Every Astoria development code hearing since 2018 has been an unfair one to the public. This includes the hearing for Pacific Seafood’s worker housing project at Astoria Pointe.

The reason the hearings have been unfair is because City Hall has the duty to notify the public of the provisions of the development code before the hearing takes place. The city did do this duty by mailing out public hearing notices to the residents affected.

After receiving my notice, I visited City Hall to get a copy of the development code. I was shown where to download it on the Astoria city website. This was really helpful. I based my whole three-minute testimony on the online copy of the code, as did my neighbors.

After spending two weeks researching the online development code, I decided the best way to oppose the housing project was to prove it was a form of transient lodging. It fit the definition in state law perfectly. I also triple-checked Astoria’s code for a definition. It was not defined anywhere.

After my testimony, my claim of transient lodging was dismissed by the Planning Commission due to the housing project not fitting the development code’s definition.

I was dumbfounded! After the hearing, I revisited City Hall to find the definition. That’s when I discovered the public’s version of the development code online was an expired version.

My concern is how much the city has boomed over the past few years considering this handicapped public voice.

MICHELLE ADAMS

Astoria