PIPELINE RULING: COURT SIDES WITH COUNTY ON COMMISSIONER BIAS ISSUE

  

The Oregon Court of Appeals has overturned a state land-use board ruling that a Clatsop County commissioner showed bias in rejecting an application from Oregon Pipeline Company LLC.

The decision, issued Wednesday, Dec. 17, sends the issue back to the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA) for further review of the issues surrounding the project, which involves the construction of 41 miles of pipeline to serve a proposed liquefied natural gas terminal in Warrenton.

FREE GUIDED FIRST DAY HIKES RETURN TO OREGON STATE PARKS ON JAN. 1

The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department will ring in 2015 with 31 guided hikes in state parks on New Year's Day. This is the fourth year that OPRD has participated in First Day Hikes, a nationwide initiative sponsored by America's State Parks.  Last year, more than 940 people participated in First Day Hikes in Oregon.

Oregon Parks and Recreation will waive the day-use parking fees on Jan. 1 for all visitors to participating state parks that normally require a permit. 29 parks are participating in First Day Hikes this year, including Ecola State Park and Fort Stevens State Park.  The guided hike at Ecola will take place from 10 a.m.-1 p.m.--meet at the Ecola Point parking lot near Indian Beach trailhead.  The Fort Stevens hike will take place from 9-11 a.m.--meet at Coffenbury Lake north parking lot.

ASTORIA REGATTA ASSOCIATION ELECTS NEW OFFICERS AND BOARD MEMBERS FOR 2015.

Kathy Koppen Dean and Kevin Leahy have been elected co-Presidents of the Astoria Regatta Associationfor 2015.

Vice-President is Mitch Mitchum. Secretary Sara Crowell. Treasurer Dan Arnoth.

Peter Roscoe serves as the Past President.

Other board members are Becky Johnson, Carol Olson, Cliff & Roxanne Fick, Dena Tuveng, Len Tumbarello, Paul Winiarz and Sue Gallagher

The board has apporoved the addition of a part-time project coordinator, a new funded position within the Regatta Association. Request for Proposal (RFP) will be sent out through media and other channels for this position. Interested parties are asked to send inquiries to astoriaregattaassociation@gmail.comAjob description and other details will be provided.

2015 will be the 121^st Astoria Regatta, and there will be a major community effort to engage more members of the entire region to aid in planning and being part of this recognized and honored “Oregon Heritage Tradition” festival. Email the astoriaregattaassociation@gmail.com to learn more information of how to get involved, or contact Kathy Koppen Dean at 520-437-8431 or Kevin Leahy at 503-325-8841.

The theme for the 2015 Astoria Regatta will be decided at the January general membership meeting.

SUNSET EMPIRE TRANSPORTATION NEW BOARD DIRECTOR

Mitch Mitchum has been appointed to the Sunset Empire Transportation District’s Board of Commissioners.  Mitchum has a background of experience in transportation management and community service. Mitchum served as a Public Works Officer and Manager of Transportation Services while in the Navy and was the Public Works Director for the City of Astoria for 11 years. Mitchum is a volunteer in the community serving as the President of the Astoria Sunday Market, he is on the Board of the Clatsop County Health District and is the Vice President of the Clatsop Cruise Hosts. He was appointed to the position 7 seat.  The term expires on June 30th of 2015.

Kotek announces 2015 House committee assignments

Oregon House Speaker Tina Kotek has announced house committee assignments for the 2015 Legislative Session. 
 

The assignments come after Kotek met with every returning and incoming member of the House of Representatives to discuss their priorities and interests.   

District 32 Representative Deborah Boone will be Vice Chair of the Veterans and Emergency Preparedness Committee; she will also be a member of the Energy and Environment Committee

District 31 Representative Brad Witt will chair the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee.  He will also be a member of the Rules Committee and the Rural Communities: Land Use and Water Committee.  

The House will convene January 12, 2015 for an organizational session, which will include the swearing-in of all House members, the official election of the constitutional officers and the introduction of the first set of bills. The 2015 Session will officially begin February 2.  

Clatsop County Board of Commissioners Dec 10 Meeting Highlights

Flood map study

The board of commissioners approved contributing up to $7,000 to fund an independent technical review of a new flood study released by the Federal Emergency Management Agency identifying flood areas in Clatsop County for the purpose of flood insurance coverage. County staff told the board that due to a data anomaly, the new maps give a higher base flood elevation and place many inland areas within the “velocity zone” flood designation, which would result in new, severe restrictions on development if the maps are adopted without change. The cities of Astoria and Warrenton and Port of Astoria will also contribute to the technical study, which is estimated to cost $15,000 to $20,000.

Wetland discussion

The board held a joint work session with the county Planning Commission and Southwest Coastal Citizens Advisory Committee to discuss wetlands regulations and protection measures in the Arch Cape area. The discussion followed the board’s decision last month to accept an opinion from county land-use counsel that the county could no longer enforce setback requirements on most wetlands.

At the conclusion of the session, Board Chairman Scott Lee said the board would explore the creation of an ad hoc committee to further investigate possible protective wetlands regulations.

CEDR NAMES NEW BOARD OF DIRECTOR MEMBERS

Clatsop Economic Development Resources elected new board members during their Annual Meeting on November 25^th.  The new board members were elected for a three year term. 

The new board members are Chris Nemlowill, Co-owner of Fort George Brewery representing the Craft Brewing Cluster, Kurt Englund, Owner of Englund Marine Supply representing the Marine & Fishing Sector, Linda Beck Sweeney, Owner of Cannon Beach Vacation Rentals representing the Hospitality Industry, and Mark Morgans, Area Manager for Lewis & Clark Timber/Campbell Global Group, representing the Forestry & Forest Products Sector.

 

Rosemary Baker-Monaghan, Executive Director of the Liberty Theater, representing the arts & culture cluster, was re-elected to a three year term, and will also continue to serve on the CEDR Executive Committee as Board Secretary and Treasurer.