Thursday, July 26, 2012

Clatsop County Board of Commissioners Highlights Wednesday, July 25, 2012 regular meeting


Shoreline visual assessment discussed
The board heard a presentation from representatives of the state Department of Land Conservation and Development on the draft Visual Assessment Tool for the state’s Territorial Sea Plan amendment.
DLCD’s Paul Klarin said the tool is designed to inventory, evaluate and score shoreline viewpoints along the Oregon Coast for the purpose of assessing the potential visual impact of wave energy and other in-ocean renewable energy facilities. The inventory will measure each site’s scenic quality by scoring landforms, vegetation, development and other features.
The visual impact assessment will be one tool, along with assessments of ecologically sensitive sites, fishing grounds and recreation areas, which will be used to determine which areas of the coast are the least and most appropriate for energy projects, Klarin said.

State, Extension agreement approved
The board, acting as governing body of the 4-H and Extension Service Special District, approved a new intergovernmental agreement between the district and the Oregon State Board of Higher Education.
The new agreement was drafted following a statewide reorganization of the Extension Service to a regional-based model. The agreement provides clearer descriptions of the authority and responsibility of each entity, and commits the county and Extension Service to a one-year feasibility study on placing the staff of  the local Extension Service office, who are currently county employees, under the employment of the district.

Forest Council letter approved
The board agreed to send a letter to the Council of Forest Trust Lands Counties requesting that the panel provide the county with adequate notice of council votes on important issues. The letter is in response to a July 10 vote by the council to join two lawsuits over environmental practices on Oregon State Forest lands. The council, which represents 15 Oregon counties containing state forest lands including Clatsop County, took the vote before the county board of commissioners was informed
Commissioner Patricia Roberts, who represents Clatsop County on the five-person council, voted in favor of joining the two lawsuits.

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