LONG BEACH – Trendwest Resort was almost one step closer to becoming a reality in Long Beach. The Long Beach City Council opened its latest meeting with a public hearing on the vacating of the westerly portion of 9th St. SW. The road would then be developed, allowing further access to the site where Trendwest has expressed an interest.

According to the staff report, the 40-foot right-of-way is currently undeveloped and unimproved with no utilities and containing a number of mature shore pines.

Although the city received no written objections from property owners adjacent to the property, during the public hearing Bruce Rathban expressed some concerns.

“I’m for Trendwest,” he prefaced his comments. He was worried the community would not receive and benefit from the vacation, which would transfer the public right-of-way into private ownership. “I feel we should be compensated.” He suggested the property owners make a donation to a charitable organization, such as the Humane Society or FISH.

City Administrator Robert Strope reassured him the city would be compensated. According to law, the land must first be assessed for its fair market value before it is sold. The money earned by the city must be used to improve public access in other locations. In this case, the money will be used to improve access to the shoreline with enhancements to the Discovery Trail. “They will pay fair market value,” he said. And the public would receive the benefits of the sale.

“Well, wonderful,” said Rathban, satisfied.

“It’s not taken lightly by any means,” said Mayor Ken Ramsey.

Council member Gordon Zuern then did raise one question that caused concern. He asked if Trendwest changed their plans and did not wish to build, could the city reacquire the right-of-way?

“I don’t know if that would be a conflict of interest,” said Strope. Each step in the permitting process is independent of the other. Each permit application must stand on its own merit. Vacating the street does not guarantee other permits will be approved. Until the matter could be clarified, the council voted to continue the public hearing until the next regularly scheduled council meeting on Feb. 15.

More contentious issues arose during the reports and public comment periods.

“I was not amused,” said council member Ralph Moore as he held up a cartoon run in the Chinook Observer the previous week, implying problems with the Long Beach Waste Water Treatment Facility. “We appreciate his interest, but perhaps if he read the articles a little more carefully …” The Long Beach facility is currently being upgraded, and phase II and III have recently been completed, greatly improving the system.

Donna Harding came before the council to protest her eviction from her property. Her situation was previously reported in a Letter to the Editor in the Chinook Observer. Currently, she, her terminally ill husband and family members are living in RVs on her property in Long Beach. But according to local ordinance, people may stay no longer than 60 days per year in RVs, although the RVs may be stored on the property year-round.

The city received several complaints about the situation and was forced to take action.

“This process has been devastating to me,” she told the council. She claims officials have been constantly taking pictures of her property and driving by.

“This is harassment,” she said. “I have a very good case for selective enforcement. I just wanted the public and the council to look me in the face,” she said before leaving the meeting.

Silence followed her departure.

“I don’t think there’s anyone up here who doesn’t feel sorry for her situation,” said Moore.

Ken Baker then questioned the council on the progress of updating the comprehensive plan. He would like a parcel of his property rezoned. The updating process has begun, but will take time. Meanwhile, Baker said he was loosing money, and was hoping for a way to speed the process or spot-rezone his property.

“That’s not how we do the job here,” said Mayor Ken Ramsey. “I don’t care what happened in the past, we go on from now.” He said, basically, the city would not shortcut the process or practice favoritism, and Baker would have to wait while the proper procedures were completed.

Cook supported the mayor as well. “At the time you bought that property you knew what it was zoned and what you were going to do with it,” he told Baker.

The other agenda items were more straightforward. The council approved the addition of solar panels to the roof of the Ocean Lodge Conference Complex, which will be used to heat the pool. They approved an agreement with Pacific Events Group for another RV show at the Bolstad beach approach.

The council complimented Economic Activities Coordinator Ragan Andrew for her work in having the event return.

“I’m glad they want to come back,” said council member Fred Cook.

One audience member asked if the city received the sales tax if an RV was sold. The answer, an unequivocal “yes.”

The council also renewed contracts for copier maintenance and for support of the funbeach.com Web site overseen by beachdog.com.

“It gets a huge amount of response,” said Cook of the Web site. “I think probably it’s the number one contact for advertising on the Peninsula.”