into our Seaside hills.”
At the same time, Montero had a list
of questions for project engineer Mark
Mead, including what type of develop-
ment is planned, housing selection and
style.
“We’ve been told it’s one or two sto-
ries, but there aren’t any specific style
selections,” Montero said. “What type of
housing? Luxury, medium, affordable or
mixed?”
Representing Sunset Ridge LLC at a
Planning Commission meeting in Sep-
tember, Mead sought approval for the
subdivision east of Wahanna Road, to
be accessed by Hemlock and Aldercrest
streets and separated from the original
Vista Ridge subdivision by a creek.
Plans show the parcel could be devel-
oped into 17 residential building lots
from 7,000 to 15,000 square feet, with
Seaside Signal
Alison Brie, center in a red dress, on the set of “Somebody I Used to Know” at McMenamins in Gearhart.
HOLLYWOOD IN GEARHART
Alison Brie, Dave Franco in Gearhart for major film production
By R.J. MARX
Seaside Signal
A
major Hollywood production
brought cast and crew to the North
Coast on Tuesday for filming at
McMenamins Hotel in Gearhart.
The Amazon Studios romantic
comedy “Somebody I Used to Know,”
directed by Dave Franco and starring
Alison Brie, Jay Ellis and Kiersey
Clemons, launched in late September.
Brie, known for her work on the TV
shows “Mad Men” and “Community,”
is married to Franco and co-wrote the
script. Franco also directed the horror
movie, “The Rental,” which starred
Brie.
Filming for “Somebody I Used to
Know” took place on the outdoor deck
behind McMenamins and will con-
tinue in the Portland area.
According to Amazon Studios, the
movie follows a workaholic, played
by Brie, who, on a trip to her home-
town spends a night reminiscing with
her ex-boyfriend, which makes her
start to question everything about the
choices she’s made and the person
she’s become.
The movie will debut on Prime
Video next year.
See Vista Ridge II, Page A6
GEARHART
Vacation rental
dwellings are
reaching their
threshold
Firehouse
vote eyed for
next year
By R.J. MARX
Seaside Signal
Vote delay leads
to new campaign
conversation and debate,” Stone said.
“There’s a lot of people who want to come
in and debate whether or not trans peo-
ple deserve rights, or respect for that mat-
ter. That’s not debatable and then we have to
ask people to leave if they’re disrespectful
because there’s none of that in here.”
A three-bedroom home on South
Prom. Another three-bedroom home on
the 1600 block of South Edgewood. A
two-bedroom house on the 1800 block of
South Edgewood. A two-bedroom home
on South Columbia.
Four homeowners came to Seaside’s
Planning Commission meeting last Tues-
day seeking conditional use approval
for a vacation rental dwelling. All four
received that approval.
“One of my concerns is, I see arti-
cles that say Seaside is the place to
invest in vacation rentals,” Jeff Flory, the
city’s transient rental dwelling enforce-
ment officer said. “This is a huge busi-
ness model for people — so I think we’re
going to see a flood of people from out of
the area continuing to do it.”
Since Jan. 1, the city has received 73
land use applications. Of these, 58% are
for transient rentals, including 32 vacation
rental dwellings, seven transient rental
condos and three bed and breakfasts. The
city has 411 transient rental dwellings,
active or pending. There is a backlog of 96
inspections needed to be completed.
The widespread turnover of formerly
residential homes and its impacts on the
availability of affordable housing concerned
planning commissioner Seth Morrisey.
“I do have a quick comment on the
vacation rental approval because I think
all of us are concerned with all the the
proliferation of vacation rentals,” Mor-
risey said. “I’ve had conversations with
the City Council and I don’t think anyone
really knows whose responsibility it is to
actually adjust and kind of refine the rules
of vacation rentals.”
See Coffee, Page A6
See Vacation rentals, Page A3
By R.J. MARX
Seaside Signal
In the aftermath of a judge’s decision
validating wording on a firehouse bond
measure, city councilors and staff are
looking ahead to a new bond vote in May
for the proposed $13 million station bond
off of Highlands Lane. City attorney Peter
Watts is still shaking his head at the chal-
lenge, because of filing deadlines, led to
postponement of the citywide vote, which
would have taken place this November.
“It’s really surprising we would get
this sort of opposition to that site,” Watts
said. “We came up with a really creative
way, in my mind, of getting a free site
for a fire station, and a site for a park. I
really had thought this would be kind of
a rally ‘round the flag issue, and every-
one would be kind of proud of the city for
coming up with a really creative solution
to what seemed to be a big problem. We
were looking at $3 million to $4 million
for that High Point site, and two lawsuits
— why would we buy a site if we can get
one for free that’s at a higher elevation?”
Gearhart is working with planners to
bring the 30-acre Cottages at Gearhart
subdivision off Highlands Lane into the
city’s urban growth boundary in a land
swap for acreage in the city’s “no-build”
zone near the ocean. The land would be
used for a firehouse and police station to
See Firehouse, Page A6
Photos by R.J. Marx
Brick Stone and Logan Dahlen of Controversial Coffee.
Controversial Coffee comes to Seaside
Queer-owned business
seeks to open discussion
By R.J. MARX
Seaside Signal
For those who like their lattes with a dash
of controversy, a new shop at 111 Broadway
provides a shot of both. Brick Stone and
Logan Dahlen purchased the former Pacific
Pearl Coffee and turned it into Controversial
Coffee, serving Sleepy Monk coffee, spe-
cialty drinks and cool souvenir items on Sea-
side’s busiest street.
What’s controversial about Controversial
Coffee?
“This is Controversial Coffee because we
are a queer couple,” co-owner Brick Stone
said. “It’s kind of controversial to be trans-
queer in a public space.”
Stone and partner Logan Dahlen
plan to encourage conversations — not
debates. “There’s a big difference between
Candles available at Controversial Coffee.