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| In Oregon, the beaches belong to the people. As part of Oregon's tradition of environmental stewardship, the Oregon Shores Conservation Coalition serves as the guardian of the public interest for our coastal region. Oregon Shores is dedicated to preserving the natural communities, ecosystems and landscapes of the Oregon coast while conserving the public's access. Oregon Shores pursues these ends through education, advocacy, and engaging citizens to keep watch over and defend the Oregon coast. |
| | EVENTS | | | Thu Aug 26 5:00 PM Last Chance to Comment on Destination Resort Proposal |  At its hearing August 12 on the destination resort and golf course proposed for the vicinity of Crook Point, the Curry County Planning Commission listened to several hours of testimony, received some 400 pages of new material on both sides of the issue, and delayed making a decision yet again.
The commissioners closed the public hearing, but left open the record for 14 days, through August 26 at 5 p.m. Oregon Shores used this period to make additional arguments. There are now seven days for rebuttal of any comments made during this period, through September 2 at 5 p.m. The applicant will then have seven days to make a final argument.
On September 15, the planning commission will reconvene and reach a tentative oral decision; there will be no public testimony. Lastly, there will be a final order concerning the fate of one of the least developed, most ecologically vital areas of Oregon’s coastal region.
Oregon Shores has been working hard to make sure that the would-be developers of what is now being called the Crook Point Destination Resort follow all the rules and do all the required studies — and to make sure such studies show no significant impacts to critical public resources nearby, including the Crook Point Unit of the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge, two adjoining state parks, and a bordering intertidal area that is one of the most biodiverse in Oregon.
Oregon Shores made substantial new comments on the proposal as part of this latest hearing. These are supplementary to our July 8, 2010 comments on the original proposal.
Citizens concerned about the impact of a major resort on seabirds and other wildlife, water quality, natural habitats and scenic views, not to mention the carbon footprint of a development in a remote area that will generate thousands of trips in individual vehicles, can still comment and put their concerns on record. Send comments to the planning commission in care of David Pratt, the county’s head planner.
Plans for the resort proposal, supplementary materials and the detailed county staff report, can be found on the Curry County website Crook Point page.
Oregon Shores has deep concerns about many aspects of the proposal. In our comments on the initial proposal, we noted that the development as planned would threaten severe impacts on wildlife and on public recreation areas. As drafted, the resort proposal did not adequately address such matters as buffers between the golf course and protected areas, water quality in streams and impacts to wetlands, landslide potential, transportation effects and many other issues. At the August 12 hearing, the applicants announced changes to the plan, some of them worked out with the Fish and Wildlife Service, that would somewhat mitigate the impacts, although Oregon Shores does not believe that the somewhat improved amended version of the proposal comes anywhere close to adequately protecting the area's unique resources.
Members or other citizens interested in getting involved in the permitting process for the proposed resort are urged to contact Oregon Shores.
More information, documents, and other references:
August 25, 2010: Oregon Shores additional arguments
August 12, 2010: Oregon Shores comments to Curry Planning Commission
July 14, 2010: Curry Coastal Pilot article by Valliant Corley
July 8, 2010: Oregon Shores original comments to Curry Planning Commission
Curry Planning Commission website Crook Point reference page
Tentative Coastal Shoreline Bounda[r]y Map
Full text of Curry County Destination Resort Ordinance
Other Oregon Shores articles on 'Destination Resorts':
Aug 12 New Hearing Scheduled on Crook Ranch Resort
Jul 8 Proposal for Major Resort at Pistol River Due for Hearing
Apr 29 Curry Destination Resort Ordinance Hearing April 29
Dec 3 09 Curry County Destination Resorts Hearing December 3
Oct 10 09 Curry County Workshops on Destination Resorts Mapping
 Contact: Phillip Johnson, CoastWatch Director, (503) 238-4450, or EMAIL
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MORE EVENTS... | Sat Sep 25 NEW Fall SOLV Beach -- and Riverside -- Cleanup
This year, for the first time, the semi-annual SOLV Beach Cleanup will include rivers, lakes and other waterways statewide. CoastWatchers, of course, help to pick up litter on their miles year-round, but this is an opportunity to join with thousands of other Oregonians in a concerted effort to remove debris. The 2010 Fall Cleanup, in part sponsored by the Oregon Lottery, will be conducted at 150 ... MORE | |
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