Gearhart public safety building revives old controversy 

Published 9:32 am Wednesday, October 15, 2025

Park plan sparks pushback

GEARHART — Frustrations are flaring among some Gearhart residents as a community park is being considered as one of the potential sites for a new public safety building.

City officials intend on releasing a survey to residents and property owners before the end of October asking for input on where the much-anticipated new public safety building should be built. 

One of the location options is Lesley Miller Dunes Meadow Park — a site that had previously been removed from consideration after community blowback in August 2024.

“Back in August of 2024, once we found out that they were putting the park back into the mix, there was a petition signed,” said Jack Zimmerman, a Gearhart resident. “People are upset.”

Zimmerman himself ran for Gearhart City Council in 2020.

The 2024 petition received over 500 signatures; according to the 2020 census, the population of Gearhart is less than 1,800.

The city is considering the park location because it may cost the city approximately $13 million less to construct the public safety building there, according to Gearhart City Administrator Chad Sweet.

“The thing about Dunes Meadow Park … is that the soil is in much better shape … than it is here in the city,” said Sweet during a work session on Sept. 30.

Sweet said since the park is more than 30 feet above the city’s underground aquifer, the risk of liquefaction is minimized.

Mayor Kerry Smith, who removed the park as an option in 2024, said his belief the park should be included as an option on the survey stems from resident feedback in favor of the location.

“I think it needs to be put back on because of the amount of people that responded and said that (should) be a choice,” said Smith during the work session.

“The pros are that it’s got the elevation, it’s flat, it’s available,” said Sweet. “The cons are that it’s not widely popular as in the past, and it would be potentially removing some of the park.”

Gearhart City Councilor Sharon Kloepfer said she has heard from people who support the park as an option.

“I actually have some friends in Gearhart who wanted it there,” said Kloepfer. “So I think that, you know, he (Smith), in fairness to everybody … felt that it should go back on there.”

Kloepfer also pointed out that not everyone who signed the petition in 2024 may be full-time residents.

“Even though that many people signed it, you have to go with a little bit of a grain of salt,” said Kloepfer. “Because they’re not the people who live here day in and day out for the most part,”

According to the City of Gearhart, in 2021 the city had an estimated vacancy rate of 60% — with many residences listed as second vacation homes.

Regardless of the city’s reasoning, Zimmerman says some people are upset and are looking to start a new petition, remind councilors of the old petition — or even take more extreme measures.

“Now we’re talking about a recall,” said Zimmerman. “A recall of council, of all the councilors.”

The Astorian reached out to Mayor Smith for comment but did not receive a response by press time.