Next Organizing Meeting: Monday January 11, 2009:
6:30 pm – Tora Sushi, Seaside Oregon (corner of Holladay and Broadway in Seaside)

We’ll be testing again on Monday…not so good this last week:

Ecola Creek Outfall: 171

Brookings and Newport have knocked down bacteria numbers at Mill Beach and Nye Beach by hunting down cross connections between sewers and storm water pipes and working with local Surfrider Foundation members. In the meantime, Cannon Beach issues continue at Ecola court outfall and local members have been frustrated with the lack of public warnings despite the known contamination. The City of Cannon Beach has been active in trying to source the bacteria, but has yet to develop a plan for communicating the issue or involving the public in solutions…much to the dismay of ocean users, local residents and beachgoers. Will someone get sick or will the city get savvy to notification?

Through the support of watershed councils, local community members and activists, the development proposal at Arcadia Beach developer has been withdrawn!!! Major props to our north coast activists from sparing the coast of this development of a recreationally zoned coastal property…Read Astorian Article. Next up on tap for the organizers is to follow the development to make sure a reapplication and request for altering the request for a planning rezone doesn’t rear its head in some other fashion. Water quality testing will continue throughout the summer thanks to the steady dedication of Tim Roth’s class and summer intern. They’ll be looking to team up woth Ecola Creek Watershed Council to work on some bacteria monitoring and source identification, stepping up some of there Rise Above Plastic efforts, and hopefully running an event or two to help build capacity and raise awareness! Thanks to everyone’s efforts on the north coast!!

On Tuesday, March 10th, the Clatsop County Planning Commission will hold another hearing at 1:00 pm with regard to the rezoning of what was once Arcadia State Park lands. Scroll down to the blog post below for more information or visit: http://www.co.clatsop.or.us/default.asp?pageid=561&deptid;=12. Also on March 10th, a screening of the film Common Ground III will be held in Astoria at the Liberty Theatre at 6:00 pm. The third film in the Common Ground series offers the latest science and information about Oregon’s ocean, beautiful underwater footage and 3D graphics of marine reserves and marine protected areas as well as comments from coastal leaders and business owners who were actively involved in developing marine reserve proposals. The screening will be followed by a Q&A; panel discussion and is a free event, open to the public. All are welcome to share in the discussion on this vital issue.

Please help! What was once Arcadia State Park is soon to be a subdivision if the developer successfully petitions Clatsop County to rezone all of these lands. As an important watershed and stormwater buffer, the recreational area at Arcadia Beach stands to be threatened through further congestion and a myriad of water quality and stormwater issues. Attached below are Surfrider Foundation’s official comments. You can help too by simply writing a letter to stating your interest and that you oppose the rezoning. Comments should be directed to: Clatsop County Planning and Development, 800 Exchange Street, Suite 100, Astoria OR 97103, Attention Michael Weston. Written comments also can be submitted by e-mail (at comdev@co.clatsop.or.us) or by fax: 503-338-3666.

ClatsopPlanningComments.doc.
Here are the facts:
Arcadia State Park was originally acquired to provide not only beach access from its popular parking lot, but for other purposes as well. The land was traded from State Parks to an individual for an acquisition for the new Stub Stewart State park near Venonia. The land is currently zoned for both “Recreational Management” and “Agriculture-Forestry”. The developer is seeking to illegally rezone this property for a quick profit on a subdivision that ultimately would threaten water quality amongst many other watershed and beach issues at this popular recreational area. This former parkland at Arcadia is not accessible by existing water and sewer lines. All water would have to be drawn from small streams or wells above Arcadia Beach. All houses would have to install septic tanks.