|
|
| 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 12 7:00 PM New Hearing Scheduled on Crook Ranch Resort |  Faced with detailed comments from Oregon Shores and other conservationists, and with expressions of concern by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service about potential impacts to the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge, the Crook County Planning Commission deferred any decision on the proposed Crook Ranch Golf Resort at their July 8 meeting.
Instead, a new public hearing has been scheduled for 7 p.m., Thursday, August 12, in the Showcase Building at the Crook County Fairgrounds in Gold Beach. This gives citizens more time to study the lengthy proposal and comment on their concerns, either in writing or by attending the public hearing. Plans for the resort proposal, and the detailed county staff report, can be found on the Curry County website.
The proposed resort would be located between the Pistol River and the ocean. It borders the Crook Point Unit of the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge Complex, and as Oregon Shores pointed out in our comments, provides no buffer whatever for this highly significant habitat area for seabirds and other wildlife. It also borders Pistol River and Boardman state parks.
The county recently adopted its new Destination Resort Ordinance, which cleared the way for the Crook Ranch proposal. Oregon Shores worked hard to improve this ordinance, urging the clearest possible language protecting resources and assuring compliance with statewide land use policy for coastal areas. While we may not be enthusiastic about the ordinance and the development it may allow, Curry County’s version is considered the best such destination resort ordinance in the state, according to 1000 Friends of Oregon, so we can take pride in having achieved the best possible result in the circumstances.
Oregon Shores has deep concerns about many aspects of the proposal. In our July 8 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 does 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.
Members or other citizens interested in getting involved in the permitting process for the proposed resort are urged to contact Oregon Shores.
Related resources available for download from the Curry County Planning Department:
Crook Point Destination Resort Table of Contents
Two-page Introduction
Crook Point Master Plan Book (246 MB PDF, 60 pages)
Coastal Shoreline Bounda[r]y Map
Full text of Curry County Destination Resort Ordinance
Other Oregon Shores articles on 'Destination Resorts':
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
|
MORE EVENTS... | Sun Aug 8 Stewart Schultz Will Lead Beach Ecology Training Session
CoastWatchers will have the opportunity to learn from a leading authority on the natural history of the Oregon coast on Sunday, Aug. 8, when Stewart Schultz gives us a slide talk and beachwalk focusing on beach and dune ecology. Schultz will speak at 2 p.m. in the Pine Grove Community Club, 225 Laneda Ave. in Manzanita. The talk, like all CoastWatch training sessions, is free and open to all. ... MORE | |
|
|
|
|