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About Seaside signal. (Seaside, Or.) 1905-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 12, 2021)
Friday, November 12, 2021 | Seaside Signal | SeasideSignal.com • A3 Vista Ridge II: Subdivision could bring 17 homes Continued from Page A1 R.J. Marx The Seaside City Council at a workshop on homelessness Monday. Warming center: Described as ‘a good first step’ for Seaside Continued from Page A1 In February, a warming center proposed at the former Broadway Middle School — now the Sunset Recreation Center — was rejected by the park district’s board. With the approach of another winter, a shelter remained a priority. “Low barrier means they could have had a drink that day. They could have used (drugs) that day,” said Alan Evans, of Help- ing Hands. “They can come to the facility, but they can’t come to the facility and drink and use (drugs) in the facility.” The warming center, which will open in winter months during inclement weather, is fully funded for at least one year, Evans said. An overnight staff member will be assisted by one or two volun- teers to oversee the shelter. Men will be separated from women and children, Evans said. A pet policy has yet to be determined. Data will be gathered to deter- mine future needs. “Whoever comes in, we’ll take their name and their information,” Evans said. “We want to grab demo- graphics. We want to hear their story, and then take that data and collect it so we can understand the people that we’re trying to serve.” The park district will work with the shelter to provide vouch- R.J. Marx A building on South Roosevelt Drive will open as a warming center on Dec. 1. ers for shower access, said Sky- ler Archibald, the park district’s executive director. There is no financial con- tribution estimate at this time, Archibald added, other than the $3 shower vouchers. The park district is assess- ing the best way to provide food, Archibald said. “The hope is to provide a box lunch for dinner for folks at the shelter and then some- thing for them to eat on their way out in the morning,” he said. Viviana Matthews, the execu- tive director of Clatsop Commu- nity Action, asked for community support. “Homelessness is a community issue, and we all need and want to work together to provide the best services possible for the unhoused in our community,” she said. “I am thrilled that we are very close to making the warming and navi- gation center in Seaside a reality, as last year we were not able to achieve our goal. “I am asking and hoping that the community will support this collaborative effort to serve our unsheltered population.” The news on the warming cen- ter came as the city reviewed find- ings from a homelessness think tank chaired by Mayor Jay Barber and City Councilor Tita Montero. League of Oregon Cities lob- byist Ariel Nelson provided state and legal recommendations at community forums this summer. The city hopes to reestablish a countywide elected officials work group, which had met until 2019 but has not met since the corona- virus pandemic. Other think tank strategies include a managed RV or car parking lot where people could stay, transitional housing and permanent housing. City actions could include a housing initiatives manager and a contract position to support the work of Clatsop County’s two homeless liaisons. Evans said he sees the warm- ing center as a good first step for Seaside. “I think there have been great voices at the table,” he said. “And I think they’re in a good place because it’s going to get worse before it gets better. Once the (eviction) moratorium is lifted, the face of homelessness changes again.” Providence caregivers care. It’s that simple, even when it’s hard. To every Providence caregiver, through every demanding day of the COVID-19 crisis, you make us proud. You are heroes, and you’ve done heroic work. We honor you as people of Providence. People filled with kindness who dig deep in difficult times and never, ever waver from providing compassionate care. We thank you, for all you do for the communities we serve. The streets have been designed to flow to catch basins that have a sediment sump in them, engineer Mark Mead wrote in his stormwa- ter report, delivered at last week’s meeting. “This will collect the major runoff items. The home drive- ways and roof drains will be piped to the street and also run off into the stormwater system. The yard areas will provide a small amount of run- off depending on the landscaping.” After treatment, stormwater will flow northwest into the existing wetland area that eventually dis- charges into the Stanley Lake drain- age system. Storm drain water will not be directed northeast into the fish-bearing stream that is located along the eastern boundary of the site, according to the report. The subdivision east of Wahanna Road, to be accessed by Hemlock and Aldercrest streets and separated from the Vista Ridge subdivision by a creek, could be developed into 17 residential building lots from 7,000 to 15,000 square feet, with a single one- or two-story home on each lot. Typical house plans show one- story, 1,250-square-feet homes to two-story homes with about 2,300 square feet. Features include outdoor patios, foyers, great rooms, dens and bonus rooms. Every home plan has a garage. Buildings, located in a for- ested area, are to be wood-framed construction. Since the city has a limited time to make a decision once an applica- tion is in motion, developers agreed to waive the 120-day time limit, and start the decision clock over at the Dec. 7 meeting, Kevin Cupples, the city’s planning director, said. “The applicant has again requested a con- tinuance because of the late date of bringing that material forward.” Three planning commission- ers, Kathy Kleczek, Seth Morrisey and Lou Neubecker have recused themselves from the decision-mak- ing process. Commissioners Robin Montero, Christopher Rose and Jon Wickersham unanimously approved the continuance until the commission’s December meeting.