CLACKAMAS, Ore. – Oregon and Washington fishery managers have announced that they will be unable to extend retention of chinook salmon in the popular Buoy 10 fishery beyond the scheduled closure date of 11:59 p.m. on Aug. 31. The fishery will remain open through Dec. 31 for hatchery coho salmon and hatchery steelhead.
The relatively slow catch of chinook in recent weeks had fueled speculation that the chinook fishery might be extended. To date, sport anglers have caught approximately half of the expected chinook quota.
Although the total chinook catch was well below expectations, the allowable catch of wild tule chinook, which are listed under the federal Endangered Species Act, has already been exceeded. Given that, extending the chinook fishery at Buoy 10 may have resulted in less recreational fishing upstream of Tongue Point.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
WARREN SLOUGH RAIL GRADE REPAIRS BEGIN
Repairs to the Warren Slough railroad grade, delayed for years by regulatory hurdles and nearly derailed this spring by conflicting fish protection rules, are finally underway.
Work began Aug. 26 to fix the rock-and-earthen berm and install a new culvert that will help control flooding while allowing for the passage of young salmon. The project is slated for completion the week of Aug. 30.
Contractors on the project are Vinson Brothers Construction of Knappa and Nehalem Marine Manufacturing of Nehalem.
The berm was breached in a storm in November 2006. A section of rail line was washed out and several acres of adjacent pastureland left open to flooding, but until recently a thicket of overlapping agency rules has prevented a fix.
The latest obstacle came from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, which recently objected to certain parts of a repair plan that was finally given the green light earlier this year by federal authorities.
Clatsop County has worked with landowners, state and federal agencies and other stakeholders since the breach to get the railroad grade repaired. The county has no direct jurisdiction over the rail line ? it is leased by Portland and Western Railroad from the Oregon Department of Transportation Rail Division, which owns the underlying right-of-way. But the regular flooding of the adjacent pastureland is jeopardizing the bridge over nearby Ziak-Gnat Creek county road.
Tidegates traditionally allowed a limited flow of water from Warren Slough under the rail line and into the pastureland. But since the breach, water pours in unimpeded during high tide, covering the entire area and at times sending water up to the edge of the pavement on Ziak-Gnat Creek Road.
Last March, after a lengthy approval process, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued a permit to P&W Railroad to proceed with repairs to plug the breach. The project, to be funded jointly by the railroad and ODOT, was tentatively set to begin this August.
The permit includes a requirement from the National Marine Fisheries Service that P&W install a new six-foot-wide culvert with a fish-friendly tidegate under the railroad berm, in order to allow passage of juvenile salmon that have appeared in the flooded pastureland in the wake of the breach.
But the culvert and tidegate mandated by the national fisheries service don’t comply with new state fish-protection rules, according to ODFW ? the projected water velocities through the new culvert would be too high for the young fish, the agency said.
At a stakeholders meeting in early June convened by County Manager Duane Cole, frustration over the state’s last-minute objections was expressed by various parties: the county due to the damage the flooding is causing to the road and bridge; the Port of Astoria, which is eager to see the line repaired in order provide rail service to its newly acquired industrial space at Tongue Point in Astoria; and two of the owners of the affected pastureland, Gary Ziak and Theresa DeLorenzo, who say the flooding is ruining valuable habitat used by waterfowl, lizards and other wildlife.
But in July, representatives from ODFW and NMFS, as well as Sen. Betsy Johnson, met in Salem and reached agreement on a plan that will allow the project, with the NMFS-mandated culvert, to go forward this year as planned. The project will include a long-term monitoring plan and provisions to adjust the new tidegate as needed to control water flow.
“County Transportation and Development Services Director Ed Wegner played a key role in convening the agency parties to keep the project on track,” Cole said. “While the project permit is held by the railroad and ODOT Rail, it is important to the county to get the breach fixed in order to protect Ziak-Gnat Creek Road.”
Cole also thanked the neighboring property owners for their patience. “They have waited too long for the agencies to resolve this very simple problem.”
Work began Aug. 26 to fix the rock-and-earthen berm and install a new culvert that will help control flooding while allowing for the passage of young salmon. The project is slated for completion the week of Aug. 30.
Contractors on the project are Vinson Brothers Construction of Knappa and Nehalem Marine Manufacturing of Nehalem.
The berm was breached in a storm in November 2006. A section of rail line was washed out and several acres of adjacent pastureland left open to flooding, but until recently a thicket of overlapping agency rules has prevented a fix.
The latest obstacle came from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, which recently objected to certain parts of a repair plan that was finally given the green light earlier this year by federal authorities.
Clatsop County has worked with landowners, state and federal agencies and other stakeholders since the breach to get the railroad grade repaired. The county has no direct jurisdiction over the rail line ? it is leased by Portland and Western Railroad from the Oregon Department of Transportation Rail Division, which owns the underlying right-of-way. But the regular flooding of the adjacent pastureland is jeopardizing the bridge over nearby Ziak-Gnat Creek county road.
Tidegates traditionally allowed a limited flow of water from Warren Slough under the rail line and into the pastureland. But since the breach, water pours in unimpeded during high tide, covering the entire area and at times sending water up to the edge of the pavement on Ziak-Gnat Creek Road.
Last March, after a lengthy approval process, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued a permit to P&W Railroad to proceed with repairs to plug the breach. The project, to be funded jointly by the railroad and ODOT, was tentatively set to begin this August.
The permit includes a requirement from the National Marine Fisheries Service that P&W install a new six-foot-wide culvert with a fish-friendly tidegate under the railroad berm, in order to allow passage of juvenile salmon that have appeared in the flooded pastureland in the wake of the breach.
But the culvert and tidegate mandated by the national fisheries service don’t comply with new state fish-protection rules, according to ODFW ? the projected water velocities through the new culvert would be too high for the young fish, the agency said.
At a stakeholders meeting in early June convened by County Manager Duane Cole, frustration over the state’s last-minute objections was expressed by various parties: the county due to the damage the flooding is causing to the road and bridge; the Port of Astoria, which is eager to see the line repaired in order provide rail service to its newly acquired industrial space at Tongue Point in Astoria; and two of the owners of the affected pastureland, Gary Ziak and Theresa DeLorenzo, who say the flooding is ruining valuable habitat used by waterfowl, lizards and other wildlife.
But in July, representatives from ODFW and NMFS, as well as Sen. Betsy Johnson, met in Salem and reached agreement on a plan that will allow the project, with the NMFS-mandated culvert, to go forward this year as planned. The project will include a long-term monitoring plan and provisions to adjust the new tidegate as needed to control water flow.
“County Transportation and Development Services Director Ed Wegner played a key role in convening the agency parties to keep the project on track,” Cole said. “While the project permit is held by the railroad and ODOT Rail, it is important to the county to get the breach fixed in order to protect Ziak-Gnat Creek Road.”
Cole also thanked the neighboring property owners for their patience. “They have waited too long for the agencies to resolve this very simple problem.”
Friday, August 27, 2010
Board of Clatsop County Commissioners action this week:
Flood Hazard ordinance adopted
The board held a public hearing but on an ordinance codifying new flood hazard maps from the Federal Emergency Management Agency into the county’s land-use plan. The maps, developed by FEMA under a nation-wide review, increase the amount of land in the county deemed vulnerable to 100-year floods, flood events projected to occur once every 100 years. That designation in turn adds new building restrictions to many properties within the identified flood zones, such as increased minimum heights for new structures.
The hearing was continued to Sept. 8. The county is required to adopt the new maps by Sept. 17, if not, local property owners would be ineligible to participate in the national flood insurance program.
Jon Johnson, resident of Beerman Creek Lane south of Seaside, testified that one of the new FEMA maps placed his property within the flood plain, even though there had been no recorded flooding on the land since at least the 1920s.
County Planner Jennifer Bunch said a process exists for individual property owners to challenge FEMA maps, but that it can be costly.
Emergency Management transferred
The Board of Commissioners approved a plan to shift the county’s Emergency Management Division from the jurisdiction of the Sheriff’s Office to the County Manager’s Office. The change is designed to improve communications, simplify the chain of command and include more county personnel in emergency training and planning.
Human Resources Director Dean Perez will become Emergency Management Division Director. Current Emergency Services Manager Gene Strong and Emergency Services Coordinator Tom Manning will retain their assignments.
Sheriff Tom Bergin told the board he endorsed the change and had “total faith” that the Emergency Management program would flourish under the County Manager.
Hazardous waste agreements okayed
The board approved two agreements, with the City of Seaside and Western Oregon Waste (WOW), providing for new tipping fees collected by WOW at the local waste transfer station to be given to the county to fund the new Household Hazardous Waste program. Fees were increased effective July 1 to fund the HHW program, which will fund periodic community collection events around the county to receive hazardous materials such as paint, motor oil, pesticides and other substances.
Land use study panelists appointed
The board appointed Commissioner John Raichl and county Planning Commission member Clarke Powers to the newly formed committee overseeing the Camp Rilea Joint Land Use Study. The JLUS, funded with a $ Defense Department grant, is intended to provide guidance for future land-use management around the 1,800-acre military facility and prevent conflicts with potentially incompatible development.
The committee will represent a variety of participating local, state, federal and tribal stakeholders.
Other Business
In other business the board:
-approved a zone change from Tourist-Commercial to Residential Agriculture 2 for a property on U.S. Highway 26 near the Jewell Junction.
-certified three local emergency shelter programs operated by Women’s Resource Center, Restoration House and Helping Hands in order to qualify them for $17,063 in federal funding through the Emergency Shelter Grant Program. The money will be evenly divided among the three organizations.
The board held a public hearing but on an ordinance codifying new flood hazard maps from the Federal Emergency Management Agency into the county’s land-use plan. The maps, developed by FEMA under a nation-wide review, increase the amount of land in the county deemed vulnerable to 100-year floods, flood events projected to occur once every 100 years. That designation in turn adds new building restrictions to many properties within the identified flood zones, such as increased minimum heights for new structures.
The hearing was continued to Sept. 8. The county is required to adopt the new maps by Sept. 17, if not, local property owners would be ineligible to participate in the national flood insurance program.
Jon Johnson, resident of Beerman Creek Lane south of Seaside, testified that one of the new FEMA maps placed his property within the flood plain, even though there had been no recorded flooding on the land since at least the 1920s.
County Planner Jennifer Bunch said a process exists for individual property owners to challenge FEMA maps, but that it can be costly.
Emergency Management transferred
The Board of Commissioners approved a plan to shift the county’s Emergency Management Division from the jurisdiction of the Sheriff’s Office to the County Manager’s Office. The change is designed to improve communications, simplify the chain of command and include more county personnel in emergency training and planning.
Human Resources Director Dean Perez will become Emergency Management Division Director. Current Emergency Services Manager Gene Strong and Emergency Services Coordinator Tom Manning will retain their assignments.
Sheriff Tom Bergin told the board he endorsed the change and had “total faith” that the Emergency Management program would flourish under the County Manager.
Hazardous waste agreements okayed
The board approved two agreements, with the City of Seaside and Western Oregon Waste (WOW), providing for new tipping fees collected by WOW at the local waste transfer station to be given to the county to fund the new Household Hazardous Waste program. Fees were increased effective July 1 to fund the HHW program, which will fund periodic community collection events around the county to receive hazardous materials such as paint, motor oil, pesticides and other substances.
Land use study panelists appointed
The board appointed Commissioner John Raichl and county Planning Commission member Clarke Powers to the newly formed committee overseeing the Camp Rilea Joint Land Use Study. The JLUS, funded with a $ Defense Department grant, is intended to provide guidance for future land-use management around the 1,800-acre military facility and prevent conflicts with potentially incompatible development.
The committee will represent a variety of participating local, state, federal and tribal stakeholders.
Other Business
In other business the board:
-approved a zone change from Tourist-Commercial to Residential Agriculture 2 for a property on U.S. Highway 26 near the Jewell Junction.
-certified three local emergency shelter programs operated by Women’s Resource Center, Restoration House and Helping Hands in order to qualify them for $17,063 in federal funding through the Emergency Shelter Grant Program. The money will be evenly divided among the three organizations.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Oregon Governor, Senate President and Speaker Outline Process to Address September Revenue Shortfall,
Salem – Today Governor Ted Kulongoski, Senate President Peter Courtney and House Speaker Dave Hunt outlined a process to rebalance the state budget after the State Economist reported a $377.5 million dollar shortfall in the September revenue forecast for the current 2009-11 biennium.
With the recent federal assistance, the Governor, Senate President and Speaker assured school districts that additional cuts to K-12 as a result of the forecast will not be necessary and pledged to maintain funding at the June level of $5.756 billion for K-12 education.
“With school about to start, we want to assure Oregon families and their school districts that even with this revenue shortfall, there will be stability for school budgets, while also maintaining a responsible level of reserves for the last three quarters of this budget period,” said Governor Ted Kulongoski.
In addition to the $118 million in federal assistance recently approved by Congress, the Governor, Senate President and Speaker agreed that in order to protect schools, approximately $34 million of the state reserve funds will be committed to K-12 when the legislature convenes in February 2011.
After this commitment to schools, approximately two-thirds of the State Education Stability Fund and Rainy Day Fund will remain in savings to address the uncertainty of the last three revenue forecasts of the 2009-11 biennium.
“It’s raining. It’s clearly the right time to use the rainy day funds we’ve set aside to protect kids, services for seniors and vulnerable Oregonians to help them through this global recession,” said Speaker Hunt (D-Clackamas County). “We are continuing to provide services for more Oregonians with less resources.”
"We're putting the priorities of Oregon families at the front of the line. Our plan keeps the doors of our schools open and the gates of our prisons closed. It maintains care for our senior citizens, assistance for people with disabilities and healthcare for our most vulnerable," said Courtney (D-Salem/Gervais/Woodburn). “We have taken a deliberate and cautious approach and achieved these priorities without the need for a special session.”
In addition to protecting education, the Governor, Senate President and Speaker outlined the following next steps to bring the budget into balance:
• The Governor will utilize his statutory allotment authority as provided under ORS 291.261 to make additional across the board cuts.
• The Governor will ask state agencies to begin developing plans to implement the cuts needed to rebalance the budget for the remainder of this biennium, which amounts to 8% reductions with 9 months remaining in the 2009-11 biennium.
• Through the bipartisan Legislative Emergency Board and the 2011 session, funding will be restored to maintain K-12 schools at their current funding level; maintain critical services for our seniors and vulnerable Oregonians; protect public safety and prevent prison closures for the remainder of the current biennium.
“This plan is fiscally responsible, provides stability and certainty for Oregonians and does not require a special session,” Governor Kulongoski said.
Information about cuts to specific agencies, the cost of the services the E-board will restore and the exact sequence of events will be determined prior to the E-Board meeting on September 23.
With the recent federal assistance, the Governor, Senate President and Speaker assured school districts that additional cuts to K-12 as a result of the forecast will not be necessary and pledged to maintain funding at the June level of $5.756 billion for K-12 education.
“With school about to start, we want to assure Oregon families and their school districts that even with this revenue shortfall, there will be stability for school budgets, while also maintaining a responsible level of reserves for the last three quarters of this budget period,” said Governor Ted Kulongoski.
In addition to the $118 million in federal assistance recently approved by Congress, the Governor, Senate President and Speaker agreed that in order to protect schools, approximately $34 million of the state reserve funds will be committed to K-12 when the legislature convenes in February 2011.
After this commitment to schools, approximately two-thirds of the State Education Stability Fund and Rainy Day Fund will remain in savings to address the uncertainty of the last three revenue forecasts of the 2009-11 biennium.
“It’s raining. It’s clearly the right time to use the rainy day funds we’ve set aside to protect kids, services for seniors and vulnerable Oregonians to help them through this global recession,” said Speaker Hunt (D-Clackamas County). “We are continuing to provide services for more Oregonians with less resources.”
"We're putting the priorities of Oregon families at the front of the line. Our plan keeps the doors of our schools open and the gates of our prisons closed. It maintains care for our senior citizens, assistance for people with disabilities and healthcare for our most vulnerable," said Courtney (D-Salem/Gervais/Woodburn). “We have taken a deliberate and cautious approach and achieved these priorities without the need for a special session.”
In addition to protecting education, the Governor, Senate President and Speaker outlined the following next steps to bring the budget into balance:
• The Governor will utilize his statutory allotment authority as provided under ORS 291.261 to make additional across the board cuts.
• The Governor will ask state agencies to begin developing plans to implement the cuts needed to rebalance the budget for the remainder of this biennium, which amounts to 8% reductions with 9 months remaining in the 2009-11 biennium.
• Through the bipartisan Legislative Emergency Board and the 2011 session, funding will be restored to maintain K-12 schools at their current funding level; maintain critical services for our seniors and vulnerable Oregonians; protect public safety and prevent prison closures for the remainder of the current biennium.
“This plan is fiscally responsible, provides stability and certainty for Oregonians and does not require a special session,” Governor Kulongoski said.
Information about cuts to specific agencies, the cost of the services the E-board will restore and the exact sequence of events will be determined prior to the E-Board meeting on September 23.
CLATSOP COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OKAY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT MOVE
The Clatsop County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday approved a plan to place the county’s Emergency Management Division under the County Manager’s office.
The move, which will take effect Oct. 1, is aimed at providing improved communications, coordination between agencies and training for county personnel.
The plan was endorsed by the Clatsop County Sheriff’s Office, which currently oversees Emergency Management.
“It’s a good thing for the county, and it’s time for (Emergency Management) to stand on its own, and to make this an even greater entity for the county,” Sheriff Tom Bergin told the commissioners Wednesday.
Under the plan, Human Resources Director Dean Perez will become the county’s appointed Emergency Management Division Director. Current Emergency Services Manager Gene Strong will become deputy director with oversight of the Incident Management Team as well as general staff. Emergency Services Coordinator Tom Manning will remain in charge of coordinating volunteers, including Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTSs) and HAM radio operators. The county’s search and rescue teams, however, will remain under the Sheriff’s Office.
Perez said the change allows the county to build on the work the Sheriff’s Office has done in recent years building up Emergency Management. The switch aligns Emergency Management under a comprehensive management model that incorporates strategic planning, use of advisory committees and comprehensive risk assessment. It also recognizes that while the Sheriff’s Office will remain a key partner in local emergencies, many other county departments, including Public Health and the Road Division, may also have critical and even leading roles to play, depending on the situation.
“I envision improved communications, and an orderly line of authority to the county manager’s office and our board of commissioners will shorten the chain of command,” Perez said.
Perez also brings 24 years of military experience to the job. A lieutenant colonel in the Oregon Army National Guard, he has deployed to real-life emergencies including floods, fires and a riot, and will provide a key link to the Oregon Military Department, one of the county’s most important partners in any emergency response.
Last year the county established a new Emergency Operations Center at Rilea Armed Forces Training Center in Warrenton. The facility, with up-to-date communications links within and outside the county, is designed to serve as Clatsop County’s main communications center for any significant emergency event.
“We will have the ability to marshal a lot more resources in a shorter amount of time with a lot less friction,” Perez said.
The move, which will take effect Oct. 1, is aimed at providing improved communications, coordination between agencies and training for county personnel.
The plan was endorsed by the Clatsop County Sheriff’s Office, which currently oversees Emergency Management.
“It’s a good thing for the county, and it’s time for (Emergency Management) to stand on its own, and to make this an even greater entity for the county,” Sheriff Tom Bergin told the commissioners Wednesday.
Under the plan, Human Resources Director Dean Perez will become the county’s appointed Emergency Management Division Director. Current Emergency Services Manager Gene Strong will become deputy director with oversight of the Incident Management Team as well as general staff. Emergency Services Coordinator Tom Manning will remain in charge of coordinating volunteers, including Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTSs) and HAM radio operators. The county’s search and rescue teams, however, will remain under the Sheriff’s Office.
Perez said the change allows the county to build on the work the Sheriff’s Office has done in recent years building up Emergency Management. The switch aligns Emergency Management under a comprehensive management model that incorporates strategic planning, use of advisory committees and comprehensive risk assessment. It also recognizes that while the Sheriff’s Office will remain a key partner in local emergencies, many other county departments, including Public Health and the Road Division, may also have critical and even leading roles to play, depending on the situation.
“I envision improved communications, and an orderly line of authority to the county manager’s office and our board of commissioners will shorten the chain of command,” Perez said.
Perez also brings 24 years of military experience to the job. A lieutenant colonel in the Oregon Army National Guard, he has deployed to real-life emergencies including floods, fires and a riot, and will provide a key link to the Oregon Military Department, one of the county’s most important partners in any emergency response.
Last year the county established a new Emergency Operations Center at Rilea Armed Forces Training Center in Warrenton. The facility, with up-to-date communications links within and outside the county, is designed to serve as Clatsop County’s main communications center for any significant emergency event.
“We will have the ability to marshal a lot more resources in a shorter amount of time with a lot less friction,” Perez said.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
PACIFIC AND WAHKIAKUM COUNTY PRIMARY ELECTION RESULTS
In the Race for Pacific County Commissioner, candidate Lisa Ayers was the top vote getter, with 815. Coming in second was Cathy Russ, with 684. Incumbent Clay Harwood did not place in the top two, so will not retain his seat.
Incumbent Pacific County Sheriff John Didion and Washington State Patrol Trooper Scott Johnson, who is seeking the Sheriff’s office, will both advance to the November election. Johnson received the most votes in last night’s count, with 3,264 to Didion’s 2,972.
In the one-year supplemental property-tax levy for the Ocean Beach School District, so far its too close to call. Last night’s returns showed 1,650 in favor and 1,643 against.
Pacific County Assessor Bruce Walker, Auditor Pat Gardner, Treasurer Renee Goodin, Clerk Virginia Leach, and Prosecuting Attorney David Burke all ran unopposed for their seats.
As of last night Pacific County reported a 51 percent turnout with 6,695 of 13,030 mailed ballots returned.
In Wahkiakum County, in the race for the district three commissioner’s seat, incumbent Blair Brady got 234 votes to challenger Lori Scott’s 155.
John Dearmore and Troy Norris will advance to the November primary in the race for the Sheriff’s office. Dearmore won 1, 069 votes to Norris’s 183.
For the Assessor’s seat, challenger Bill Coons received 699 votes in last night’s count, topping incumbent Sulema Zerr’s 652. Both candidates will advance to the November general election.
County Auditor Diane Tischer, Treasurer Paula Holloway, Clerk Kay Holland and Prosecuting Attorney Dan Bigelow all ran unopposed. 1:50
For the district 3 seat on the Public Utility Board of Directors, incumbent Esther Gregg led with 149 votes. Dennis Reid got 123 votes, and Pam Anderson trailed with 112. The top two will advance to the November General Election.
As of last night Wahkiakum County reported a 54 percent turnout with 1,435 ballots returned from 2, 640 registered voters.
Incumbent Pacific County Sheriff John Didion and Washington State Patrol Trooper Scott Johnson, who is seeking the Sheriff’s office, will both advance to the November election. Johnson received the most votes in last night’s count, with 3,264 to Didion’s 2,972.
In the one-year supplemental property-tax levy for the Ocean Beach School District, so far its too close to call. Last night’s returns showed 1,650 in favor and 1,643 against.
Pacific County Assessor Bruce Walker, Auditor Pat Gardner, Treasurer Renee Goodin, Clerk Virginia Leach, and Prosecuting Attorney David Burke all ran unopposed for their seats.
As of last night Pacific County reported a 51 percent turnout with 6,695 of 13,030 mailed ballots returned.
In Wahkiakum County, in the race for the district three commissioner’s seat, incumbent Blair Brady got 234 votes to challenger Lori Scott’s 155.
John Dearmore and Troy Norris will advance to the November primary in the race for the Sheriff’s office. Dearmore won 1, 069 votes to Norris’s 183.
For the Assessor’s seat, challenger Bill Coons received 699 votes in last night’s count, topping incumbent Sulema Zerr’s 652. Both candidates will advance to the November general election.
County Auditor Diane Tischer, Treasurer Paula Holloway, Clerk Kay Holland and Prosecuting Attorney Dan Bigelow all ran unopposed. 1:50
For the district 3 seat on the Public Utility Board of Directors, incumbent Esther Gregg led with 149 votes. Dennis Reid got 123 votes, and Pam Anderson trailed with 112. The top two will advance to the November General Election.
As of last night Wahkiakum County reported a 54 percent turnout with 1,435 ballots returned from 2, 640 registered voters.
Monday, August 16, 2010
PUBLIC HEARING HELD AUG. 25 ON NEW FEMA CLATSOP COUNTY FLOOD MAPS
The Clatsop County Board of Commissioners will take public testimony at a hearing Wednesday, Aug. 25 on new federal flood maps.
The hearing is scheduled for 6 p.m. Aug. 25 at the Judge Guy Boyington Building, 857 Commercial St., Astoria.
The maps, part of the National Flood Insurance Program, identify areas of the county susceptible to “100-year floods,” or flood events projected to occur once every 100 years.
The new FEMA maps were developed as part of an initiative launched in 2003 to transform old, paper flood-plain maps into easier-to-use digital versions. Along with the map modernization project, FEMA also launched a nationwide program to evaluate flood-control levees across the country and ensure they met the federal agency’s minimum design and maintenance standards.
As a result of the evaluation, all levees in Clatsop County were deemed non-compliant, and properties on land protected by the levees are now considered at risk of flooding.
When the new maps were first made public in 2007, many property owners and local official complained that they contained numerous inaccuracies. Clatsop County and the City of Warrenton filed a formal appeal, but aside from some minor changes FEMA adopted the maps and forwarded them to local jurisdictions last March to incorporate into their land-use codes.
If the board of commissioners doesn’t adopt the new maps by FEMA’s Sept. 17 deadline, the county could be dropped from the National Flood Insurance Program, leaving affected property owners ineligible for coverage through the program.
The county’s action covers only the unincorporated areas of Clatsop County. Cities must adopt FEMA flood maps covering any affected lands within their boundaries.
Earning FEMA certification is difficult for many local diking districts because they are required to have professional engineers inspect and sign off on the structures, something many engineers are reluctant to do because of liability concerns, according to County Planner Jennifer Bunch. In other cases, some levees in the county were deemed too short to hold back 100-year-flood waters, but raising them to the necessary height would require extensive widening of the base into sensitive areas like wetlands, she said.
Areas of the county most impacted by the new maps are Brownsmead and Miles Crossing/Jeffers Garden. FEMA also incorporated findings from a 2007 study of the Necanicum/Beerman Creek area south of Seaside that greatly expanded the flood hazard zone there.
The result for property owners in the affected areas is more stringent building standards, specifically an increase in minimum heights for habitable dwellings to place them above the new Base Flood Elevation. The county planning division is already enforcing these height requirements for new structures ? in Miles Crossing, one new home was required to be built with its first floor more than six feet above the ground.
The complete staff report on the Flood Hazard Overlay ordinance can be viewed on the Clatsop County website, www.co.clatsop.or.us under “Hot Topics.”
The hearing is scheduled for 6 p.m. Aug. 25 at the Judge Guy Boyington Building, 857 Commercial St., Astoria.
The maps, part of the National Flood Insurance Program, identify areas of the county susceptible to “100-year floods,” or flood events projected to occur once every 100 years.
The new FEMA maps were developed as part of an initiative launched in 2003 to transform old, paper flood-plain maps into easier-to-use digital versions. Along with the map modernization project, FEMA also launched a nationwide program to evaluate flood-control levees across the country and ensure they met the federal agency’s minimum design and maintenance standards.
As a result of the evaluation, all levees in Clatsop County were deemed non-compliant, and properties on land protected by the levees are now considered at risk of flooding.
When the new maps were first made public in 2007, many property owners and local official complained that they contained numerous inaccuracies. Clatsop County and the City of Warrenton filed a formal appeal, but aside from some minor changes FEMA adopted the maps and forwarded them to local jurisdictions last March to incorporate into their land-use codes.
If the board of commissioners doesn’t adopt the new maps by FEMA’s Sept. 17 deadline, the county could be dropped from the National Flood Insurance Program, leaving affected property owners ineligible for coverage through the program.
The county’s action covers only the unincorporated areas of Clatsop County. Cities must adopt FEMA flood maps covering any affected lands within their boundaries.
Earning FEMA certification is difficult for many local diking districts because they are required to have professional engineers inspect and sign off on the structures, something many engineers are reluctant to do because of liability concerns, according to County Planner Jennifer Bunch. In other cases, some levees in the county were deemed too short to hold back 100-year-flood waters, but raising them to the necessary height would require extensive widening of the base into sensitive areas like wetlands, she said.
Areas of the county most impacted by the new maps are Brownsmead and Miles Crossing/Jeffers Garden. FEMA also incorporated findings from a 2007 study of the Necanicum/Beerman Creek area south of Seaside that greatly expanded the flood hazard zone there.
The result for property owners in the affected areas is more stringent building standards, specifically an increase in minimum heights for habitable dwellings to place them above the new Base Flood Elevation. The county planning division is already enforcing these height requirements for new structures ? in Miles Crossing, one new home was required to be built with its first floor more than six feet above the ground.
The complete staff report on the Flood Hazard Overlay ordinance can be viewed on the Clatsop County website, www.co.clatsop.or.us under “Hot Topics.”
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