Oregon Coast Alliance

IN 2021 OREGON COAST ALLIANCE WORKED WITH A COALITION OF NEIGHBORHOODS IN SOUTHERN CLATSOP COUNTY TO LIMIT THE PERMITTING OF SHORT TERM RENTALS (STRS) IN THE RURAL RESIDENTIAL ZONES COUNTYWIDE. THIS HAS MEANT STRATEGY MEETINGS, TESTIMONY ON STR POLICY BEFORE THE CLATSOP COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, AND MUCH EDUCATION AROUND STRS AND THEIR EFFECT ON HOUSING. ORCA COLLABORATED WITH THE TINY UNINCORPORATED COMMUNITY OF TIERRA DEL MAR TO OPPOSE A LARGE COMMERCIAL CAMPGROUND PROPOSED FOR LAND DIRECTLY ACROSS SANDLAKE ROAD, MONITORING THE COUNTY WEBSITE, HELPING COMMUNITY MEMBERS PREPARE TESTIMONY ON THE APPLICATION, WHICH WAS SUBMITTED IN OCTOBER 2021, AND FOR SUBSEQUENT HEARINGS. ORCA COLLABORATED EXTENSIVELY WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, AND COASTAL RESIDENTS, TO DEAL WITH TWO THREATS TO GOAL 18, THE LAND USE LAW THAT PROTECTS THE BEACHES AND DUNES FROM INAPPROPRIATE BEACH HARDENING. WE PREPARED TESTIMONY, RESEARCHED, AND SPOKE WITH MANY OTHERS TO OPPOSE ONE BEACH ARMORING PROPOSAL THAT WAS UNNECESSARY, AND TO SUPPORT THE OTHER ONE WITH NARROW SIDEBOARDS EMPHASIZING THE UNIQUE PROBLEM THAT HAD OCCURRED AND FOR WHICH BEACH ARMORING WAS ESSENTIAL. A REGIONAL DEVELOPER WANTED TO ANNEX 48 ACRES INTO THE CITY OF FLORENCE AND BUILD A LARGE SUBDIVISION ON IT. ORCA WORKED TOGETHER WITH NEARBY RESIDENTS TO OPPOSE THE ANNEXATION AND BEGIN GATHERING THE RESEARCH NECESSARY TO OPPOSE THE SUBSEQUENT SUBDIVISION PROPOSAL, WHICH HAS NOT YET BEEN SUBMITTED. THE RECENTLY DEVELOPED AREAS (BY THE SAME DEVELOPER) HAVE EXTENSIVE STORMWATER AND FLOODING PROBLEMS. ORCA CONTINUES TO WORK WITH WHEELER RESIDENTS ON THE PROJECTS PROPOSED BY A DEVELOPER TO PLACE INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS ON A SITE THAT BORDERS NEHALEM BAY, AND WHICH IS COMPOSED OF OLD FILL LAND AND CONTAINS CONTAMINATED SOILS. TWO DIFFERENT PROPOSALS WERE UNDER CONSIDERATION IN 2021, AND NECESSITATED MUCH COLLABORATION, RESEARCH, TESTIMONY AND COORDINATION AS THE PUBLIC PROCESSES CONTINUE.