Clatsop County Commisssion Meeting Highlights, Wednesday, March 26th

Marijuana facility moratorium

The board conducted the first reading of an ordinance imposing a moratorium on medical marijuana facilities in the unincorporated county. The moratorium bans the operation of dispensaries and other facilities that provide marijuana products to medical marijuana card holders until May 1, 2015.

Earlier in March the Oregon Legislature passed a bill granting cities and counties the ability to impose moratoriums on medical marijuana facilities effective until May 1, 2015. Currently no medical marijuana facilities operate in the unincorporated county.

The board will resume a public hearing on the ordinance and take a final vote at its April 23 meeting.

Diking district transfer

The board approved a letter of intent re-assigning easements of Diking District #13 from Clatsop County to the Bonneville Power Administration. The district, which came under the county’s administration after it was dissolved in the 1970s, covers property along the Youngs River and Walluski River that is the location of a project aimed at restoring the land to natural conditions by the modification and removal of some of the surrounding dikes.

The project is a cooperative effort of the BPA, Astoria Wetlands LLC and the Cowlitz Indian Tribe.

Commissioner liaison duties

The board re-assigned some of its liaison appointments to outside agency boards in light of the appointment of Matt Samuelson as new commissioner for District 5. Those assignments are:

4H Extension Service District Advisory Committee – Dirk Rohne

Board of Review (Farm Board) – Dirk Rohne

Clatsop Economic Development Resources (CEDR) – Peter Huhtala

Clatsop County Fair Board – Dirk Rohne

Clatsop Soil and Water Conservation District – Scott Lee

Council of Forest Trust Land Counties – Scott Lee

Columbia-Pacific Economic Development District (Col-Pac) – Peter Huhtala

Columbia River Estuary Study Task Force (CREST) – Scott Lee

Community Action Team – Matt Samuelson

Commission on Children and Families – Scott Lee

Northwest Area Commission on Transportation – Matt Samuelson

Northwest Oregon Economic Alliance – Peter Huhtala

Northwest Oregon Housing Authority – Scott Lee

Northwest Senior and Disability Services – Peter Huhtala

Oregon Coastal Zone Management Association – Scott Lee

Oregon Consortium – Scott Lee

Public Safety Coordinating Council – Sarah Nebeker

Arts Council of Clatsop County – Sarah Nebeker

Human Services Advisory Committee – Sarah Nebeker

The board also voted to end the practice of assigning commissioners as members or liaisons to the following county boards and committees: Ambulance Service District Area Advisory Committee, Planning Commission, Recreational Lands Planning Advisory Committee, Rural Law Enforcement District Advisory Committee and Southwest Coastal Citizens Advisory Committee.

Staff recommended the change due to the fact that these bodies are advisory to the board of commissioners, and in some cases a commissioner’s participation could complicate the board’s review and action on certain issues.

Land-use hearings

The board voted to grant authority to the Community Development Director to determine whether certain land-use hearings are heard by a hearings officer or by the county planning commission. The move amends a 2012 action by the board that appointed a hearings officer to hear Type IIa land-use applications and Type I and II appeals. Giving the department director the option of using a hearings officer or planning commission is intended to provide more efficiency and flexibility.

Other Business

In other business the board

-Presented a certificate of recognition to District Attorney Josh Marquis for his 20 years of service to Clatsop County. Marquis was appointed District Attorney in March 1994 and has been re-elected to the post five times.

-Approved a letter to Oregon State Forester Doug Decker requesting additional information related to proposed changes in state forest management plans and revenue disbursement.

-Proclaimed March 23-29 as Tsunami Preparedness Week.

-Postponed appointments to the newly formed Arts Council of Clatsop County and invited additional applications.

-Appointed Charles Dice to the Clatsop County Budget Committee.

-Appointed Marcus Simantel and re-appointed Ed Johnson and Katie Paaso to the 4H and Extension Service District Budget Committee.