More on land use

Lots of comments hidden down in the blog about land use and where do I really really REALLY stand. Here I'll repeat what I wrote in one of those nether regions:

As County Commissioner I'll do everything I can to help expand your business and protect your property rights.

I'm an early and vocal advocate of the Rural Economies Strategy of economic development.

I support the thorough, assistive and timely process of all Measure 37 claims.

I want permitting and inspections to apply equally to all citizens.

I want an unpaid volunteer expert review of the permitting and inspections process, to determine whether there is unnecessary "red tape" and make recommendations for streamlining the process for individuals and businesses. There are two horrendous examples in Astoria of what can happen if projects go ahead too quickly, without following the recommended process, so we must be very careful when cutting red tape that we don't cut the lives out from under people.

I want a full-time staff person who can react flexibly and nimbly to the needs of businesses (this may not require an extra person, but reassigning the duties of a person), and not make them wait for the next meeting of some committee, which may be too late for their needs.

I'm advocating for additional resources to Public Safety and Community Corrections so that property crimes will continue to be prosecuted and that at least some minor sanctions will exist.

If we can use Measure 37 as a first step, to substitute common sense for the fine print (to paraphrase Tryan Hartill), then some day the benefits will outweigh the burdens. That's going to be a very difficult conversation, and one which I think will best come out of the larger economic development discussion that I hope will start this summer.

The overarching point is that as County Commissioner I will begin from the standpoint of working for the people, not for myself. I don't have a dog in this fight: I don't own any land that I want to protect or develop and I live in a downtown historic district. Sixty-eight percent of the people from District 3 voted for Measure 37. That's a clarion call that I won't ignore.

When I help Clatsop County, I help myself. My opponent works for himself, and that occasionally helps the County. That's backwards. I'm going to turn that around.