Pacific City
SUN
Proposed TLT increase to go to voters in May election ........................................ 2
Nestucca band and choir students excel at recent competitions
Variety of community activities featured in the Sun’s calendar of events.....................4
6
History: Remnants of WWII still visible on the coast.......................................... 7
Vol. 19, No. 466 • February 21, 2025
PLEASE TAKE ONE
County crafting zoning changes to encourage middle housing By TIM HIRSCH of the Sun
Return of the Relay Three Capes Marathon Relay to take runners from Cape Meares to Pacific City Cello/guitar duo to play Neskowin Chamber Music concert on Sunday, Feb. 23 The guitar/cello duo of Zuill Bailey, considered one of the premiere cellists in the world, and Jason Vieaux, a Grammy-winning classical guitarist, will be featured on Sunday, Feb. 23 at a Neskowin Chamber Music concert set to start at 3 p.m. at the Chapel at WiNe-Ma Christian Camp. Bailey has been featured with symphony orchestras and music festivals worldwide. Vieaux is a Grammy-winning classical guitarist. Admission is $40. For tickets, visit neskowinchambermusic.com. The Chapel at Wi-Ne-Ma Christian Camp is located at 5195 Winema Road, approximately five miles south of Pacific City.
Tillamook Co. Library prepares for new catalog system Tillamook County Library is implementing a new catalog and integrated library system, a move that’s part of a larger plan to merge the Oceanbooks Library Consortium (Tillamook County Libraries, Newport Library and Driftwood Library) with the Chinook Library Network (Lincoln County Library District, Toledo Public Library, Siletz Public Library, Waldport Public Library, Tillamook Bay Community College, Oregon Coast Community College, and Clatsop Community College). Library officials say the new Chinook consortium will allow for greater sharing and access to materials for Oregon coastal communities. To read more about the merger, visit: lincolncolibrarydist.org/lincoln-andtillamook-counties-ils-migration-project. The new system goes live on March 10 for in-library users and on March 11
patrons can access the new catalog from anywhere. Patrons will be able to log in to the new library catalog with their current library barcode. The new default pin number will be the last four of the patron’s phone number. Officials say library users will find the new catalog to be more intuitive and similar to other online browsing experiences. “There will be some downtime associated with the migration and patrons should expect service disruptions while the upgrade is happening,” said Danielle Meininger, Tillamook’s System Librarian. For a complete breakdown of the expected service interruptions, visit the library’s website tillabook.org. “We are really excited to bring this new catalog to our community,” says Meininger. “There will be some new features to explore and a greater visibility for all the library’s offerings.”
WeekenD BRUNCH
Saturdays & Sundays 10:30 am - 2:00 pm
Discover weekend brunch at the beach! Stop by and try delectable brunch offerings such as chicken and waffles, vegan avocado toast, Dungeness crab eggs benedict, and more. Available Saturdays and Sundays from 10:30am - 2pm at our Pacific City, Cannon Beach, and Siletz Bay locations.
Together with the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development, Tillamook County is in the midst of updating its residential zone codes to allow more middle housing types, according to Sarah Absher, director of Tillamook County Community Development. Absher shared some of the coming changes and strategies as they relate to middle housing, which consists of single-family dwellings, ADUs, duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, townhomes and cottage clusters, at the Pacific City-Woods Citizen Advisory Committee meeting on Feb. 8. Amongst the improvements planned are to streamline the permit process for these housing types — meaning a conditional-use permit will no longer be required. That said, development would still require processes like geological hazard and flood plain development permits. The same goes for water and sewer availability letters. The county is using a $250,000 grant received from Oregon DLCD to do the work. “We have an obligation to have this work done and updated by the end of June,” Absher told attendees of the CAC meeting. “We are all aware of the high and rising home prices in Tillamook County. We have very low rental vacancy rates. We need all kinds of different types of housing for our workforce that help support our … workers.” She also noted that with more housing options, those wishing to downsize as they move into retirement age, would be more easily able to do so. In addition to the zoning code changes needed to facilitate more middle housing, Absher said there will be some opportunity for communities to provide input on design standards. “(For example) should we allow detached, multi-family structures in the community or would the community prefer to see middle housing for duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes remain a common wall construction?” She said that one thing these changes are not is a guarantee for affordable housing. That said, she does expect the changes, together with other county strategies, to make housing more accessible and less expensive. Absher said she hopes to have a special meeting in late March or early April to gather community feedback. The plan is to then make a presentation to County Commissioners in June.