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Clatsop County debates 'shall' language for cable-landing, dredging policies in comprehensive-plan update
Summary
County planners proposed enforceable 'shall' policies for cable landings and dredge material disposal in comprehensive-plan goals 16–18 to preserve the county's ability to influence future federal projects; staff will meet with the Oregon Fishermen's Cable Committee and incorporate comments.
Senior planner David Cook presented draft policy language for the comprehensive-plan update covering goals 16, 17 and 18, and highlighted two topics staff marked for particular board attention: cable landings and dredging/dredge material disposal.
Cook told the board that cable-landing policies are not a state or federal mandate but recommended some policies use mandatory ‘shall’ language so the county would have enforceable policies to influence federal actions. “We need some policies with shall language in order to have an enforceable policy,” Cook said, adding that federal projects sometimes must be consistent with local enforceable policies and without such language the county “wouldn’t have a voice” on future proposals.
Cook also said the county received written public comments from Scott McMullen of the Oregon Fishermen’s Cable Committee (documented in the agenda materials) and that staff had arranged to speak with McMullen the following day to address his concerns. Staff directed commissioners to pages 109–111 of the agenda for the cable-landing policy drafts; Cook noted the county’s existing dredging and dredge material disposal section already uses some mandatory language and that staff proposed clarifying or adding language in goals 16 and 17 for similar reasons.
Several commissioners asked that policies the county proposes on its own (not required by state or federal law) be explicitly labeled and accompanied by a short explanation of why the county is adopting mandatory language. Commissioner Webb said she wanted to know “why” particular local-only policies are included rather than accept prior text “just because it was there prior.” Commissioners and staff agreed the ordinance-reading materials should include clear explanations for locally adopted 'shall' provisions.
Cook said the next steps are to incorporate stakeholder and planning commission input into a subsequent draft, bring that draft back to the planning commission for a formal recommendation, and then return to the board with the consolidated text. No vote occurred during the work session.
