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Winchester Bay land transfer passes House; heads to president
Wednesday, February 25, 2004 | 1 comment(s)
A proposal to transfer more than 68 acres of Winchester Bay land to Douglas County cleared its penultimate hurdle Tuesday evening, when the U.S. House of Representatives approved the plan unopposed.
House Resolution 514, introduced last year by Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) received 397 votes in favor and none against, with 36 congressmen not voting, according to Geoff Stuckart, an aide to Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), who co-sponsored similar legislation in the Senate with his Republican colleague Gordon Smith.
The Senate version of the legislation, SR 714, was approved in November. With ratification by both houses of Congress, the bill now goes to President Bush to be signed into law.
The transfer would convey about 68.5 acres west of the Salmon Harbor RV Park to the county from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.
The county would use the southern section of the land to create a staging area for all-terrain vehicles separate from Salmon Harbor Drive, which off-roaders and passenger-car drivers currently must share to reach the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. Commercial operators also rent ATVs along the road, adding to traffic congestion in the area, DeFazio said in a press release.
In addition to improving traffic safety in Winchester Bay and easing county enforcement of parking and camping rules, the Douglas County land takeover also clears the way for the county to build a campground in the northern portion of the property.
County Commissioner Dan Van Slyke said in July the camping area will serve mainly ATV riders and also will isolate them from homes and mobile-home parks, possibly reducing noise complaints by nearby homeowners.
- Howard Yune, Staff Writer
House Resolution 514, introduced last year by Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) received 397 votes in favor and none against, with 36 congressmen not voting, according to Geoff Stuckart, an aide to Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), who co-sponsored similar legislation in the Senate with his Republican colleague Gordon Smith.
The Senate version of the legislation, SR 714, was approved in November. With ratification by both houses of Congress, the bill now goes to President Bush to be signed into law.
The transfer would convey about 68.5 acres west of the Salmon Harbor RV Park to the county from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.
The county would use the southern section of the land to create a staging area for all-terrain vehicles separate from Salmon Harbor Drive, which off-roaders and passenger-car drivers currently must share to reach the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. Commercial operators also rent ATVs along the road, adding to traffic congestion in the area, DeFazio said in a press release.
In addition to improving traffic safety in Winchester Bay and easing county enforcement of parking and camping rules, the Douglas County land takeover also clears the way for the county to build a campground in the northern portion of the property.
County Commissioner Dan Van Slyke said in July the camping area will serve mainly ATV riders and also will isolate them from homes and mobile-home parks, possibly reducing noise complaints by nearby homeowners.
- Howard Yune, Staff Writer
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