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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (June 5, 2003)
Page 4 The INDEPENDENT, June 5, 2003 Continued from page 2 times the water rises to a point where it flows out of its banks and floods all but the 1-acre pad by the highway on which our house is sited, and a 1/2- acre pad on the opposite side which is landlocked year round. If the proposed regulations af fect our property using winter flows, then all 23 acres of our land is under restricted-use. At best, using summer flows and figuring both sides of the river, a 150 foot swathe, plus the width of the Nehalem itself, will place approximately one-third of our land under restricted-use regulations. I was told at their St. Helens office that if I, as a property-owner, wish to make any additional use of my land, I would have to request (!) per mission from the County’s De partment of Land Development Services, after paying a nomi nal permit fee of “...10, 20 or 50 dollars.” My family’s feelings are probably the same as many of your readership would have. Currently, I don’t have to pay a thing or ask anyone for permis sion! I’m the one who’s paying the property taxes on it now, and I DON’T willingly cede the right to determine what to do with my land. In her testimony, Agnes Pe terson, a prominent St.Helens attorney who has been active in the area, explicitly pointed out that the State of Oregon’s Sen ate Measure 100, upon which Goal 5 administrative rules are based, infringes upon Constitu tionally protected landowner rights. Also, since the public in put process being used by the Board is legislative in nature, the Board would have to take opinions in written or verbal modes indefinitely. A member of the audience suggested that the public keep communicating their opposition to adoption of the proposed changes. Jeffrey VanNatta, chairperson of the Board, communicated with the other Board Members Peter Brewer, Dennis Nelson, Marvin McDonald, Mona Pierce, and Guy Letourean. They agreed to take written testimony for an other month, after which a re vised draft will be drawn up based upon the report and the public feedback. Chairman VanNatta estimat ed that the County Commis sioners should receive the Land Use Board’s recommen dation sometime in July or Au gust. If adopted, the regulation changes would take effect ap proximately 90 days later. He took further testimony from the audience, and took questions. I asked if it would be possible to include informing the public better about their recommenda tions by letting the local news papers in Scappoose-St. He lens, “The Chief” in Clatskanie, and yes, “The Independent" in Vernonia. I and another audi ence member pointed out that “The Independent” has a large distribution area from Banks-to- Astoria-to-Rainier, and that a large number of County citi zens read it. He responded favorably, and promised he would inform the newspapers. He then request ed that Columbia County citi zens write, telephone, or in any other way communicate with the Columbia County Commis sioners to inform them of our feelings. He stated that all the Land Use Board could do was make recommendations re garding the proposed regula tion changes and that only the County Commissioners could actually put any changes into effect. As there was no addi tional testimony, the meeting was adjourned. To Property Owners in the Unincorporated Areas of Co lumbia County: We property owners are di rectly affected by these land use regulation changes, yet these changes affect each Co lumbia County Citizen directly or indirectly. How specific changes will affect you can be found on the Columbia County website. I know that I, as a property owner, would love for my property taxes to be lower. However, if property values are lowered, the tax-base of the County is reduced, this in a time of government complain ing of too-tight budgets when service like police response or emergency service is rationed. The proposed changes affect individuals or companies with land that has water flowing as a tributary to a stream or river, especially if that body of water is fish-bearing. Some of the proposed changes directly af fect landowners who have what the Oregon National Heritage Program has defined as “sensi tive plant life.” If a person wish es to have a home built, an ex tra layer of red-tape, permit costs, and time are added. For many of us, our home and the land it rests on is the single most valuable investment that we have. The vast majority of Our state currently has the us treat our real estate respon highest unemployment rate in sibly and respect our neigh the US, and Columbia County bor’s property. Also, we treat has the highest unemployment the wildlife and plant life that rate in the state. Our citizens grows on our land with respect have repeatedly voted to repeal and care, whether it is perma tax increases, yet here is an ex nent or just passing through. ample of how local govern Our State’s quality of life is en ments are reducing tax receipts vied throughout the country, yet while adding costs to bring in there is an element in our pop additional revenues. The only ulation who feel that the proper way we can stop this is to write, ty rights of responsible citizens e-mail, telephone, or button are secondary to the wishes of hole OUR Columbia County the State, that various bureau Commissioners and let them cratic entities in state govern know that we DO NOT want ment know more than we more government control ancf landowners on what and how costs, that “Enough Is Enough!” our property should be used. 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