PRESORTED STANDARD
U.S. Postage Paid
Vernonia, OR 97064
Permit No. 37
Vol. 22, No. 2
“Voice of the Upper Nehalem River Valley”
Winter Beauty
County denies request
for increased operations
at Apple Valley Airport
By Susan Cackler
The INDEPENDENT
Frigid temperatures create a shelf of decorative icicles along the Nehalem River across
from Anderson Park.
Bridge work gets
started on Hwy 47
Work has started on the Bat-
tle Creek Bridge, 2.5 miles
south of Mist on Hwy. 47. This
is a bridge replacement project
that will result in traffic being
reduced to one lane 24 hours a
day until the project is com-
plete. A traffic signal has been
installed to control traffic in
both directions.
The full project also includes
replacement of the Lyons and
Ford Creek Bridges on Hwy.
202. The project is expected to
be completed by the end of No-
vember, 2007.
Photo at right:
Snow is helping provide a
brand new experience for
this youngster, with a very
first ride on a sled.
January 18, 2007
An application by Mike and
Jennie Applebee for expansion
of operations to provide flight
instruction and scenic flight
tours at Apple Valley Airport, in
Buxton, was denied in a De-
cember 20 decision by Dale
Hermann, Hearings Officer for
the Washington County De-
partment of Land Use and
Transportation. The application
requested a review of the exist-
ing level of uses in 1996, in-
cluding a 10 year review of
conditions, and for expansion
of existing uses beyond the lev-
els in 1996.
Hermann ruled that “the op-
erational level of the Apple Val-
ley Airport in 1996 consisted
solely of flights of fixed wing
aircraft by the owner and occa-
sional invited guest, personal
maintenance of the owner’s air-
craft and the storage of a
neighbor’s fixed wing aircraft.”
He did not find that the appli-
cants had provided sufficient
evidence that commercial flight
and instruction, aircraft sales
and maintenance or sightsee-
ing flights had taken place in
1996.
The decision also noted that
the applicants had not made a
request for “new uses” so addi-
tional uses such as flight in-
struction, scenic tours and fire-
fighting would have to be ad-
dressed in a new application.
The conditional review of the
airport found several land use
Meeting canceled
The Vernonia Council
meeting scheduled for Jan-
uary 16 was canceled be-
cause of weather.
violations, requiring the appli-
cant to remove a fourth wall
from the agricultural building
within 90 days from the date of
Hermann’s decision, and 30
days to remove stored chemi-
cals and petroleum. The Apple-
bees were also given 90 days
to either remove walls from un-
der the dwelling or to apply for
a flood plain alteration to allow
the walls to remain.
Additionally, all aircraft
based at the site must belong
to the owner of the airport. An-
other review of conditions will
be required within two years.
On January 4, the Apple-
bees filed their intent to appeal
the decision to the State Land
Use Board of Appeals (LUBA).
If LUBA decides to hear the ap-
peal, it will be made to a three
person board.
Dave Bratton, co-leader of
Neighbors Against Apple Valley
Expansion, said that the group
is continuing to raise funds and
share information about the de-
cision process. He said they
were thrilled with the ruling, but
are waiting to see what hap-
pens with the appeals process.
Weather delays some
pick-up of garbage
Waste Management was
unable to complete their Ver-
nonia route on Tuesday, Janu-
ary 16, due to snowy, slippery
conditions. They will be back
for more pick-ups, weather
permitting, on Friday, January
19.
According to Waste Man-
agement, if your garbage has
still not been picked-up by the
next regular collection day on
Tuesday, January 23, there will
be no charge for extra bags left
out for that collection.