Roadkill For Dinner
One of the new laws in effect for Oregon in 2019 is the Roadkill law. Oregonians may now harvest deer and elk that has been killed in roadside accidents. You are required to have a permit though. Of course the permits are retroactive and you must submit a request for one within 24 hours of salvaging an elk or a deer. Salvagers are not permitted to leave the carcass. It too must be removed from the site. Any person is allowed to harvest the meat, not just the driver who struck the animal unless the animal is injured and has to be humanely dispatched to alleviate suffering. In addition the antlers and head of the animal must be turned over to an ODFW office within 5 days of taking possession of the carcass. The state of Oregon is not liable for any loss or damage arising from the recovery of the animal and you consume the meat at your own risk.
Gun Laws Tighten
Another law going into effect will further the ban on guns for people convicted of domestic abuse. The law used to just cover married individuals or couples that shared children together. The ban has been expanded to include people that do not have children together or who may or may not be living together at the time of the abuse.
Crabbing to Begin Friday
Commercial fisherman can start putting their pots in the water beginning Friday. ODFW has cleared the way for commercial fishing from Astoria to Cape Arago. However points south of the cape are still closed to allow for the crab to fill out. ODFW says the crab currently along the coast is not quite full, but it is at a point where they say is acceptable to begin harvesting.
Tree Pickup
This Saturday will be the last pickup for Christmas trees. The Siuslaw Valley Fire and Rescue will be out collecting the trees. A reminder to remove all decorations before placing it on the curb. Items can cause injury during the chipping process.
Oregon Seeks To Change Zoning For Residential
In an effort to tackle the affordable housing crisis, Oregon could end single-family zoning this legislative session. Oregon would be the first state to do so if lawmakers who support the idea succeed. Oregon House Speaker Tina Kotek is drafting legislation that requires cities with more than 10-thousand residents to allow up to four homes to be built on parcels currently zoned exclusively for single-family housing, according to Willamette Week reporters. Mary Kyle McCurdy is deputy director of 1000 Friends of Oregon, a watchdog group for Oregon’s land-use planning program. She says such a proposal could meet the needs of more Oregon families in the places where affordability is an issue.
“In areas that are largely already developed, those also tend to be the ones that have their infrastructure. They’re near schools and parks. There may be transit. Those are the areas where we should be providing more housing options so that people can more readily get to school, their jobs, the store.”
Florence already allows a secondary housing unit, known as an ADU on single family residential properties, but does not fall under the category above since population is under the 10 thousand mark.
