North Coast Communities for Watershed Protection Supporters: Guidelines for Oral Public Testimony re: Nedonna Wave Hearing on 9/9/25 at RB City Hall

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Guidelines for Oral Testimony at Upcoming Rockaway Beach Public Hearing; Nedonna (Wave) Development Application to the City of Rockaway Beach of LUBA Remanded Appeal.  

As far as we can determine at this time, only oral testimony will be accepted on September 9, but if you do give oral testimony, then it would be a good idea to also submit a written copy of it to the City Recorder labeled Case File #Remand-25-1. Also, you do not need to be a resident of, or a property owner in, Rockaway Beach in order to testify. Anyone concerned about saving our wetlands from development may testify.   For a zoom link To watch or testify,  check the calendar on City’s website https://corb.us .

To protect Oregon’s irreplaceable coastal wetlands, we need to establish a precedent by stopping this development.

When and where? Tuesday, September 9, 2025 at 5:30 p.m. in Rockaway Beach City Hall located at 276 S. Highway 101, Rockaway Beach, Oregon. For a zoom link check calendar on City’s website https://corb.us .


 

Dear Concerned Friends and Neighbors:

Sincere thanks for all you have done to support the shared mission to protect our precious watersheds, and to the Oregon Shores Conservation Coalition and Crag Law Center for bringing this case before the State Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA). The following is a guide for providing oral testimony during this hearing. If you are not comfortable providing oral testimony, your presence at the hearing will still be beneficial as a general show of support and a morale booster for those choosing to speak.

Before the meeting:

  • Learn as much as you can about the issue being debated. What actions has the City taken in the past related to this matter? What have they decided in similar situations? What laws or special circumstances apply?

  • Give some thought to what matters most to you and your personal experience as a Rockaway Beach resident or interested party. What type of city do you want going forward?

  • Think also about what points might matter most to an elected official or to specific members of the City Council. If a member has spoken out on a particular issue and you can relate it to what is being debated now, you’ll increase your chances of influencing their vote on the matter at hand.

  • Prepare comments in advance. Do this in whatever form works for you. Some like to write out a script. Others like to speak from notes or outlines. The most important thing is to get your key points across.

  • Practice your presentation – and time yourself. Keep in mind that you’re likely to go a little slower when you’re standing in front of a mic and a roomful of people.

  • Revise as necessary.

 

Structuring your comments:

  • Be VERY clear about what you want the City Council to do: vote yes, vote no, make changes, etc.

  • Be clear as to WHY. State your reasons plainly. Don’t obfuscate. Confusion is nobody’s friend.

  • Keep in mind that your verbal comments are limited to four minutes. That time goes by fast. For most people, that’s about 350-450 words, or about 1-2 pages of double-spaced text. That’s not a lot!

  • Stay on point – Council may cut you off if your comments are not germane to the decision before them.

  • If possible, don’t simply repeat what someone else has already said (or what you know someone else has told you they’re going to say). Be original and be honest.

  • Make it personal. This is about YOUR experience, knowledge, and love of the city. Make sure they know this matters a lot to you.

  • Thank the Council for their consideration.

 

At the meeting:

  • Sign up before the meeting (indicate with a “Hands Raised” click if attending via Zoom). Indicate whether you are for or against the proposal on which you are providing testimony.
  • Keep comments to 4 minutes – Timer lights indicate roughly how much time remains.
    • Green light – first 3 minutes
    • Yellow light – < 1 minute
    • Red light – Chair will halt your presentation, even mid-sentence.
  • It’s OK to bring notes to speak from, but, if possible, try not to read a speech verbatim. Speak naturally and from the heart.

    If you are giving verbal testimony it is important to also submit a written version to the Recorder.

Template for Oral Testimony:

My name is ______. My mailing address is _______.

[Optional, if not a permanent resident: I have lived at __(address)__ in Rockaway Beach since _year_.]

I urge you to [ PASS / REJECT ] the proposal before you regarding  the Nedonna Wave application for the following reasons:

[Briefly list your reasons]

[Now go into detail on your most important point]

[Details on your second most important point]

For these reasons, I urge you again to [ PASS / REJECT ] the proposal before you regarding  _agenda item_.

 

Sample Oral Testimony:

My name is Jane Doe. My mailing address is 123 Main Street, Portland, 97205.

My husband and I have owned property at 234 Beach Drive in Rockaway Beach since 1997.

I urge you to reject the application for approval of the Nedonna Wave development proposal for the following reasons:

  1. The time period for approval of further development has long since expired, as noted by LUBA in their July decision.

  2. The area being developed is zoned SA, meaning “Special Area Wetland”, which is a primary zoning designation, and Rockaway Beach’s zoning code does not permit residential development on SA-designated land.

 

As to my first point. LUBA clearly noted that under the original approval of this application in 2008, all improvements had to be completed within one year. That did not happen and the City never granted an extension. The original approval has therefore expired and no further development should be allowed.

Regarding the wetlands designation, the City code is very clear: no residential development is permitted on SA-zoned areas. While the applicant claims that their property is not in the SA zone, City maps clearly show otherwise. To the extent there is uncertainty over this, the City should clarify the matter by hiring independent experts to re-map the area and analyze the new map against the map of the proposed development. No development should occur in the meantime and no development should occur within SA zoned areas.

For these reasons, I urge you again to REJECT the application for the Nedonna Wave development.

Thank you for allowing me to present these points to you and for your consideration of these matters.

 

Talking Point Ideas

Below are some ideas on what to talk about; however, original ideas are encouraged. Utilize your experience and local knowledge of the area. If you can speak to the specific area in question, that would be helpful.

 

Issue #1: Special Area Wetlands Zone (can’t build on wetland-zoned land)

Wetlands Must Be Protected

  • Wetlands reduce flooding, filter pollution, support wildlife, store carbon, and buffer storms.

  • These are naturally-formed, high-quality wetlands with no invasive species—an increasingly rare asset in Oregon.

  • Once developed, wetlands are gone forever.

  • These wetlands are directly connected to fish-bearing streams, groundwater, estuaries and the ocean.

  • The best and most effective way to protect wetlands is at the local governmental level.

  • Mention specific species, especially if they’re protected, like steelhead trout.

  • Coho salmon spawn in this area

  • They are part of what makes Rockaway Beach special—visitors and residents alike value these natural spaces.

  • “I bought my home because of the wetlands—if I had known they’d be developed, I wouldn’t have bought here.”

  • We have a responsibility to preserve these areas for future generations.

  • Rockaway Beach needs to protect this area as it is the backup aquifer for our drinking water and for those who visit here.

  • Tsunami evacuation routes are already over capacity.

  • Fire safety: the City may need to pull water from these wetlands in the event of a fire.

  • The city should not risk public safety or strain infrastructure for this project.

Issue #2: Development Timeline Requirements Not Met (PUD approval should have expired)

  • The PUD approval expired. Rules are clear: the developer missed the deadline. It’s common sense and the law. City rules must be consistently applied.

  • Extensions need formal approval—not assumptions or exceptions.

  • Fair enforcement builds public trust and ensures equal treatment for all residents.

  • The City must uphold the integrity of their own laws, otherwise, they’re meaningless.

  • The community deserves a say when a project sets dormant for over a decade.

    https://maps.dsl.state.or.us/swi/ – From the Department of State Lands (DSL), which is the official preliminary source for wetland delineation in Oregon.


    NCCWP wants no more logging and pesticide use in drinking water sources regardless of who owns the land,     and wants an end to pesticide applications near where people live, work and recreate. Safe drinking water and clean air are part of the public trust that we all are entitled to have. Please help North Coast Communities for Watershed Protection safeguard and restore our drinking watersheds. www.healthywatershed.org | www.facebook.com/NCCWATERSHEDPROTECTION  For more information or to unsubscribe contact rockawaycitizen.water@gmail.com