Clatsop County has had difficulty regulating vacation rentals.

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The Clatsop County Board of Commissioners could soon decide on new caps for vacation rentals, the latest turn in a long-standing tug-of-war between property rights and neighborhood concerns.

In May, voters narrowly rejected a measure which would have repealed a county ordinance that recognized vacation rentals as a permitted use in 16 unincorporated zones. Now, county commissioners are discussing how best to develop limitations on short-term rentals.

Gail Henrikson, the county’s community development director, proposed a 10% cap for Arch Cape, which has historically seen a high number of rentals and a low number of complaints, and either a 4% or 7% cap for all other single-family residential zones west of U.S. Highway 101. In addition, she recommended an overall cap of 175 short-term rental units in unincorporated zones.

“Ultimately, the goal of the caps is that as properties get sold or transfer ownership, that those licenses could not be renewed if an area was over their cap threshold,” Henrikson said. “Over time, that would ultimately thin out those pockets of concentration, and begin addressing some of those quality-of-life issues that we’re seeing.”

See the story by Olivia Palmer by clicking here.

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The Columbia Basin Collaborative is looking for new strategy to manage cormorants at the mouth of the Columbia River.

A draft recommendation proposes a new program to manage double-crested cormorants in the estuary. The collaboration — a partnership that involves Washington state, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, tribes, federal agencies and other stakeholders — is tasked with developing recommendations to conserve and enhance salmon and steelhead.

According to a draft presented to the collaborative earlier this year, double-crested cormorants would be discouraged — through nonlethal approaches — from using the Astoria Bridge and encouraged to once again nest at a former colony on East Sand Island near the river’s mouth.

Read the story by Katie Frankowicz of our news partner KMUN by clicking here.

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The arts and culture sector is a boost to the North Coast.

A new study found that arts and culture in Oregon had an economic impact of $829 million in the 2022 fiscal year, including $13.6 million in Clatsop County.

The Arts & Economic Prosperity study from Americans for the Arts, released on Thursday, was based on data from 19 communities across the state and more than 13,000 surveys at arts and culture events.

In Clatsop County, the study measured $10.7 million in direct economic activity from audiences and $2.9 million from organizations, for $13.6 million in total.

The arts and culture sector in the county was tied to 164 jobs.

Attendance at events was 146,467, the study found, with nearly 39% — or 56,976 — coming from visitors. The average per person spending on events was $73.48, but was significantly higher for visitors — $141.73 — than locals — $29.95.

Take a look at the report by Jasmine Lewin by clicking here.

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— Derrick DePledge