The Oregonian: "Measure 37 Giving Us What We Don't Want"
Two more were being raised Friday at the Harvey Marine store in Aloha when Washington County code enforcement officers told the crew there to stop work. None of the work had permits issued by Washington County, says Tom Harry, the county staff planner who processes Measure 37 land-use claims. In both cases, the Measure 37 claims that might give owners the authority to erect the billboard posts aren't scheduled to be heard by the Washington County Board of Commissioners until Tuesday. "Even if they are approved Tuesday," Harry says, "there are no permits to do the work." The Measure 37 claims ask for authority to top the steel posts with a billboard as large as 14 feet high and 48 feet long. That's a bit higher and a tad shorter than most semi-trailers. Harry figures the developers hope to establish a billboard beachhead before the Legislature approves a long-term extension to act on Measure 37 claims and refers changes to voters in November. "I think they'd like to have them in place before anything happens," Harry says. Under today's laws, billboards wouldn't be allowed on either site, he says. But Measure 37 allows property owners to use the laws that existed when they bought their land as the basis for development. The Harvey Marine property is owned by Edgar and Judell Harvey, who bought it in 1956. The Sunset Highway/Murray Boulevard site was bought by Milton Brown in 1972. Both Measure 37 claims were filed by Icon37, represented by Portland lawyer D. Daniel Chandler, whose voice mail says he won't be back in the office until mid-May. Icon37 is linked to Icongroupe, a Seattle company that specializes in signboards, displays and other media. Brown, who lives in Vancouver, could not be reached for comment. "It's pure economics on my part," says Edgar Harvey, who lives in West Slope. "They lease the land and pay me enough to make it worthwhile." Harvey says he wasn't aware the contractor didn't have permits. "It's out of my hands," he says. "That's someone else's problem." On Tuesday, it is the Board of Commissioners' problem. It will meet at 10 a.m. in the Public Services Building, 115 N. First Ave. in Hillsboro. The members have complained their hands are tied on Measure 37 claims. The county can't pay for inflated damages, so they have no option but to approve them. On Tuesday, they have the opportunity to delay approval of the two requests. They also have the authority to stall a decision for a month. During that time the Legislature may approve a 360-day extension for deciding claims and finalize the proposal going to voters. Harry says he has been told that few people in Salem are enthusiastic about allowing billboards in the proposed revision. It is possible, he agrees, that if approval is delayed, the timeline for action extended and the changes approved in November that the pilings and proposed billboards just may be illegal once again. Then they would have to come down. It might be worth saving just one as a memorial to remind us how a slick advertising campaign can sell us something we discovered we really don't want. Even the shape -- a long metal shaft -- is appropriate. Jerry F. Boone: 503-294-5960; jerryboone@news.oregonian.com jfboone@aol.com; 1675 S.W. Marlow Ave., Suite 325, Portland, OR 97225 ©2007 The Oregonian |
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