jerrykeene@oceansidernews.com
Head out of the Village on Hwy 131 and take a left on either Grand Avenue or (newly paved) Highland Avenue. Either way, drive a few blocks east to be greeted by an excavated clear-cut stretching acres up the hillside. Welcome to “Cougar Ridge,” a future 58-lot residential subdivision that will be Oceanside’s largest residential neighborhood and increase its buildable lots by 10%.The county already approved this project as “Second Addition to Avalon Heights” after contentious hearings two years ago, so the ONA was surprised to receive a notice this week introducing the name change and yet more hearings. The Oceansider contacted owner-developer Bill Hughes and county officials for an update on the name change, the construction delay and the new hearing.
As to the name change, Hughes indicated only that, “They made me.” (He chose the new name based on multiple sightings of a large cougar in the area over the years.) County records suggest that the County Surveyor requested the change – perhaps to avoid confusion with the original “Avalon Heiights” projects. As to the years-long delay and additional hearings, Hughes bent your friendly Editor’s ear with a litany of grievances and costly bureaucratic snafus he attributes to county misfeasance. When contacted for her perspective, Community Development Director Sarah Absher indicated that omissions in both Hughes’ original subdivision application and the county’s ensuing approval order compelled a construction delay while the county works with Hughes to fill in those legal gaps at the upcoming hearing. Essentially, it will allow Hughes to develop the land and sell the homes in phases rather than make all of the infrastructure changes before building any houses. Absher made clear, however that the county supports this change, and that the overall project “remains tentatively approved.”
(Contact The Oceansider to include events we missed!)May 6-7 Cascade Paragliding “Oceanside Open” Competition, Oceanside Community Hall
May 9 Final Meeting of Till. Co. Short Term Rental Adv. Comm. – 9 a.m. Short Term Rental Advisory Committee Web Page
May 16 Election Day – Special Election
May 22 Oceanside Action Partnership Initiative Workshop, Oceanside Community Hall – 2-4:30 p.m.
(Please note that this is an updated entry. No workshop will be held on May 24 as previously reported)
May 27-28 Oceanside Art Show, Oceanside Community Hall, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Contact Kay Wooldridge claysumi22@yahoo.com
And that’s the view from Oceanside!
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