By Charles McNeilly, Mayor
Welcome to my City of Rockaway Beach Monthly Update with a look back at the month of June 2026.
Congratulations to this year’s Grand Marshal and Volunteers of the Year recipients. At June’s regular meeting, the Rockaway Beach City Council reviewed more than 50 nominations and selected Barbara Trout as the 2026 Parade Grand Marshal and Leon and Teri Bruneau as Volunteers of the Year. In a community where so many people do so much excellent work, selecting just a few honorees each year is never easy.
Thirteen (13) new businesses have opened in our city over the past 12 to 18 months. We find ourselves amid an economic renaissance. Thank you to everyone who helped to make this progress possible. We still have plenty of work ahead, but it is worth taking a moment to appreciate how far the town has come.
Many of you may have received colorful shopping bags when shopping locally in Rockaway Beach. The city provides these bags at no charge to local merchants to help promote our community. However, Senate Bill 551 has upended our program to provide these shopping bags to our merchants in Rockaway Beach. Effective January 1, 2027, the bill requires that:
- Bags must be compliant with recycled paper bags, which changes the design completely.
- Stores are restricted to only giving the bags away for free 12 days a year!
- Every other day they must charge five cents per bag.
We are working to keep the shopping bag program alive, but it will be a challenge.
Thank you to the Tillamook County Public Works Department for paving Washington Street and sections of Breaker Avenue, Beacon, and Coral Streets in and adjacent to Rockaway Beach. This work was much appreciated, and the department deserves full credit for the improvements. While we received several calls thanking us for the new asphalt, it is important to set the record straight and ensure Tillamook County receives proper recognition for this work. Thank you, Tillamook County!
Other highlights for June include:
- Fire Department completed a successful water rescue on June 7th. (see Fire Department and Emergency Preparedness section)
- A reminder that the countywide burn ban went into effect on July 1. (see Fire Department and Emergency Preparedness section)
- Our own Cole Lindsay helps oversee aviation and drone resources that support wildfire response, emergency management, and natural resource protection throughout Oregon. (see Fire Department and Emergency Preparedness section)
- Our city is partnering with Becoming rentABLE to connect travelers who need accessibility accommodation with our short-terms rentals that are accessible friendly. (see Planning Department section)
- Public Works Director Mertz and City Manager Shepard met with representatives of the Port of Tillamook Bay, State Parks, and the Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad to begin discussions about the city’s interest in leasing additional property within the port right-of-way to expand and improve parking in downtown Rockaway Beach. (see Public Works section)
- Children love the merry go round at Anchor Street Playground. (see Public Works section)
- Rockaway Beach’s 2025 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report is available on our Facebook page and on the Public Works department page of our city website. (see Public Works section)
- Rockaway Beach Patrol Deputy Ahlers partnered with the Rockaway Beach Business Association (RBBA) to teach a business safety class. (see Rockaway Beach Patrol section)
Upcoming Events
The CITY-SPONSORED Annual 4th of July Parade starts at 11 am beginning at the Neah Kah Nie School District Offices on N. 3rd and ending on S. 3rd at S. Easy St.
Annual Firecracker Wiener Nationals Dog Races at Phyllis Baker Park are at 1 pm to benefit the Tillamook County Animal Shelter.
Lion’s Club sponsored Treasure Hunt/Races on beach behind St. Mary’s Catholic Church commence at 2:45 pm.
Our epic fireworks show begins at 10 pm at the Wayside; lights out at 9:30 pm.
Coffee with the Mayor and City Manager is Thursday, July 23rd at 9:00 am in the City Hall 2nd Floor Conference Room.
CITY HALL
The City of Rockaway Beach is pleased to announce the North County Recreation District (NCRD) new pilot program to offer summer parks and recreation programming in Rockaway Beach this summer. With financial support from the City, the seven-week summer camp for Rockaway Beach youth will run from July 6 through August 21. The program will be free of charge and will include trips to NCRD’s new aquatic center. Visit NCRD to pick up a registration form.
The City’s work on accessibility was highlighted in another press release. Through our partnership with Becoming RentABLE. Rockaway Beach is the first community in the U.S. to complete destination-wide accessibility audit for its short-term rentals. We hope this is the first of many successes on this front.
Yard signs reminding residents and visitors that personal fireworks are prohibited in Rockaway Beach were available at City Hall, but the supply of 100 signs quickly ran out. New this year, the signs were offered free to residents and could be placed in yards to help remind neighbors and visitors of the ban. Fireworks are also prohibited on beaches, state parks, and on state and federal forested land per the Oregon State Fire Marshall. Depending on the location of the offender, please call either the Tillamook Sheriff Non-Emergency phone line at 503-815-1911 for within our city limits or the Oregon State Patrol Non-Emergency phone line at 800-442-0776 for beaches.
FIRE DEPARTMENT AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
On Sunday, June 7, at approximately 12:28 p.m., Rockaway Beach Fire Rescue (RBFR) was dispatched to a water rescue involving a surfer in distress near the Rockaway Beach Wayside. Nehalem Bay Fire Rescue, Adventist Health, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the Tillamook County Sheriff’s Office were also dispatched to assist. Upon arrival, Rockaway Beach Chief Hesse found bystanders holding a surfboard and pointing toward the ocean. Chief established command, gathered information, and learned that bystanders had located an abandoned surfboard before noticing a person in the water waving for help approximately 150 feet from shore. Rockaway Beach rescue units and squads arrived on scene and deployed the department’s E.M.I.L.Y. rescue boat, an Emergency Integrated Lifesaving Lanyard remote-controlled rescue device (pictured below). Crews directed the boat to the surfer, who was able to grab hold of it, and then used the attached rope to pull the surfer safely to shore. The surfer was evaluated for medical needs and declined further medical care. Rockaway Beach Fire Rescue extends its thanks to all partner agencies, responders, and bystanders whose quick actions contributed to a successful rescue.
Chief Hesse represented the city well again during an interview on KTIL’s Tillamook Today radio show. Joined by Jim Oeder with Nestucca Rural Fire, they covered the upcoming burn ban, fireworks, bonfires, wildfire protection and more. Excellent job Chief Hesse!
The city received $34,600 from the Oregon State Fire Marshal through the Wildfire Season Staffing Grant. These funds will be used to support two seasonal firefighter positions during the summer and fall in Rockaway Beach. The summer staff will commence work on July 1 and will remain on duty until grant funding is depleted.
A reminder that the countywide burn ban went into effect on July 1. This prohibition includes open pile burning and burn barrels. However, permitted backyard fire pits and beach campfires will remain allowed under current regulations. Residents are encouraged to remain mindful of conditions and follow all applicable safety guidelines.
At the June Council regular meeting, Fire Chief Hesse highlighted volunteer firefighter Cole Lindsay, who serves as the department’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Program Coordinator. In this role, Cole leads the development and implementation of drone operations that support emergency response, training, and public safety missions. He recently represented Rockaway Beach Fire Rescue (RBFR) in Taiwan, where he evaluated the Taiwanese National Fire Academy’s UAS program and provided recommendations to help advance its drone operations. In addition to his work with RBFR, Cole serves with the Oregon Department of Forestry as Northwest Oregon Area Aviation Coordinator, Multi-Mission Aircraft Coordinator, UAS Program Coordinator, and Chief UAS Pilot. Through these roles, he helps oversee aviation and drone resources that support wildfire response, emergency management, and natural resource protection throughout Oregon.
The Fire Department is preparing for the Fourth of July holiday, which remains one of the busiest times of the year. Fire personnel will participate in several community and public safety activities, including the parade and ongoing response coverage throughout the day. Staff will host a booth at the Wayside to provide public education and support community engagement efforts. Crews will also be present at the evening fireworks display and will conduct patrols in neighborhoods afterward to help monitor and address illegal fireworks activity.
With warmer weather upon us, Fire Department staff will be spending additional time on the beach, educating visitors about water safety and beach campfire etiquette. These initiative-taking campaigns have consistently proven effective in reducing emergency incidents on the beach.
Fire Department Run Report June 2026:
911 calls for Service: 63 Trainings: 10 Non-Emergent: 62
32- Medical Forcible Entry 26- Beach Safety
6- Fire Alarm Wildland Fires 8- Public Assist
3- Structure Fire EMS 3- Lift Assist
1- Water Rescue Fire 1 Skills 21- Burn Complaints
4- MVA EMR Class 4- Radio call-ins
16- Outside Fire 0- Special Assignments
1-Haz-Mat
Year to Date 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026
911 Calls 184 191 182 248 242
Non-Emergent 107 123 116 126 189
Trainings 66 61 74 70 44
Total 357 375 372 444 475
PLANNING DEPARTMENT
Our Planning Department and Commission are busy …
- Reviewing updates to the Flood Hazard Overlay (FHO) Zone and proposed amendments consistent with the Oregon Model Flood Hazard Ordinance.
- A project to update residential development code and policy. These updates will ensure compliance with state housing laws, address permitting and land use barriers, and support housing production affordability and choice.
- Several cities are partnering with the Tillamook County Department of Community Development to implement the second phase of SB406 aka middle housing. Our city is partnering with 3J Consulting to prepare three key components of the Oregon Housing Needs Analysis: Contextualized Housing Needs, Buildable Lands Inventory, and Development Ready Lands Inventory.
Through our partnership with Becoming rentABLE, eligible Short-Term Rentals (STR) will be encouraged to join the Becoming rentABLE platform, connecting travelers with disabilities to rentals that meet their individual needs. Becoming rentABLE will also promote accessible travel to Rockaway Beach through promotional materials and a focused marketing campaign. To support STR property owners, the City and Becoming rentABLE are preparing a direct outreach campaign for the twenty-four properties identified as accessible. The goal is to encourage owners to complete a final review and approval process for Becoming rentABLE verification. The City will cover the initial verification fee for eligible property owners who choose to participate. This effort will serve as a pilot program as the city considers expanding outreach to STR listings that are one modification away from accessibility or lacking enough photos and descriptions to confirm accessibility. Rockaway Beach is well positioned to create one of the largest concentrations of verified accessible short-term rentals in the country.
More than 750,000 people with disabilities live within one hundred miles of our community and contribute more than $150 million annually to accessible overnight travel spending across the region. The demand is already here; the missing piece is supply. By increasing the number of verified accessible rentals, Rockaway Beach can welcome more visitors, strengthen the local tourism economy, and establish itself as a leader in accessible travel in Oregon.
In June, the City approved a zoning permit for a single unit dwelling on Nedonna Avenue. and a re-plat application to combine two lots on Dolphin Street.
PUBLIC WORKS
To support our growing car-based tourist economy, Rockaway Beach needs more parking spaces for visitors. To that end Public Works Director Mertz and City Manager Shepard met with representatives of the Port of Tillamook Bay, State Parks, and the Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad to begin discussions about the city’s interest in leasing additional property within the port right-of-way to expand and improve parking in downtown Rockaway Beach. This narrow strip of land, which runs adjacent to Highway 101 and falls under the Port of Tillamook Bay’s authority, is in high demand and already includes several existing long-term leases and easements with various organizations. While the city does not control how the property is used, our goal is to negotiate a lease that maximizes opportunities for additional parking and streetscape improvements downtown.
Subsequently Director Mertz and City Manager Shepard held a kickoff meeting with our engineer to discuss parking improvements and expansion in the downtown core. We will continue working with HBH Engineering over the next few months to develop a scope of work. From the outset, we want to be clear that this will be a challenging project, shaped by site constraints and the policies of the agencies with authority over the project area. Our first and most important task is to determine what is feasible.
The Public Works crew made repairs to the playground surface around the merry-go-round at the Anchor Street Playground. In just two years since the playground opened, our playground has received so much use the kiddos wore holes through the playground surface! As our guys made repairs to ensure the playground remains a safe place to have fun, kids waited excitedly to have their turn on the merry-go-round as soon as it became available to them.
Director Mertz attended a meeting with local water providers, Oregon Health Authority (OHA), Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), Regional Solutions, and others to discuss community interest in making updates to the 1993 Regional Water System Plan. While Rockaway is actively moving forward with the purchase of its watershed, we will partner in continuing a conversation and planning for the future of our entire region.
Rockaway Beach Public Works received the Drinking Water Source Protection Award and the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) Outstanding Performer award. Rockaway Beach is one of only a handful of Oregon communities whose water system has earned both the Oregon Health Authority Outstanding Performer designation and the Drinking Water Source Protection Award, placing it among the state’s most highly recognized drinking water systems. Fewer than 8% of systems statewide achieve that distinction of being an Outstanding Performer. The additional Drinking Water Source Protection Award further recognizes Rockaway Beach’s exceptional commitment to protecting drinking water quality and public health, placing the community among a select group of water providers statewide. These honors are awarded to only a very small percentage of Oregon’s public water systems, underscoring the City’s commitment to safe, reliable, and sustainable drinking water.
Rockaway Beach’s 2025 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report is available on our Facebook page and on the Public Works department page of our city website. If you have a moment, please read it! This year, the report has received a full overhaul and truly highlights the exceptional work our Water Department does daily. The report provides information about where Rockaway Beach Water District drinking water comes from, how it is treated, what it contains, and how it compares to standards established by state and federal regulatory agencies. I think you will find the information on how our water is treated fascinating; I did!
Our Water Department is also taking steps to strengthen cybersecurity for its water treatment plant. We are currently working with our IT provider to complete a comprehensive risk assessment of our supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, separating essential systems from public-facing ones so control systems cannot easily be reached or affected, and improving access controls such as role-based permissions. Through these steps, Rockaway Beach can reduce vulnerabilities and improve the resilience of its water treatment operations.
Public Works stay busy with a never-ending list of activities from painting curbs and striping downtown area, preparing our water plant for the upcoming 4th of July holiday, successfully managing the Nedonna Beach Watermain Project, responding to weather impacts and ongoing infrastructure needs.
CITY COUNCIL
The June City Council Workshop covered the following:
- An overview of the North County Recreation District (NCRD) Pilot Summer Program
- An update on our partnership with Becoming rentABLE.
- Review of nominations for Grand Marshall and Volunteer of the Year.
- Review of Resolution 2026-27 Authorizing Amendment to OWEB Grant Awards.
- Review of Ordinance Amending Code Related to Fees.
- Review of Draft Resolution Regarding Wayside Use Policy.
The June City Council Regular Meeting entailed the following:
- Public Hearing on Proposed Uses of State Revenue Sharing Funds for Fiscal Year 2026-2027
- Public Hearing on the Approved Budget for Fiscal Year 2026-2027
- Consideration of Resolution No. 2026-21 Reviewing and Continuing Reserve Funds (approved)
- Consideration of Resolution No. 2026-22 Declaring Election to Receive State Revenues (approved)
- Consideration of Resolution No. 2026-23 Adopting the Budget, Making Appropriations; and Imposing and Categorizing Taxes for Fiscal Year 2026-2027 (approved)
- Consideration of Resolution No. 2026-24 Selecting Grand Marshal and Volunteer of the Year (approved)
- Consideration of Resolution No. 2026-25 Referring Charter Amendments to Voters (approved)
- Consideration of Resolution No. 2026-26 Endorsing a State of Oregon Transportation and Growth Management Grant Application for a Transportation System Plan Update (approved)
- Consideration of Resolution No. 2026-27 Authorizing Amendment to Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) Grant Award (approved)
If any of the Council activities listed for June are of interest, you can read the meeting materials and view recordings of all Council meetings (except Executive Sessions) on the city website Rockaway Beach Meeting Agendas & Minutes page.
PLANNING COMMISSION
At the June meeting, the Planning Commission reviewed and discussed proposed amendments to the Zoning Ordinance governing the Flood Hazard Overlay (FHO) Zone to update the code and ensure consistency with the Oregon Model Flood Hazard Ordinance.
If any of the Planning Commission activities listed for June are of interest, you can read the meeting materials and view recordings of all Planning Commission meetings on the city website Rockaway Beach Meeting Agendas & Minutes page.
ROCKAWAY BEACH PATROL
Rockaway Beach Patrol Deputy Ahlers partnered with the Rockaway Beach Business Association (RBBA) to teach a business safety class. Deputy Ahlers demonstrated common issues local retailers may face and share guidance on how to respond. The class was held on Monday, June 29th, at the Lions Club. It was free and open to anyone interested. Thank you to the RBBA for putting this together!
RURAL TOURISM PARTNERS
Our presence on social media continues to grow with increasing followers on Facebook (up 109% year over year) and Instagram (up 32%). Our QR Code program to access visitrockwaybeach.org continues to be an active access point for our visitor website.
Read about our Original Pronto Pup in the Atlas Obscura, a national online publication.
KEY DATES IN JULY FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Meetings
The City Council Workshop is on Wednesday, July 15th at 4:30 pm in the City Hall 2nd Floor Conference Room followed by the City Council Regular Meeting at 6:00 pm downstairs in the City Hall Council Room. (Meeting was moved to the third Wednesday due to the level of activity over the 4th of July holiday.)
The Planning Commission meeting is on Thursday, July 16th at 5:00 pm in the City Hall Council Room.
We offer in-person and virtual options for attending all our public meetings. Meetings are recorded so they are available for viewing at your convenience. Agendas and packets are available on our city website. Sign up for our city email list on our city website to have meeting packets sent to you automatically.
Please stay informed and engaged!
The most efficient way to keep up to date with your city government is to add your email address to the city’s email list through the city’s website submission form.
If you have ideas to share; questions or concerns about what is going on in the City of Rockaway Beach, please email me at cmcneilly@corb.us.
