Council upholds moratorium, considers vacation

The Cathlamet town council maintained a building moratorium, discussed a possible street vacation and acted on other business when it met Monday evening.

Scott Espedal, owner of some lots in the Columbia Ridge Estates development off Glengate Loop in Rosedale, asked the council to lift a moratorium on building permits in a portion of the development. The council implemented the moratorium in 2010 because the development's homeowners association hadn't completed paving streets as required in the development's subdivision permit.

Espedal said he and another lot owner, June Olsen, could afford to finish the paving in front of seven lots. They are prepared to do this, Espedal said, and lifting the moratorium would allow the sale of lots, and they would then have money to complete the paving.

Council members were sympathetic to Espedal's request but balked at lifting the moratorium. They feared the lots could be sold, and the paving still wouldn't occur, and at some point, the town government would have to assume the cost of paving that was supposed to be borne by the developers.

Council members agreed to table the request to allow Espedal time to find a way to pay for the paving.

"That's our bottom line--we want the street paved," said Council Member David Goodroe.

The council revisited a request from Port District 1 to vacate a portion of Beal Street that abuts property owned by the port, dentist Corey Blankenship and Mayor Dale Jacobson.

Port Commissioner Bob Kizziar last month told

the council that the port wants to allow Drop Anchor Brewery to expand its footprint into the street right-of-way, and the port could use the vacated land for economic development.

In the vacation, the port would acquire one half of the vacated street; the other half would be split between Jacobson and Blankenship.

Council Member Wally Wright suggested the town might trade the part of the street which the port wants for a lot owned by the port on 2nd Street near the new town hall office.

Goodroe said he would take the proposal to port commissioners.

Mayor Jacobson and Council Member Andrew Lea, who is part of the Drop Anchor company, left the meeting room and took no part in the discussion.