Talented kids perform in the Missoula Children’s Theatre original adaptation of Little Mermaid.
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North Bend disputes housing forecast Commissioners discuss closing By KATHLEEN STINSON For The World
Members of the North Bend City Council and discussed concerns they have with a consultant’s report based on state mandated population growth projections at a work session on Monday. The city is concerned that state mandated growth projection data does not
match the realty of the population growth and housing needs of North Bend. The city’s housing needs analysis report council discussed on Monday is based on this data. Portland based planning consultants MIG|APG presented the housing needs analysis report to council. Some council members and city staff said the population growth projections did not
match their understanding of the realities of the housing situation in North Bend. Oregon Revised Statutes require local governments that are changing their comprehensive plan and land use regulations to use population forecast data from Portland State University’s Population Research Center, said Matt Hastie, project manager with APG in his presentation to council.
Based on the city’s concerns with the population growth data in the report and how that then translates to the city’s housing needs, Public Works Director Ralph Dunham contacted the consultants and the state Division of Land Conservation and Development recently. He described the city’s concerns over using PRC’s
forest lands By KATHLEEN STINSON For The World
The Coos County Commission discussed the issue of whether to close public vehicle road access to forest lands at its Tuesday meeting. In public comment, a citizen Rob Taylor asked the commission whether it had held a Please see HOUSING Page A2 work session on the question or voted to close the roads to the public. One of the commissioners said no decision has been made. Commissioner Rod Taylor said he campaigned on the issue of keeping access to the roads open. However, he said every week the county get reports of illegal dumping, including slaughtered domestic animal remains, and recently 10 trees were illegally cut and taken away, presumably for fire wood. “As much as I support the right of people to access land, we have a responsibility to the citizens to protect those assets,” the commissioner said. He said he has not found a “suitable technological solution to the problem, and it does appear for the time, the most prudent thing” to do would be to gate those roads. A few people are ruining this for everybody, he said. In other business, the Coos County Commission authorized repairs in the amount of $25,000 as an insurance deductible to repair a drainage problem at the Oaks Pavilion in the county fairgrounds. Chairman of the Coos County Fair Board Brad Burnette said french drains outside the Pavilion are insufficient to drain water away and it is leaking into the building, causing it to sink at one end. A drain at least five feet deep needs to be constructed to replace the existing 18- inch french drains and the support beams need to be raised, Burnette said. The county commission voted to use this repair payment Courtesy photos to satisfy the $25,000 deductWendy and Matt Hopping said the Easter event at Dragonfly Farms was their first major ible in the insurance policy. appearance since setting up their rabbitry in Bandon in Nov. 2022. In other business, Michele Zwartjes, field supervisor with the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife Service made a presentation on a study underway to determine the feasibility of relocating sea otters to the Southern Coast of Oregon. Zwartjes said the department is in the process of organizing open houses in towns along the coast to take public comment on the issue to complete the study. She said the Oregon and Northern California coastal areas form “the largest remaining gap” of the sea otter habitat. The goal is to restore the species. Such a relocation would benefit the fisheries, the ecotourism industry, and have a cultural value for the indigenous people, she said. he said. law.” The plan would be to reinRoadside rest stops limit The state and county will troduce three wild pups a year the time to 12 hours, said City have a “larger discussion” for a total of 100, she said. Administrator David Milliron. of the issue in the future, Also on the agenda, the Mayor Jessica Engelke Engelke said. commission voted to approve said: “We are not solving the The city ordinance as it is homeless crisis with this…Our currently written prohibits this a grant agreement with the task at hand is to comply with type of camping in residential Ford Family Foundation, what the law is asking us. … zones, except as provided by which will provide $80,000 towards the cost of repairing What is the minimum that we the old bleachers at the counneed to do to comply with Please see CAMPING Page A10 ty rodeo arena.
New rabbits hopping into Bandon Some new bunnies recently made their Easter debut By BREE LAUGHLIN The World
Rabbits from Hopping’s Rabbitry in Bandon visited Dragonfly Farm and Nursery for Easter, and they will be back at the farm for Earth Day celebrations on April 22 and 23. Wendy and Matt Hopping said the Easter event was their first major appearance since setting up their rabbitry in Bandon. The couple moved to Coos County from their homestead in Snowflake, Arizona last year. The Hoppings are originally from Oregon. They said they are happy to be back in their home state – and to share their passion for rabbits with the local community. “We definitely want to get involved with educational groups and teach more people about rabbits and how to take care of them – and let people know how great of a pet they are,” said Wendy Hopping. The Hoppings brought a couple of their angora rabbits (the super soft fluffy ones), two baby Lionheads, and Toofur – their indoor pet rabbit to Dragonfly Farm in Langlois. They also brought grooming supplies, carders and a spinning wheel for people to see and try. “We love educating people of all ages,” Wendy said. The Hoppings started breeding and caring for rabbits on a large scale when they moved to a homestead in Arizona just before the pandemic. Please see HOPS Page A10
Council continues to discuss camping ordinance By KATHLEEN STINSON For The World
The city of North Bend has until July 1 to adopt a homeless camping ordinance to provide a time, manner and place for people to sleep. City Public Works Director Ralph Dunham discussed the draft ordinance with council
members at a work session on Monday. Dunham said House Bill 3115 and HB 3124 require the city to dictate a time, manner and place for the homeless to sleep on public land. No specific number of hours has been set by law and the existing standard is reasonable accommodations,
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