Something a little different today.

For many years local people in the know have recognized that the city of Warrenton, with it's acres of flat land and ready access to highway 101, represents the future when it comes to urban development on this part of the Oregon coast.

Over the next few years we'll see major commercial development and a continuation of the residential development. More streets, more intersections, more traffic lights, more vehicles on those roads. Perhaps we'll need a bigger public transport system to go with all that.

Warrenton is well on it's way to separating it's civic identity from that of Astoria. The proposal favored by a majority of Warrenton businesses polled so far to establish a Chamber of Commerce separate from Astoria is yet another indication that this city is ready to move past old associations and create a unique identity.

This takes little away from Astoria. In fact, there are definite advantages to having a swiftly developing modern commercial center right on your door step. Those big box businesses and national franchises will find themselves welcomed in Warrenton as they do not fit Astoria's approach.

Astoria will benefit if it continues to enhance it's historic character and focuses on attractive lifestyle amenities like the nice hotels that have been springing up. Encourage improvements to tourism offerings like those offered by the Clatsop County Historical Society and the Maritime Museum. Astoria should go to bat for those organizations on every front. Astoria as a center for government continues to make sense but more government services makes for more demand on parking and that needs to be addressed. Astoria needs to prepare for a future that must include a downtown core without deserted rundown buildings and full of those little touches tourists enjoy. Wider sidewalks might be a good idea simply to accommodate outdoor dining without people tripping over tables. Pocket parks like the long-in-coming Chinese park are crucial.

The one issue there is the current location of Columbia Memorial Hospital. It's run out of room and might be more effective in all of it's services by relocating to Warrenton. With the increasing number of seniors in need of assisted living perhaps the existing Hospital building might be better utilized for that purpose. It was explained to me once that Columbia Memorial was laid out like a senior home anyway.

Yes, there is room for industry. Yes, Warrenton's mooring basins need a face lift that would include more commercial development and services. Imagine a waterfront hotel..imagine more than one.

The possibilities are limitless.