NCA VOICE 11/14 - Neskowin Community Association

Neskowin Village Voice
November 2014
Letter from the President
Neskowin Road Fund Drive
By Robin Crowell
What seemed impossible just a year ago is now almost a reality.
Tillamook County has approved a second road access that
bypasses the Salem Street Bridge. To make this finally happen
we need your help.
Warm days and nights lasting all the way into October were
added bonuses to the past spectacular summer, but by now
you have most likely stored the outdoor furniture, cut back all
the faded blooms of some of the most spectacular gardens
ever and pulled out the rain gear, boots, and mittens for windy
walks on the beach.
So here we are already into November and along with the
upcoming holiday season there are some very important
articles in the Village Voice that need the communities
attention.
First, our Emergency Road request has had County approval. With the one-lane option open to vehicle and pedestrian
traffic at a future date pending, the community needs to raise
the funds for our share of this project.
The Neskowin Community Association has voted to match up
to $25,000 of community donations. There is a private family
who has also offered the same match. The County expects the
Community to raise $100,000 towards this project and with
the 2 matches we are half way there. Look for the article
explaining all the particulars in this issue.
Secondly, our beloved, historic, and where-many-of-us-haveraised-our-families-on golf course, is facing a change. Tom
Clark has decided to retire and to sell the business and there
is a group of dedicated Neskowin community
members working to keep the golf course a golf course …
more about this in this issue.
This end-of-season is definitely a time for our fine community
to come together to improve our livability, our safety, and to
cherish and value the things that make the Village of
Neskowin, the Hills of Neskowin, and both North and South
Neskowin special to each of us and to the future of this
wonderful community.
As you gather with your families this upcoming Thanksgiving
and your personal holiday celebrations, please remind
yourself to cherish what we have in Neskowin and to offer
help where you can.
The NCA wishes all of the community families a beautiful
holiday season as we have much to be thankful for.
Why a second road access? After several community meetings
and surveys conducted by the Neskowin Coastal Hazards
Committee, the number one project that the community
identified for our safety was a second road access to use if the
bridge was out. We all know how exposed the bridge is and how
increasing storm surge occurrences are threatening its use. This
new access will allow us to exit one-way north to south directly
from the golf clubhouse to the state wayside park. It will be a
single lane, paved road with cutouts to allow for emergency
vehicle passage. The road will be open year-round and provide
for two-way pedestrian and bike passage and one-way vehicle
traffic southbound.
How can you help make this happen? Simple: Contribute to the
cost of the road. Here are the numbers. The road estimate is
$672,000. Most likely it will cost the county more. Although the
ballot we voted on at the Labor Day weekend meeting indicated
our contribution would be $50,000, the county made it clear
that if any option was recommended by us that was above the
minimum option (a gravel, emergency use only road) we would
have to contribute more, most likely up to $100,000. That is
our goal.
Thanks to two generous matching gifts this is not as daunting
as it sounds. First, the McNally family on Corvallis Street has
offered to match up to $25,000 towards the project. And several
weeks ago the NCA also voted to support the paved road
construction with an additional $25,000 match. Our challenge
is to raise the $50,000 that will trigger both matches, and reach
our goal of $100,000.
The Committee for a Safer Neskowin* has been formed to
facilitate this fund drive. Its goal is to make our match by next
spring to allow the county to start construction next summer.
We encourage gifts at all levels but we particularly want to
recognize gifts of $1000 or more with a special offer. For gifts
over $1000 you may receive one of Kelli Stewart’s tide chart
prints. For gifts of $2500 or more we are offering the same
chart custom-framed.
Continued on page 2
Neskowin Road Fund
continued from page 1
Arrangements can be made with Kelli for annual, up-to-date charts that will keep you current, (pun intended) if you so desire.
But these charts are a beauty in and of themselves!
Where do you send your check? Your tax-deductible gift of any amount should be made out to Tillamook County, for the
“Neskowin Road Fund”.
Please mail to:
County Treasurer
Attention: Debra Clark
Tillamook County
201 Laurel
Tillamook, OR 97141
The list of donors will be published at the end of this process unless otherwise requested. Please specify when giving what
name you wish to have listed for the gift (e.g., in memory of, the family of).
Thank you for your participation!
The Committee for a Safer Neskowin* Susan Amort, Ran Koch, Guy Sievert
Access Road Fundraiser Gift: 2015 Tide Chart
Kelli Stewart (daughter-in-law of Tom and Patti Soens) designed this "infographic" tide chart for 2015 based on the
measurements taken at the Nestucca Bay station. These posters are available in appreciation to “Neskowin Road Fund”
donations of $1,000 and higher (see related story above). Kelli is generously donating as many posters as needed including
printing on heavy/quality paper thanks to the architecture firm where she works.
Special Offers:
For donations of $1,000 or more: Unframed 14” x 40” Tide Chart printed on heavy/quality stock
For donations of $2,500 or more: Custom-framed 14” x 40” Tide Chart (frame in this image only an approximation)
Here is a bit about Kelli:
As a Designer/Job Captain at an architecture firm in Portland, Kelli was spending a lot of time making large amounts of
complicated data easily understood through simple visual graphics . . . "infographics". Inspired by a beautiful calendar
illustrating moon phases, Kelli decided to put together something similar with the Neskowin tide tables as a Christmas gift
for Tom and Patti Soens (her in-laws). Then after spending this past summer tweaking the infographic design by printing
monthly postcards and by soliciting feedback from the community (thanks to Nancy Nagel and the Neskowin Farmers
Market!) the 2015 tide chart is complete and now available in a graphic art form.
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Golf Course on the Market
In early September, Tom Clark, owner of Neskowin Marsh Golf Course, announced his intention to retire. Ideally, Tom would
like to find a buyer for the course who will continue to operate the business that has been part of his life for over 20 years and
Neskowin’s life since the early 1930’s. If a buyer is not found, Tom has stated he will retire, and does not wish to open the golf
course in Spring 2015.
Shortly after Tom’s announcement, a local group met to discuss how the Neskowin community might come together to work
with Tom to purchase the golf course. When contacted by group representatives, Tom indicated he is very favorable to working
with a community group to arrange the purchase. The group determined it is important to let the community know their goal
is to do everything possible to foster identification of a buyer or buyers. This letter broadcasts that need to find a buyer, so
please distribute it broadly.
You are receiving this notice because you are part of our community. Like many Neskowin residents, visitors and property
owners, we think you see the golf course as one of the most important assets of our small village. Since the early 1930s, golfers
of all ages and abilities have spent countless smiling hours walking the fairways with family and friends. The view from the 7th
hole elevated tee is by itself worth the game!
Neskowin is a coastal gem, loved for generations by all. Amenities like the Neskowin Trading Company store, the Café on
Hawk Creek, Proposal Rock Inn and the Neskowin Creek RV Resort all contribute to make the village what it is today. The golf
course is a vital component of our community success. It is hard to imagine life in Neskowin without it.
For that reason, we are asking for your support. Please help us get the word out to prospective buyers, neighbors, and friends.
If you have questions or concerns, please feel free to contact Jeff Linman (jlinman@techcadre.com or 503-515-3590 cell), Brig
Walton (waltonwords@msn.com or 503-750-8455), or Kacey Joyce (kaceyjoyce@comcast.net or 541-736-6243 cell). Owner Tom
Clark is fine with people coming to talk to him. Contact Tom at 503-392-3377.
PERTINENT DETAILS
PROPERTY includes four parcels.
1. 48.42 Acre Main golf course with house/clubhouse & maintenance barn.
2. 2.70 Acre triangular piece just south of 9th hole to the creek and out to the Hwy 101.
3. Two small lots across from the Clubhouse (Lots 13 and 14 /.21 acres total)
4. Small lot south of maintenance barn. (.13 acre)
All properties owned free and clear with no liens or encumbrances.
Taxes are around $10,000 annually
Price - $901,000.00
Equipment to be negotiated
Lastly, Tom Clark wanted to leave the following message to members of the community:
“I want to thank the people who have been so supportive of Neskowin Marsh Golf Course over the past 20 years. Linda and I have
worked hard to bring you the best we have to offer.
I will miss you,”
Tom
2015 NCA Budget
By Rhea Jacobson, NCA Treasurer
Due to the future of the Neskowin Marsh Golf Course being uncertain, and the fact that the revenue brought in by our annual
golf scramble amounts to more than the total of all paid membership dues, it has become necessary to raise our annual
membership dues from $25 to $30 in 2015 to generate enough income to keep the NCA in the black. Your $30 membership dues
pay for 4-5 newsletters per year, a community directory every other year, and donations to various local community schools and
non-profit agencies. In the past those dollars have gone to feeding children and the needy, art education, scholarships, reading
programs, band instruments, safety equipment like our life rings on the beach, and our Neskowin Farmers Market, to name a
few. So you see, your $30 goes a long way!
In case you are wondering, money for ALL of our July 4th celebration comes from folks who donate specifically to fireworks
on their renewal and from Bryan Sweeney’s generous donation of the proceeds of his annual 5k Run the past two years. Not one penny of membership dues, general donations, or any other fund raiser, such as the Cottage Walk or the Memorial 3
Day weekend events, go toward the July 4th festivities. Obviously the extra $5 will not replace the revenue we will not realize
with no scramble in 2015, but it does allow us to basically break even.
Winter is Coming!
By Kacey Joyce
Neskowin winters are usually fairly mild, but we can and do experience hard freezes, along with severe storms. If you
are leaving town for an extended period of time this winter, here are a few tips to ensure the safety of your home and
belongings:
* Turn off the water at the meter and drain all pipes, leaving faucets open. A small bit of RV antifreeze down each drain
will keep traps from freezing. No broken pipes!
* Unplug all electronics, in case of a power outage and subsequent power surge.
* Make sure there is no perishable food in your refrigerator or freezer in case of a long power outage or an appliance
failure.
* Secure deck furniture and remove all hanging objects from door and window areas. It gets windy too!
* Have a wonderful winter, and Happy Holidays to all!
In Memoriam
Sally Maxwell
1935 − 2013
Sally published the wonderful "Yamhill News" beginning when she was about 11 years old. Her newsletter was just
as great as the current Urchin Tidings!
Richard Morgan ‘Dick’ Emlaw
1932 − 2014
After retirement, Dick and Merry spent summers at Neskowin, autumns attending Beaver football games
and had many interesting travel adventures.
James William ‘Jim’ Gerrish
1947 - 2014
Jim spent many years in Neskowin, starting in 1964 when he met Debbie Patton. Jim enjoyed golf and
river-running.
Neskowin Community Association
PO Box 820
Neskowin, OR 97149
Web: www.neskowincommunity.org
Password: fish
Annual Membership Dues $25 May to May
NCA Board Officers & Members
Robin Crowell, President [robin.crowell@penwool.com]
Brian Lind, Vice President [brian@nnw.us]]
Kacey Joyce, Secretary [kaceyjoyce@comcast.net]
Rhea Jacobson, Treasurer rheajacobson@comcast.net
Susan Amort [susanamort@msn.com]]
Terry Ciecko [tciecko51@gmail.com]
Patti Inhat [pinhat@comcast.net]
Randall Koch [randallkoch1@me.com]
Paul Plath [PNRAssoc@aol.com]
Pam Rowland, pamrowland14@gmail.com
Special thanks to:
Cameron Nagel, Voice editor
Ran Koch, Voice publisher
Jeff Linman, Webmaster
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Neskowin Gets County Attention
By Mark Labhart, County Commissioner
Two major items of importance were recently approved by the Tillamook County Board of Commissioners that
directly affect Neskowin. The highest priority item for many in the community was the Emergency Access
Road known as Hawk Street. Thanks to the most generous donation of the Walton Family, the County is now
the owner of Hawk Street. The Board of Commissioners reflected the citizens’ desire that this secondary access
road between the State Park Wayside and the Neskowin Marsh Golf Course be a paved one-lane road with
turnouts by supporting this recommendation. The Board is especially appreciative of the personal and
community planned donations in support of re-building this road. Public Works staff have already been in
Neskowin for some roadside brush clearing in an effort to clear a path in anticipation of major road repair work
in either 2015 or 2016 depending on when fundraising, engineering, and permitting are completed.
The second major item is the land use changes recently
approved by the County Planning Commission and the
Board of Commissioners. These changes in Neskowin are
the result of a 3½ year effort by the Neskowin Coastal
Hazards Committee. These local citizens and agency folks
met almost monthly and held numerous public meetings
over the 3½ year period to solicit community input into the
proposed changes in the land use codes to directly address
coastal hazard issues in Neskowin, now and into the
future. It is worth noting the folks who worked on this
process because they deserve a huge amount of the credit
for the unanimous approval by the Board of
Commissioners. It was clear to the Board that these folks
had their act together and did the due diligence to insure
that the rule changes were reasonable. They included:
David Kraybill, Bill Busch, Gale Ousele, Guy Sievert, Pete
Owston, Randall Koch, Alex Sifford, Jonathan Allan from
the Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries, Laren Woolley
and Matt Spangler for the State Department of Geology and Mineral Industries, Larry Glickman, Leslie
Gordon, Mitch Rose, Pat Corcoran from the OSU Sea Grant, Tony Stein from State Parks, Charlie Walker, and
myself. Here’s what the actual Board Order says (it’s a little bureaucratic so if you have any questions about the
particulars, please contact Sara Absher, Senior Planner in the Department of Community Development):
The Tillamook County Comprehensive Plan Goal 18: Beaches and Dunes element will be amended to include a
new section containing text and policies related to the “Neskowin Coastal Hazard Adaption Plan” dated June
2013. This section shall include incorporation of the “Neskowin Coastal Hazards Adaption Plan” by reference
into the Tillamook County Comprehensive Plan with the title of the document amended to read “Neskowin
Coastal Erosion Adaptation Plan”.
The “Community Plan for the Unincorporated Community of Neskowin”, within the Tillamook County
Comprehensive Plan, will be amended to include a new “Coastal Hazards” section and make reference to the
Neskowin Coastal Hazards Overlay (Nesk-CH) Zone.
The “Community Plan for the Unincorporated Community of Neskowin” within the Tillamook County
Comprehensive Plan will be amended to include the Neskowin Coastal Hazards Overlay Zone maps.
Article III: ZONE REGULATIONS of the Tillamook County Land Use Ordinance No. 33, will be amended to
add a new section, Section 3.329: NESKOWIN COASTAL HAZARDS OVERLAY (Nesk-CH) ZONE. This
overlay zone will replace the requirements of the Beach and Dunes Overlay (BD) Zone (Section 3.085) within
the Neskowin Coastal Hazards Overlay (Nesk-CH) Zone area.
Article IV: SUPPLEMENTARY REGULATIONS of the Tillamook County Land Use Ordinance No. 33, will be
amended to add a new section, Section 4.150: NESKOWIN EROSION CONTROL AND STORMWATER
MANAGEMENT.
Neskowin is a special place. You have some very dedicated and caring people who call it home. Your
community will continue to be a special place thanks to these local citizens who got engaged in their
community.
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Reflections on the Coastal Fall Garden
By Nancy Nagel
As I was gathering a fall bouquet recently, I was amazed at the variety of flowering plants remaining in the garden
despite the recent coastal rains and winds. For example, while the dahlias are no longer blooming in profusion,
many of their smaller, secondary flowers are still opening. Also the deep brown chocolate cosmos have beautiful
late-season foliage and dozens of blooms.
And here is a great coastal garden candidate: the Cuphea family of plants (which contains over 200 species such as
‘star plant’ and ‘mouse flower’ and bloom reliably all summer and into the fall) still have leaves that look as fresh
as when the plants were put in the ground in spring, this despite our long, dry summer that stressed a number of
plants whose leaf edges started to turn brown as fall approached.
Another common, coastal-loving plant in many of our gardens is the fuchsia, also with many species. Each plant
will produce hundreds of flowers and will continue to bloom until frost hits. My favorite fuchsia was pruned
heavily this fall by deer, but before long, new buds began to form and I expect to see flowers into December.
The star of my fall garden is the Lespedeza (bush clover), which is a species of plant in the pea family. The plant
dies back in winter but in the early spring numerous small branches erupt from the soil. It has beautiful bluishgreen leaves on long arching stems that move beautifully in the wind. Despite its early plant growth in the spring,
it doesn't begin to bloom until well into September when the branches are covered with hundreds of small pink
flowers. It needs room, as the arching branches reach 6 feet across!
But the overall winning plant for winter interest is Grevillea rosmarinifolia. It is an evergreen plant of the Protea
family and native to Australia. It is drought tolerant, should not be fertilized and does not require soil amendment.
The foliage resembles rosemary and is in beautiful contrast to the bright red, curved-petaled flowers. My potted
plant has added new foliage this fall and is just beginning to flower and will continue to do so through the winter
and into spring. And while there was some foliage drop due to severe cold last winter, it survived and looked
healthier than ever by late spring. I keep my plant on the terrace near the door where it can be seen every day. It is
a flowering plant to appreciate all winter long.
PO Box 820 Neskowin, OR 97149
www.neskowincommunity.org
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