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 Curry County Gives Resort Tentative Approval
Crook Point Crook Point (far left), beach, and offshore rocks. Mack Arch is just off the right edge. Photo courtesy of Alex Derr.
At its September 15 meeting, the Curry County Planning Commission gave a tentative approval to the Crook Point Destination Resort, a proposed 400-acre complex that would place a golf course, lodge, spa, 175 units of overnight housing and other forms of recreational development in an undeveloped area adjacent to the Crook Point Unit of the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge, the second most important seabird nesting site on the West Coast.
The planning commission placed 25 conditions on the tentative approval. The conditions have not yet been published. When they are, they will appear on the county’s website.
The decision on the 15th was by oral vote; the written decision will be handed down September 23. From that point, parties opposed to the development, at least as currently proposed, will have until October 8 to appeal to the Curry County Board of Commissioners.
Oregon Shores will carefully study the conditions before deciding whether to appeal at this point or wait to see if the conditions if met would adequately protect the wildlife refuge, two state parks (Boardman and Pistol River) which also adjoin the proposed development site, along with fish, wildlife and water quality. The would-be developers would have to meet the conditions before a final approval was granted.
Oregon Shores continues to have deep concerns about many aspects of the proposal. In our comments (see below), we noted that the development as planned would threaten severe impacts on wildlife and on public recreation areas. As originally 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. Some improvements were made in response to the initial comments. Oregon Shores does not believe the applicants have met key requirements, such as adequate studies of geologic hazards, water availability and wildlife impacts, sufficient buffer areas, and fulfilling the conditions of Oregon’s Coastal Shorelands Goal (Goal 17 of the land use planning laws). It remains to be seen whether the conditions imposed by the planning commission would ensure that the applicant meets the requirements before beginning any development activity.
Members or other citizens interested in getting involved in future actions regarding the proposed resort, or providing financial support for our work in this area, are urged to contact Oregon Shores Executive Director Phillip Johnson.
More information, documents, and other references:
August 25, 2010: Oregon Shores additional arguments
August 12, 2010: Oregon Shores comments to Curry Planning Commission
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

Articles on topic 'Destination Resorts':
  Oregon Shores Plans Appeal of Crook Point Proposal
  Crook Point Golf Resort to be Considered Again
  Curry County Delays Review of Crook Point Resort
  Oregon Shores Files Appeal on Crook Point Golf Resort
  Crook Point Resort Proposal Heads to Appeals Panel
  Crook Point Resort Approved; Oregon Shores Ponders Next Step
  Curry Commissioners Weighing Crook Point Appeal
  Appeal of Crook Destination Resort Will Be Heard Thursday
  Appeal of Crook Point Destination Resort Moves to Next Stage
  Curry County Gives Resort Tentative Approval
  Last Chance to Comment on Destination Resort Proposal
  New Hearing Scheduled on Crook Ranch Resort
  Proposal for Major Resort at Pistol River Due for Hearing
  Curry Destination Resort Ordinance Hearing April 29
  Curry County Destination Resorts Hearing December 3
  Curry County Workshops on Destination Resorts Mapping
  Tillamook County Hearing 9/24 on Port's Resort, Golf Course Project
Contact: Phillip Johnson, CoastWatch Director, (503) 238-4450, or EMAIL