Lincoln County Hearing on Goal 18

Searidge Condos in Lincoln Beach, one of threatened sites.\Photo by Loren Nelson.

On Monday, June 14, at 7 PM, the Lincoln County Planning Commission will hold a live virtual public hearing on three different proposals from multiple applicants seeking a Goal 18, Implementation Requirement 5 “exception” and associated plan amendments to the Lincoln County Comprehensive plan to allow the installation of shoreline armoring on the public’s beach in Gleneden Beach/Lincoln Beach.

There is no question that these properties are at risk from erosion; the question is whether Oregon’s land use regulations, intended to protect the public shoreline, should be altered for the benefit of those who chose to develop in risky locations.  The placement of beachfront structures is currently prohibited for these properties because no development existed on them prior to January 1, 1977, the cut-off point for shoreline armoring under Goal 18.

Parties wishing to provide oral testimony should sign up in advance of the hearing by sending a request via email to joleary@co.lincoln.or.us.

To attend the commission meeting or to testify you must register here.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Written testimony should be submitted prior to the public hearing for consideration. Be sure to label all submissions with the relevant case files for this hearing, which are File Nos. [AS1] 01-LUPC-21, 02-LUPC-21, and 03-LUPC-21.

Application materials related to the case files under review can be found at the planning commission website under “Materials for 6/14/21”: https://www.co.lincoln.or.us/pc 

For more information[AS2]  about submitting written testimony and applicable criteria, contact John O’Leary, Lincoln County associate planner, at (541) 265-4192, joleary@co.lincoln.or.us and check back here for more details.

Related to this appeal, Lincoln County received requests for building permits from four property owners, who wish to armor the beach front of their houses.  The county’s planning staff turned them down, because the properties are not eligible for armoring under Oregon’s planning laws (specifically, Goal 18, Implementation Requirement 5).  The landowners are now appealing the staff’s decision to the Lincoln County Planning Commission.  A public hearing previously scheduled for this on May 24 has been postponed until late June.