League of Women Voters of Curry County

Local Positions 

The positions included here are based on local studies conducted by the League of Women Voters of Curry County.

Planning 

Statement of Position, adopted April 1989 

 

Water and Sewers

The members of the Curry County League of Women Voters believe that Curry County should consistently follow existing regulations which guarantee the highest quality and protection of ground, surface, and ocean waters. 

Applying this principle, the League supports:

  1. Cooperative interaction between municipal government, county government, and appropriate state agencies,
  2. Strict regulatory laws governing the placement and maintenance of wells and septic systems taking into consideration the effect of neighboring wells and septic systems, as well as the overall community;
  3. Routine inspection of all septic systems;
  4. Attention paid to the overflow of drainage systems during peak seasonal rain fall.

Urban Growth Boundaries 

The Curry County League supports the Oregon State League of Women Voter's position which recognizes certain principles of good local government. These are: 

  1. Democratic representation and control; 
  2. Basic simplicity with power to plan for future growth or change;
  3. Provisions of services and functions of overall concern with equitable quality and distribution to the entire integrated area. 

League believes Curry County should have an orderly and comprehensive transition in the urban growth boundary plan: 

  1. With adequate cooperation and coordination between our three cities and the county;
  2. Without conflict of interest in the development of the urban growth boundaries; 
    1. In the cities;
    2. In the rural communities,
    3. In the rural exception areas. 

Planning and Building Department

The members of the Curry County League of Women Voters support a County Planning and Building Department with a sufficient number of qualified staff to meet the county's increasing growth. League members favor: 

  1. An impartial geologist hired by the Planning Department with cost borne by the applicant;
  2. A fully researched engineering report when deemed necessary;
  3. Consistently uniform and impartial inspections on all new construction;
  4. Current specifications and code changes furnished to the applicant when applying for a permit.

Planning Commission and Zoning Ordinances  

The members of the Curry County League of Women Voters support consistent and impartial land use decisions made by a County Planning Commission whose members have been appointed impartially, are without conflict of interest, and have adequate qualifications and orientation. 

The League recognizes the need for:

  1. County Planning Commission members to have access to and knowledge of all pertinent information prior to rendering decisions;
  2. On-site inspections by a Planning Commission member prior to granting a permit;
  3. A Curry County inspector to assist in the enforcement of the Planning Commission's decisions.

The League supports: 

  1. A governmental structure so organized that the responsibility for the enforcement of land use decisions is easily assigned, with no overlapping of authority;
  2. Enforcement bodies which have sufficient strength and courage to withstand pressures from special interests;
  3. Granting of conditional uses by the Planning Commission only when compatible with outright uses of the zone and with existing community and regulatory standards.

Return to Top

Recycling

Statement of Position, adopted January 1990 

Curry County League of Women Voters believes recycling issues should not be based solely on economic considerations. 

Recycling reduces the volume of solid waste. 

Recycling reduces the need for raw materials in manufacturing. 

We believe recycling should become mandatory, regulated by state law that mandatory recycling will provide impetus to industry as well as individuals. 

It is expected that, short term, Curry County may have to provide county subsidy beyond what can be covered by user fees and income from sale of recyclables. 

League research indicates that in the future the recycling of products such as glass, metals, paper and others will be determined to be profitable and county subsidies may not be necessary. 

League supports recycling education and encourages full citizen participation in recycling efforts.

Return to Top

Conditional Use Permits 

Statement of Position, adopted April 1992 

In accordance with the 1989 position on planning of the Curry County League of Women Voters, the League supports the granting of conditional uses by the Planning Commission only when compatible with outright uses of the zone and with existing community and regulatory standards.

  1. The League believes: 
    1. Conditional use permits should not change the character of the zone to the detriment of established neighborhoods. 
    2. Conditional use permits should not depreciate the value of the surrounding properties. 
    3. Community comments should be a major influence when considering the conditional use permit compatibility with outright uses.
  2. The League supports the cities and the county: 
    1. following the same criteria for granting conditional use permits.
    2. following the same procedure for processing conditional use permits.
  3. The League endorses the de novo process of appeals.
  4. The League recommends the frequent review and revision of the county and cities zoning ordinances.
  5. The League believes that in areas where site review plan committees are used, affected parties should be given written notice of the committee's decision and fifteen days to appeal.

 

Return to Top

Water Sources and Uses in Curry County  

Statement of Position, adopted 1993, reviewed 2006

The members of the Curry County League of Women Voters recognize that watersheds are a part of the earth's hydrological cycle and are, therefore, affected by rainfall shortages. 

Applying this principle, the League supports:

  1. Maintaining a healthy balance between the water requirements for population growth and the water requirements of anadromous fish runs.
  2. Consideration of water availability should be a prime factor when making land use decisions.
  3. Research of ecologically safe water storage and of sound water conservation methods in the county.
  4. Identification and regulation of areas of critical concern such as watersheds, aquifers, and aquifer recharge areas.

The League believes that accurate information about the amount of water available is essential before long-range plans can be developed. 

The League supports taking routine measurements at various strategic locations on the rivers and their tributaries.

Return to Top

Family Violence in Curry County

Statement of Position, adopted March 1995

 

The League of Women Voters of Curry County supports:

  1. Programs to educate individuals, organizations and institutions as to all aspects of family violence, and to promote abuse-free family units as those units are defined under all applicable laws and regulations.
  2. An integrated agencies system to provide family violence intervention and prevention programs.
  3. Development of programs to promote equal economic rights between marriage partners.
  4. The implementation of programs to teach interpersonal relationship skills.
  5. Development of centralized community facilities and methods to provide services and programs supporting families.
  6. Development and promotion of programs establishing a framework necessary to encourage and foster healthy physical, mental, emotional and spiritual development of individuals within the family unit.
  7. The development and dissemination of effective, comprehensive and detailed programs to gather statistics on all aspects of family violence.
  8. The development of programs designed to counter and decrease the pervasive depiction and promotion of violence.

 

Family Violence in Curry County 

Consensus Statement

[The "Positions" which resulted from the Family Violence In Curry County Study were formulated from the following "Consensus Statement." Such consensus statements are not normally retained along with the positions; but it was believed, in the case of this study, that the specifics included in the consensus statement would be helpful to those using the study and the positions.] 

  1. The League of Women Voters of Curry County (LWVCC) finds family violence to be both a problem and a symptom of more comprehensive issues, such as: 
    1. Cultural revolution;
    2. The changing status of women;
    3. Challenges to traditional roles and power structures; and
    4. The pervasiveness and constant depiction of violence without depiction of balancing models of behavior.
  2. The LWVCC finds that roles and individual characteristics within the family promote and allow family violence. Examples of these are: 
    1. Poor problem-solving skills;
    2. Poor self esteem;
    3. Poor communication skills;
    4. Autocratic/domination family structure;
    5. Changing roles and status of women;
    6. Gender differences in communication patterns;
    7. Imbalance of economic power; and
    8. Silence about, denial of, and ignoring of the problem.

 

  1. Members of the LWVCC agree that intervention and prevention programs are equally important. Some of these are: 
    1. Provision for education of communities on all aspects of family violence;
    2. Provision for spotlighting spousal abuse;
    3. Provision of crisis relief child care;
    4. Provision of shelters for battered women and their children;
    5. Development of an effective statistical program;
    6. Provision of programs to teach anger management skills;
    7. Provision of a Victims' Assistance Program;
    8. Provision and promotion of programs and treatment for substance abuse.
  2. Agreement was reached on the need to encourage communication, cooperation and coordination among existing agencies. 
  3. There was consensus on the need to inform the community through means such as: 
    1. Wide distribution of LWVCC Family Violence Study document;
    2. Development of a LWVCC Speakers Bureau for the Study; and
    3. Development of a directory of resources.
  4. There was consensus on the desirability to incorporate into the county's schools curriculum material to teach and or develop prevention measures for family violence, such as: 
    1. Problem-solving and conflict resolution skills;
    2. Communication skills;
    3. Healthy self-esteem; and
    4. Personal responsibility and accountability.

There was consensus on the need for the development of role-mode programs for women.

NOTE: There was no discussion on teen pregnancies or single parenthood 

Return to Top

How We Govern Ourselves in Curry County

Statement of Position, adopted 1999

The League of Women Voters of Curry County supports a County government led by three duly elected Commissioners who follow State laws on budget and County rules on personnel evaluation. Alternative sources of funding should be explored. Efforts should be made to streamline advisory bodies as to function, membership and training.

  1. The League of Women Voters of Curry County believes the Board of Commissioners and all other appointing powers should follow the adopted personnel rules and report to the people that the evaluation has been completed. A program evaluation procedure should be adopted and implemented on an annual basis. We recommend that the Chair of the Board of Commissioners shall make a State of the County report to the people at the beginning of each calendar year.
  2. The LWVCC stresses the importance of adherence to the State balanced budget law. County fees for services should reflect the true cost.
  3. LWVCC supports combining advisory bodies with similar focus, actively recruiting members and providing training for them.
  4. LWVCC believes all elected County officials should be nonpartisan.    

Return to Top

About Us |  Join Us | Contact Us | LWVUS | LWVOR | Oregon Leagues | Issues & Action |    Local Media |  Copyright 2002 LWVCC