THE OCEANSIDER: Sketches of Proposed Fusion Hotel at Oceanside Cabins Site; Public Hearing on Conversion of Surf Shop/Cafe to Hotel Rooms

The Oceansider has obtained a preliminary concept sketch of the new hotel that Fusion Lodging  proposes to build at the current site of the Oceanside Cabins. The sketch is consistent with the design details we reported in last week’s issue, including the intent to stay within the 35-foot county height limit. Oceansider Steve Ewoldt of Woodblock Architecture, the managing architect for the project, describes the concept as “very residential” and consistent with the Village esthetic. He also emphasizes that this tentative design is subject to change as Fusion continues to investigate costs and factor in the county’s infrastructure requirements.

The building was moved to its current location in the 1940s, with retail or food/beverage establishments operating on its ground floor nearly continuously since then. The Oceanside Surf Shop is currently Oceanside’s only retail store, and the Current Cafe is the only food/beverage vendor to operate 7 days a week with no seasonal closures. The OPS and ONA Boards are preparing a written joint statement opposing the application for alteration of the Inn’s current conditional use permit. The statement will contend that the Inn’s request violates a 2004 litigation settlement limiting the hotel to 5-6 units, and also that it is inconsistent a number of land use rules governing the alteration of existing conditional uses.

We urge all interested Oceansiders to weigh in with their views, either by offering testimony at the hearing (limited to 2 minutes each!) or by submitting written comment. We believe written comments will be most effective if submitted by this Tuesday at 4 p.m. so the Planning Commission members can read them before the hearing. Otherwise, the county will continue to accept written comments through the date of the hearing. They can be addressed to “Planning Commission Members” and emailed to Lynn Tone, Office Specialist, at

ONA Secretary Carol Horton has done a terrific job of researching the legal criteria that the Planning Commission must apply in considering this request. Below, we are reproducing a streamlined version of a Facebook comment she posted with advice on how to direct your comments to those criteria.

The ONA Board
oceansidefriends@gmail.com

From Carol Horton —

I encourage concerned Oceansiders to email your Public Comments to the county regarding the Three Arch Inn request to replace the existing eating, drinking and retail uses (Surf Shop and Current Cafe) with three additional motel units (for a total of 9) none of which will have off-street parking.

Comments that merely state general concerns about parking are not likely to be considered because the county must base its decision exclusively on the specific requirements of Tillamook County Land Use Ordinances (TCLUO).  The most important requirements appear in Article VII, Section 11 which specifies that the proposed change in use of the property will not have a greater negative impact on the neighboring area than the currently allowed use already has. The linked section also lists 9 specific kinds of impact criteria to be compared.  To be most effective, review this list and target your comments to those specific factors.
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For example, here are some relevant questions:

— Will the addition of three motel units (two 2-room suites + 1 studio), opening on to Pacific Ave, have a greater adverse impact on vehicular trips and parking (criteria 2 & 3) compared to an eating/drinking/retail use – the cafe & surf shop? (The applicant claims the cafe/surf shop uses 5-30 parking spots but that the new lodging units will use only 0-3.)

—Will the visual impact on the area (criteria 4) be adversely affected by replacing colorful window displays, inviting open doors, outdoor dining, and community interaction of eating/drinking/retail uses with the look of a vacant storefront, with the blank curtained windows and closed doors of a transient lodging use?

—Will the service or other benefit the use provides to the area (criteria eight) be adversely affected when Oceanside loses its only retail business (the Surf Shop) and its only cafe and coffee shop (Current Cafe & Lounge) that is open all day, every day?  How would this affect you, personally? (We might lose the Blue Agate Cafe when the Ocean Beach Cabins are redeveloped, and then Oceanside would be left with only a single eating/drinking establishment, Rosanna’s.)

—Is this change consistent with the purpose of Oceanside’s commercial zone and a net benefit to the community? (TCLUO Section 3.312 – here is a link to the Commercial Zone Ordinance for Oceanside).

Please get involved!

September 11            Oceanside Community Club Monthly Potluck
Oceanside Community Hall – 6 p.m.
Oceansiders and Guests welcome.

September 14             Planning Commission Hearing on Three Arch Inn
Request to Convert Current Café/Surf Shop
To Hotel Rooms – 6:30 p.m.
Port of Tillamook Bay Offices / 4000 Blimp Avenue
County will post link for remote access by Teams

And that’s the view from Oceanside!
www.oceansidernews.com
jerrykeene@oceansidernews.com