Dear Manzanita City Council & Planning Commission, We are writing you on behalf of the Classic Ridge Trail Access Campaign you can visit our website HERE. The landowners of the properties providing access to the beach (AKA Doris Davis Pond Trail) have decided to fence off their properties restricting passage. We have been instructed by the owners of the properties to contact their realtor David Mathews of Pete Anderson Reality regarding access through the trail. Mr. Mathews has provided a brief of the property owners motivations but has yet to articulate clear options for the community. We are hopeful we will hear something from him soon. As you may be aware, there are two accessible trails from Classic Ridge to the beach. First the Utility Trail (AKA Doris Davis Pond Trail), this trail goes along the sewer line at the bottom of the ridge, just outside the city limits. At present this trail has a registered Utility Easement with Tillamook County. If University Avenue continued on, it would connect with Beach Street on the west end. Many people north of Ocean Avenue, west of 3rd street use that trail to access the beach and have done so for many years. Second, the "Dune Trail", the alternative beach access trail at the end of Cherry street. The Dune Trail has been closed due to the sale of that property and subsequent building on that lot. That leaves many people with no access at all to the beach short of driving. The inconvenience is obvious; the effect on home values is clear, but also consider the risks. In the event of a major earthquake there will be no easy access to high ground from the beach short of a very long run. If anyone is on the beach, north of North Avenue, there is an extreme risk. It is important to note that Ocean Avenue is actually a dedicated street all the way down to Ocean Road. At the end of Cherry street there is (theoretically) a dedicated street down to the beach. That road has not been built due to the steep nature of the slope. This is presently being utilized by the existing homeowner as a driveway on that dedicated street access. Access there would provide for those of us at the very top of the dune but not for many others located on Greenridge, Hemlock, College or University. We can’t emphasize enough the value of the trail access through Doris Davis Trail. It is the most gradual and accessible trail to enter and exit the beach (for a projected 200 households) and has been in use for rouhgly 40 years. It clearly has historical precedence. In the interest of providing the community a voice in this matter we have assembled a significant member base and we are ready to work with the municipality to find a quick and reasonable resolve. We look forward to working with you and thank you in advance for your support.
Sincerely,
Classic Ridge Trail Access Campaign
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