Warrenton looks to add all of Hammond Marina under its jurisdiction

Ethan Myers, The Daily Astorian, Ore.
·2 min read

Jul. 25—WARRENTON — The city is looking at redrawing its borders to cover the entire Hammond Marina.

At a Planning Commission meeting earlier this month, Kevin Cronin, a former assistant city manager who is working as a consultant, discussed the possibility of shifting the city's urban growth boundary to encompass the whole marina.

"It's one of those governmental items that needs to get done that's been neglected for a very, very long time and we're finally getting to it," Mayor Henry Balensifer said. "But we've been talking about this for six, seven years."

The expansion would allow the city to conduct code enforcement at the entire site, which is partially under Clatsop County's jurisdiction.

The city's boundary reaches the Hammond Marina, but does not cover all of the surrounding recreational area, including a section of Seafarers' Park.

Around 40% of the camping area and 60% of the park at the marina viewpoint are outside the boundary, Police Chief Mathew Workman said. Park hours, parking and other ordinances are not enforceable in these areas.

The move would also ease any city plans for future development.

"Seafarers' Park will play a very large portion of revitalization of that marina, everything from the fishing pier to plans (for) potential gathering places there — everything that's in the Hammond Marina master plan and what the marinas committee have suggested they want to do relies on getting that full marina into our full land use control, as well as enforcement," Balensifer said.

Having the boundary encompass all of the marina could also assist with acquiring future grants, said Planning Commissioner Lylla Gaebel, who is also on the Marinas Advisory Committee.

Shifting the urban growth boundary line is a very involved process, Cronin said, and could take at least six months to a year to achieve.

Cronin added that he has spoken with the county's community development department and their staff is willing to consider the move and work with the city.