Clatsop County Board of Commissioners Highlights Wednesday, July 23, 2014 regular meeting

Clatsop Plains plan

The board approved the North Clatsop Plains Sub-Area Plan. The plan implements strategies developed by the 2012 Joint Land-Use Study, a cooperative project between Clatsop County, the Oregon Military Department and other partners aimed at reducing existing and potential conflicts between Camp Rilea Armed Forces Training Center and surrounding areas.

The sub-area plan and accompanying comprehensive plan and land-use ordinance amendments address development, open space, natural and ecological features, water quality, traffic access and trails and recreation. The amendments establish an overlay zone in the North Clatsop Plains Area that maintains existing density limits, encourages clustered development and applies noise-attenuation construction standards.

Oregon Pipeline appeal

The board voted to direct the county’s land-use legal counsel to file a cross-appeal with the Oregon Court of Appeals regarding a challenge filed recently by Oregon Pipeline Company LLC against two rulings from the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals. On June 27 LUBA remanded the Oregon Pipeline’s land-use application back to the county based on its finding that Commissioner Peter Huhtala was not impartial when he voted with the majority of the board to withdraw the county’s original approval of the application for reconsideration and to later reject it.

Other Business

In other business the board:

-Granted a 3.5-percent salary raise to County Manager Scott Somers following his annual performance review. The raise is in addition to a 2.13-percent cost-of-living increase and brings Somers’ salary to $127,416.

CLATSOP COUNTY OREGON PIPELINE HEARING CANCELLED

 

As a result of an appeal filed by developers of a proposed natural gas pipeline, a hearing before the Clatsop County Board of Commissioners on the project application set for Sept. 10 has been cancelled.

On Friday, July 18, Oregon Pipeline Company LLC filed a petition for review with the Oregon Court of Appeals to review two recent rulings from the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA): a remand of the board of commissioners’ October 2013 decision rejecting the company’s consolidated land-use application, and the dismissal of an appeal filed by project opponent Columbia Riverkeeper against the board’s original November 2010 ruling approving the application.

CLATSOP COUNTY COMMISSION OREGON PIPELINE HEARING FOR SEPT. 10

In response to a ruling from the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals, the Clatsop County Board of Commissioners will hold a new hearing on the Oregon Pipeline land-use application on Sept. 10.

The hearing was set after a special executive session of the board Wednesday.

In a ruling released June 27, LUBA remanded the application back to the county based on its finding that Commissioner Peter Huhtala was not impartial when he voted with the majority of the board to withdraw the original approval and later to deny Oregon Pipeline LLC’s consolidated land-use application to build 41 miles of natural gas pipeline through the county. The remand means the board must reconsider the application without Huhtala taking part in the decision.

HEATWAVE FORECAST FOR NEXT WEEK

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WARNS A PROLONGED HEAT WAVE WILL DEVELOP OVER SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON AND NORTHWEST OREGON SATURDAY AND PERSIST THROUGH AT LEAST THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. 
 
TEMPERATURES INLAND ARE PREDICTED TO BE IN THE NINTIES AND INTO THE TRIPLE DIGITS IN SOME AREAS.

SUNDAY WILL NOT BE AS HOT AS SATURDAY OR EARLY NEXT WEEK DUE TO EXTENSIVE CLOUD COVER AND POTENTIAL SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY.

IN ADDITION TO THE HOT TEMPERATURES EARLY NEXT WEEK...IT WILL
BECOME MORE HUMID RESULTING IN VERY MILD NIGHTS. LOW TEMPERATURES
SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT ARE EXPECTED TO BE IN THE
UPPER 50S TO NEAR 70.

CLATSOP COUNTY BUDGET & FINANCE DIRECTOR AARON BeMILLER ANNOUNCES DEPARTURE

Aaron BeMiller has resigned as Clatsop County Budget and Finance Director.

BeMiller cited personal reasons for his departure. He has accepted a position as finance director for the city of Kent, Wash. His last day with Clatsop County will be July 22.

BeMiller joined the county in August 2013, after 13 years as budget manager for Pierce County, Wash. and various finance positions with the City of Seattle.

The Budget and Finance Department handles budget preparation and oversight, banking, payroll, revenue and expenditure monitoring and other fiscal duties. Deputy Budget and Finance Director Monica Steele will serve as interim director during this transition.

As a result of Steele’s expert oversight, Clatsop County received its first ever Government Finance Officer Association Distinguished Budget Award for the Fiscal Year 2013-14 budget, according to County Manager Scott Somers.

HEALTH ADVISORIES ISSUED FOR WATER CONTACT AT D RIVER BEACH AND HECETA BEACH

Public health advisories were issued Thursday for water contact at D River Beach,  in Lincoln County, and Heceta Beach in Lane County.due to higher-than-normal levels of bacteria in ocean waters 

Water samples indicate higher-than-normal levels of fecal bacteria, which can result in diarrhea, stomach cramps, skin rashes, upper respiratory infections and other illnesses. Direct contact with the surf or water running into the surf in this area should be avoided until the advisories are lifted, especially for children and the elderly, who may be more vulnerable to waterborne bacteria.

While these advisories are in effect at D River Beach and Heceta Beach, visitors should avoid wading in nearby creeks, pools of water on the beach, or in discolored water, and stay clear of water runoff flowing into the ocean. Even if there is no advisory in effect, officials recommend avoiding swimming in the ocean within 48 hours after a rainstorm.

Irving Avenue washout near 19th Street causes street closure.

Irving Avenue will remain closed at 19^th St  through construction of the Irving Avenue Replacement Project, which is currently estimated to be complete by October 2015. Local access to residents on 19^th St will be provided throughout the construction duration.

Early on Wednesday, July 9th, a waterline break caused Irving Avenue to washout just east of 19^th St.  It is estimated that the 6-inch waterline was broken for hours before it was reported to Astoria dispatch. Evidence suggests that the long duration of below ground water flow saturated the ground and caused the washout. Astoria Public Works Operations repaired the waterline shortly after the report was received. There does not appear to be any impact to private property and no one was injured as a result of the significant road damage.

Since the washout is within the Irving Avenue Bridge Replacement Project limits, the City is working with the contractor for the Irving Bridge Project, Carter and Company, to determine what work may need to be done prior to their arrival in about a month.

 

If you have questions, please contact Cindy Moore, PE at 503-338-5173 or cmoore@astoria.or.us.

Razor clams to close July 15 on Clatsop beaches

Razor clamming will close Tuesday, July 15, on the Clatsop beaches for the annual conservation closure to protect newly-set young clams.

Since 1967 the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has closed the 18 miles of beaches north of Tillamook Head to razor clam digging, while young clams establish themselves on the beach during the summer.

“We want to ensure that the Clatsop beaches continue to be productive for razor clam harvesters,” said Matt Hunter, ODFW’s Shellfish and Phytoplankton Project Leader. “By not disturbing the young razor clams it increases the chance of survival.”

NON-INJURY TRUCK CRASH LEADS TO LUMBER SPILL PARTIALLY BLOCKING HIGHWAY 101 IN TILLAMOOK COUNTY

A commercial truck driver was cited following an early Wednesday morning non-injury crash in which a load of lumber spilled onto Highway 101 north of Cloverdale, partially blocking the highway for several hours.

On July 9, 2014 at approximately 4:24 a.m., a Peterbilt truck pulling two trailers loaded with lumber driven by GUY HOLLIS JR, age 51, from Tillamook, was traveling southbound on Highway 101 near milepost 77. As the truck and trailers traveled through a curve, they went off the roadway and struck and embankment where the truck detached from the lead trailer. Both trailers stopped abruptly, causing the lumber to shift forward and spill onto the highway.

HOLLIS was not injured. He was cited by OSP for Careless Driving.

CITY OF ASTORIA HISTORIC LANDMARKS COMMISSION HISTORIC PRESERVATION RENOVATION GRANT

The City of Astoria has received a grant from the State Historic Preservation Office to assist property owners with needed historic renovations.  The Astoria Historic Landmarks Commission’s renovation grant program will make these funds available to property owners of designated historic buildings desiring to make exterior rehabilitation or renovation improvements

Properties designated as a Historic Landmark within a National Register Historic District or as a National Landmark are eligible.  Renovation or rehabilitation work shall be located on the primary facade of the structure or on a facade that is highly visible to the public.  Structural improvements to preserve the integrity of the structure may also qualify. 

Projects may receive 50% of the project cost up to a maximum of $3,000 in grant funds, whichever is the lesser amount.   Projects must be completed by July 1, 2015.

JUDGE SETS NEW ELECTION FOR CLATSOP COUNTY DISTRICT 5 COMMISSIONER CONTEST

  

A judge on Monday accepted Clatsop County Clerk Maeve Grimes’ request to set aside the results of the May 20 election for the board of commissioners District 5 seat and set a new vote for Sept. 16.

Grimes formally contested the results of the contest between candidates Dale Barrett and Lianne Thompson after the discovery of a balloting error involving almost 500 county voters.

A total of 344 voters living in District 5 received mail-in ballots that did not contain the District 5 race. Another 147 voters living outside the district received ballots that erroneously included the District 5 contest – 27 of those voters cast ballots.

Unofficial results from the May 20 election gave Thompson 706 votes to 625 for Barrett.