To the editor:
I made the following statement at the Wednesday, March 9 meeting of the Lincoln County Board of Commissioners in response to numerous emails the board has received this week.
Commissioner Kaety Jacobson echoed these sentiments, and while Commissioner Doug Hunt had an excused absence, I believe this reflects his thoughts as well.
It is longstanding county policy not to discuss pending or active litigation we’re involved in. I’m going to make a rare deviation from that this morning to address numerous emails the commissioners have received since last week concerning Ballot Measure 21-203.
First, everyone needs to know that the county is defending Measure 21-203 in court. If you don’t believe me, ask the 15neighborhoods attorney, who will tell you that he is working collaboratively with our attorney on strategies to defend the measure.
Defending the measure does not mean misrepresenting the law to the court, and the county does support the ballot measure being heard by the state Land Use Board of Appeals. However, whether the case is in Lincoln County Circuit Court or before the LUBA, the county will continue to work to defend the measure.
Most recently, the county defeated a challenge to its moratorium on issuing new licenses at LUBA and commissioners have also extended the moratorium for new short-term rental licenses. The county was also successful in defending its Ordinance 523 at LUBA and the ordinance has been upheld.
Finally, I want everyone to realize that the legal process is lengthy, complex, and ask for your understanding, patience and benefit of the doubt. Throughout all of the litigation, Lincoln County has worked to defend the measure and uphold the will of the voters to phase out short-term rentals in the unincorporated areas of the county. We ask that you respect the legal process and allow the courts to make their decision.
— Claire Elizabeth Hall/Lincoln County commissioner/Newport
