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For the first time in more than 40 years, Clatsop County Development will update plans regarding estuarine resources, coastal shorelands, and beaches and dunes.

The public is invited to attend a presentation and provide comment from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Saturday, April 20, at the Judge Guy Boyington Building in Astoria. Light refreshments will be served. Two additional public meetings will be scheduled in the future. Visit ClatsopCounty.gov for more updates.



The Clatsop County Comprehensive Plan describes the long-term vision for unincorporated Clatsop County, looking ahead to set direction for the County’s growth over the next 20 years.

It contains common goals that guide development within the County, including in the areas of land use, environment, transportation, economic development, housing and resource use.

Read more.

A new County data page was created to make it simple for you to find our data dashboards that give insight into our community's well being. Dashboard links include:

• Clatsop County Data at a Glance
• Healthy Communities Dashboard
• Housing Dashboard
• Multiagency Coordination (MAC) Group
• American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Spending Plan
• Property Information
• Webmaps

Did you know that hospitality and visitor services account for nearly 40% of all local jobs and economic activity in Astoria and Warrenton?

The Lower Columbia Tourism Committee’s focus is on the visitor industry. They work to promote, develop and coordinate tourism-related economic activity in the Astoria and Warrenton region.

The Astoria-Warrenton Area Chamber of Commerce has begun the process of creating a strategic plan to guide the next few years of the LCTC. They have created a survey and they want to hear from you. 

The strategic plan will help guide and grow their community-based long-term tourism goals and practices. 

Read more.

The next meeting of the Technical advisory Committee is scheduled from 1-3 p.m. Wednesday, April 17.

The TAC discussion will focus on policies and partnerships that the County will need to remain stable as the Habitat Conservation Plan and other outside regulatory changes impact the County. 

This meeting will be virtual only.

Clatsop County has been collecting your stories for our Clatsop County Voices campaign. 

Claudia Deloff shared the family history of her great-great grandparents: Barney Gallagher 1837-1916; Martha Johnson Gallagher 1851-1931

Bernard Gallagher, an Irish immigrant, arrived in Oregon Country in 1857 at the age of 20. 

In 1874 he married Martha Johnson, a Mayflower descendant, and they moved to their homestead on Young's River. They were farmers. but Barney also had holdings in several Astoria canning firms, including Columbia Packing Company, Fishermen's Packing Company and the White Star Cannery. They had seven children, four boys and three girls. 

Some of the sons owned the Imperial Grill on Commercial and their son Bill established Bill's Tavern in Cannon Beach. 

Listen to Claudia’s story and more.

We invite you to send stories and photos of family memories that have been passed through generations or a personal recollection of a major event that happened in Clatsop County.

Choose which way you want to share your story:

1. Call 503-325-7870 and record your story
2. Record a conversation with a family member and upload the audio file
3. Email communications@clatsopcounty.gov to request an interview
4. Write up your story and send it to: Clatsop County; 800 Exchange St., Suite 410; Astoria, OR 97103 or communications@clatsopcounty.gov

Stories will be posted through June 30 at the Clatsop County Voices webpage. After that the County will donate them to the Clatsop County Historical Society.



For more information, visit ClatsopCounty.gov.

Clatsop County is seeking public comment on its amended Property Management Policy. The deadline to receive comments is May 5, 2024.

The purpose of the Property Management program is to:

• Maintain a complete and accurate inventory of County-owned real property, including tax foreclosures
• Return surplus properties to the property tax rolls by sale or auction to private parties/entities in a fair and equitable manner
• Retain or transfer suitable properties to public agencies or qualified non-profits per Oregon statute

The policy guides the categorization of County-owned real property for future use, managing those properties, and selling, leasing, trading or transferring to other public, non-profit or private entities.

• Comments can be submitted at the ClatsopCounty.gov website
• Emailed to countyadmins@clatsopcounty.gov
• Mailed or hand-delivered to Clatsop County; 800 Exchange, Suite 400, Astoria, OR 98577.

Clatsop County Fair is accepting vendor applications for the 2024 Clatsop County Fair. The vendor application must be completed online. The deadline is Monday, July 1, 2024 or until capacity is reached.

Read more.

Septic Issues? Let This Program Help

Clatsop County homeowners who need to repair or replace septic systems that are damaged, non-working or have failed are encouraged to look into a new program.

Financial assistance to help with the costs can be provided to individuals and homeowners. Depending upon eligibility they could receive a:



• Grant which does not have to be paid back
• No-interest, no payment loan, with a 30-year term or due when the title changes  

This program will serve up to 105 participants, both homes and small businesses. To be eligible, household income must be at 120% of area median income or less, and the septic system must be on private property in Columbia, Clatsop or Tillamook counties.

Application Form

Applications Invited for Two Planning Commission Vacancies

Clatsop County is seeking applications from individuals interested in serving on the Clatsop County Planning Commission. 

Committee application forms are available on the Clatsop County website or at the County Manager’s office at 800 Exchange St., Suite 410 in Astoria.

The deadline to apply is 11:59 p.m. Friday, May 10, 2024.

Read more.

Recently, the Northeast and Taiwan recently experienced an earthquake.

They served as a reminder that now is a good time to visit Clatsop County’s Tsunami web page. It is better to have this information before a tsunami occurs.

If you live, work, visit the coast or drive 101 to get to Portland or other places, you need to know where assembly areas are. 

Find that information at ClatsopCounty.gov. Consider taking time today or this weekend to drive or walk to assembly areas near you.

Clatsop County has provided timely alerts during severe weather events. For any tsunami or earthquake that could impact us, we will keep you informed via social media, ClatsopCounty.gov and in partnership with local media.

The Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) has issued a survey to obtain feedback from child care providers who have recently navigated the permitting process.  

This survey is intended to identify barriers and obstacles that providers encountered when trying to open or expand an existing facility. It will remain open until 9 a.m. April 15.

The Oregon Department of Forestry is inviting public comment through 5 p.m. May 17, on planned projects, timber sales and other management activities in state-owned forests in fiscal year 2025.

Oregonians can weigh in on draft Annual Operations Plans (AOPs) for state forests in Astoria, Forest Grove, Klamath Falls, North Cascade, Tillamook, West Oregon, and Western Lane Districts. These plans lay out on-the-ground activities expected to take place in the coming fiscal year.  

• Online comments can be submitted received through ODF’s comments page
• Comments can be emailed to: odf.sfcomments@odf.oregon.gov  
• Comments can also be mailed to ODF Public Affairs, 2600 State St., Salem, OR 97310 

Read more.

The U.S. Department of Education has begun a one-time payment count adjustment for certain federal student loans toward the income-driven repayment and Public Service Loan Forgiveness programs. 

Some borrowers potentially may have their loans forgiven if they consolidate commercially owned Federal Family Education Loan or Perkins Loans into a federal Direct Loan by April 30, 2024.

Borrowers will need to visit the student loan consolidation webpage on studentaid.gov to consolidate into Direct Loans by April 30, 2024. 

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Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici’s staff will host free student loan workshops in April with Oregon student loan expert Lane Thompson to answer questions about student loans. 

The workshop will provide information about an upcoming April 30, 2024, deadline that requires immediate action from certain borrowers to apply to have their entire student loan balance forgiven or receive more credit toward forgiveness. 

The last online workshop is scheduled for April 17 with the focus on older borrowers. Register online for this workshop.

Crews will be:

• Performing road repairs on Sunset Beach Lane
• Brush chopping on Lewis and Clark Road
• Replacing culverts on Kampy Lane as well as Wadsworth Road at MP 1.11 and MP 1.87
• Performing shoulder work on Hillcrest Loop, MP 1.5 - 2.5. Minor delays can be expected
• Applying herbicide Countywide, weather permitting

Traffic Impacts – County Roads | Week of April 15

• Due to recent vandalism and theft of private logging operations alongside Pipeline Road, Lewis and Clark Timber will close the Pipeline Road gate from 12 p.m. Friday afternoons to 7:00 a.m. Monday mornings for the rest of the month of April.

• While vehicle traffic will be prohibited during the timeframe, public access is still available. Please report anything suspicious to the Sheriff’s Department.

Special Recall Election for Elsie-Vinemaple RFPD board members.

Ballots went out April 10 to those served by the Elsie-Vinemaple Rural Fire Prevention District. 

The primary election voter registration deadline is Tuesday, April 30.

To check your registration and/or update your party affiliation for the Primary election, please go to www.OregonVotes.gov.

Ballots will be sent out for the Primary election beginning May 1.

Recording Hours Change

Recording office hours have changed to 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Recording information

We have developed a way for you to search for free for a document that has been recorded in Clatsop County without coming in or calling our office. 

Once you find the document you are looking for, you can request an email copy without paying a research fee.  

Just go to our website under Recording Information – Records Research, click on Locate a Document.

Passports

An appointment is required prior to coming in for new passport processing.

Routine service can take 6-8 weeks; Expedite service can take 2-3 weeks. Forms are available at www.travel.state.gov  

Appointment Scheduling Saves You Time

Please go to our webpage and schedule an appointment for passports, park passes, marriage licenses, dog licenses, and recordings with us. 

If you do not have an appointment, you may be asked to wait if we are with someone that has scheduled an appointment.

Clatsop County is a great place to work. Find out about current Clatsop County career opportunities where you can make a difference every day.

• Administrative Assistant II. Closes 4/17/24
• Control Room Technician. Closes 5/1/24
• Electrical Inspector. Open until filled
• Environmental Health Specialist I/II. Closes 4/26/24
• Senior Human Resources Business Partner. Closes 4/14/24

If you have questions, concerns, feedback, or need assistance, please contact Human Resources. We’re happy to help!

Clatsop County is committed to being transparent and providing the information you need, when you need it.

Our new subscriptions webpage has a variety of email update topics and gives you the option of signing up or unsubscribing.