To refresh your memory, this summer a Conditional Use Permit was sought from Tillamook County by the owner of a 53-acre parcel located just south of the second gate at the northern end of the Bayocean spit. As part of the approval process Tillamook County determined the eco-resort application was “complete.” This means that all of the Review Criteria were addressed for a Conditional Use permit. It does not, however, mean that the permit was approved or likely to be approved.
The next stage of the approval process is to schedule a Public Hearing before the Tillamook County Planning Commission. The date for the hearing is November 13. The time of day and the location for the hearing will be posted for interested individuals when it is known. All residents of the community are encouraged to attend this hearing even if not planning to offer any comment. Being there alone reflects the importance of this land development request, and our concerns about it.
A group of interested residents from Cape Meares headed by long-time Cape Meares resident, John Harland, has been working on doing research related to the proposed eco-resort that Bay Ocean LLC wishes to locate on the Bayocean spit. This group has been working closely with Ms. Cameron La Follette who is the Executive Director of the Oregon Coast Alliance (OCA). OCA provides education and advocacy on land use development.
The interested Cape Meares residents have been meeting the past two Wednesdays at the Cape Meares Community Center (schoolhouse). Another meeting is scheduled at the same time on October 15 and two more meetings after that are planned for October 23 and 30. Starting time for all meetings is 4 PM.
Cape Meares residents interested in helping with the collection of information are invited to attend. But if you do attend expect to be put to work.
The plan of the Save Our Spit (SOS) Group is to have all of the research completed by October 23, write up the results of the research by October 30, review the assembled report on November 5, and deliver it to the Tillamook County Planning Commission by the deadline on November 7. There will be an opportunity to review the document that the group will be submitting at the November 8 CMCA meeting scheduled to begin at 10 AM at the schoolhouse.
The members of the SOS group have been focusing on the written criteria that are posted for all Conditional Use Permits granted in Tillamook County. One of the criteria requires a proposal to meet all relevant requirements of the Tillamook County Comprehensive Plan. Thus, the SOS group has been studying this document very closely.
Emotion will not be a factor in determining whether the Planning Commission will recommend to the three Tillamook County commissioners that a development should be approved or not approved. The recommended decision will be based on whether Bay Ocean LLC has sufficiently addressed all of the Conditional Use Permit criteria. The Cape Meares SOS group fully understands this is the way the Planning Commission functions.
As part of the data collection process an online survey will be made available to all residents of Cape Meares plus others outside of the community. We believe the information collected will be useful part of the document that will be submitted to the Planning Commission. You will be asked to complete this survey by November 1.
Posted by Charles J. Ansorge