More than a dozen residents of the Shively-McClure neighborhood left the Astoria City Council chambers disappointed Monday night.

They had come for a public hearing on nominating the Shively-McClure area to the National Historic Register, which was postponed to the Oct. 18 meeting at the request of Mayor Willis Van Dusen. He postponed the hearing because the minutes from the Historic Landmarks Commission meeting were not in the agenda packet for the council and because two of the five council members, Don Morden and Loran Mathews, were absent.

“I did that because we ask our volunteers on the Historic Landmarks Commission to work so hard, and we didn’t have a chance to even read the minutes on what their thoughts were and what their public hearing was. And so to give them the proper respect and to have enough time to have all of the councilors here, I asked to postpone the hearing,” Van Dusen said. “I was surprised at how many people showed up, and I want to apologize for the inconvenience to them,” he said after the meeting.

During the last seven years, the city has inventoried portions of the Shively-McClure neighborhood, previously known as Fort Hill, using grant money from the State Historic Preservation Office. City staff and the Historic Landmarks Commission held a public open house Sept. 9 for residents of area, which is above Astoria’s downtown.

On Sept. 21, the HLC held a public hearing and voted unanimously to recommend that the council approve the nomination for the proposed district. According to city staff, National Register District status does not impose additional regulations on nominated properties, but does offer property owners opportunities for tax incentives and grants.

In other action Monday night, members heard that plans to develop the American Legion/Safeway block are moving forward, with the selection of the Portland planning and urban design firm of Moore Iacofano Goltsman. Councilor Blair Henningsgaard chaired the selection committee that picked MIG from seven firms that responded to the city’s request for qualifications. “I was impressed by how much homework they had done,” Henningsgaard said.

He said MIG staff brought three teams with them to their interview – one for design, one for the public process and one for market analysis. “They also had an excellent schematic design that helped communicate their proposal,” Henningsgaard said. “I feel very good about them.”

Focus groups and a community workshop will be scheduled this month and another community workshop will be held in November. MIG plans to make its final presentation to the council Dec. 6. Funding for the planning process will come from the remaining proceeds of the city’s transactions with Safeway at its new location. The council gave Van Dusen and City Manager Dan Bartlett the go-ahead to negotiate a contract with MIG for determining the final use and the interim design of the former Safeway site.

Meanwhile, in response to questions from residents Marcia Fenske and KC McGee, Bartlett said little progress is being made with the American Legion, although negotiations continue.

“There probably won’t be a meeting of the minds for the city to purchase the Legion building,” he said. The old Safeway building will be torn down to make way for developing the block, but it now seems likely that the old blue Legion building will remain.”

Also Monday, Astoria resident Wendy Berezay gave a presentation illustrating her proposal for new playground equipment at Tapiola Park. The council gave its approval for staff to coordinate with Berezay and other community members to solicit donations and design and construct playground equipment manufactured by Leathers and Associates. Cost of the wooden and plastic equipment is estimated at $150,000 to $200,000.

In other park-related activity, Kevin Beck, Astoria’s parks and community services director, announced that Astoria has received the Oregon Recreation and Park Association’s 2004 Design Award for the Astor Park plaza renovation project. He presented a plaque to the mayor on behalf of the Park Association.

In other action Monday, the Council:

Approved an intergovernmental agreement for the East Gateway Plan, which will address transportation improvements needed to make the area more attractive to residents, users and potential developers. The plan will be funded by a $117,000 Transportation Growth Management grant from ODOT. At ODOT’s suggestion, the project has been expanded to cover the area from 33rd Street to Liberty Lane at Clatsop Community College’s Marine and Environmental Research and Training Station (MERTS).

Authorized staff to go ahead with the Port-Uniontown Transportation Refinement Plan, which will address that area’s transportation and travel needs over the next 20 years.

Held a second reading and adopted two ordinances pertaining to erosion control and storm water management that amend the city’s comprehensive plan.

Held first reading of an ordinance that modifies the distribution of transient room tax by allocating all tourism promotion and tourism facilities funds to the Promote Astoria Fund. Bartlett said the change will keep such funds from appearing to be commingled with the city’s general fund, and will help with tracking and control. It will also require organizations receiving funds to enter into a contract with the council and provide semi-annual financial reports.