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.
Run with Extra Confidence
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MAY 2 0 ,2 0 0 3 , DISTRICT ELECTION RESULTS
Vernonia Rural Fire District
Vernonia School District
Position
No.
2 Don Skinner
2 Tim Bamburg
2 Write in
No. of
Votes
272
236
8
% of
Votes
52.71
45.73
1.48
Position
No. of
No.
Votes
1 £d Buckner
496
1 Steve Roberts
99
1 Write in
10
% of
Votes
81.98
16.36
1.53
272
241
5
52.50
46.52
.93
2 Randall Hanseni 512
2 Write in
24
95.52
3.69
4 Jeremy WoodallI 286
4 Steve Roberts
209
4 Write in
9
56.74
41.46
1.67
3 Tim Titus
3 Write in
545
15
97.32
2.30
7 Darrell Hamblet 483
7 Write in
32
93.78
4.9
3 Joe Batty
3 Bill Cota
3 Write in
Mist-Birkenfeld Rural Fire Protection District
(Both Clatsop & Columbia County Results)
Columbia County
Position
No. of % of
Clatsop
No.
Votes Votes
County
64.81
1 Stephen Butsko
70
33
38
1 Raymond Kyser
35.18
20
0
0
0
1 Write in
No Declared Candidates
Write in
28
25.22
Protect Your Deck with
E conomy
S hingle O il
(Slight colorizing effect)
Chevron
9
Trish Wright
Write in
89
2
97.80
1.80
39
0
Troy Horton
Write in
89
2
97.80
1.80
36
1
CALL
(503) 429-6606
WILCOX & FLEGEL
720 Rose Avenue • Vernonia