The sand is burying our home. Oregon's government won't let us dig it out.
For more than 60 years, our family has cleared the wind-blown sand off our own property (at our own expense + with the city's approval!)
Last year, the state made it illegal. We disputed this ruling and lost.
We're appealing — but the dunes aren't waiting. Our home is soon to be totaled by the sand.
See the change
What's happening?
Every year, tens of tons of wind-blown sand pile against our home in Cannon Beach. For more than 60 years, our family has paid — out of our own pocket, with a city permit — to push it back onto the beach with an excavation crew. The same routine work kept the public beach-access path beside us walkable for everyone, including visitors with limited mobility.
Last year, that changed. The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department went around our city and refused to let us continue. Nothing about the sand changed — only the permission did.
In effect, it is now illegal for us to do basic maintenance on our own property.
Month by month, the dune climbs the walls of a house that's stood here for generations. We aren't asking for special treatment — only to maintain our own home. Only to do maintenance on our own property lines.
The timeline
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1970–2025 — The City of Cannon Beach approves our permit to manage the sand. We dig out our property + dig out the walkway - on our own dime!
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2025 ⚠ — Oregon Parks (OPRD) overrides the city and denies it. Our dig-out becomes prohibited. This is a potential death sentence on our home.
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February 2025? — We file a petition to keep digging.
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Feb 5, 2026 — Our contested-case hearing, after 12+ months of filings, hoops, and legal fees.
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Apr 30, 2026 — The administrative law judge issues a proposed order siding with the state. We lose the round.
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May 19, 2026 — We file our appeal. Attorneys believe the law is clearly on our side.
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Today — The sand keeps rising while we wait. Our resources for legal fees are nearly gone. If the appeal drags on (which is likely) our family home of 60+ years will be destroyed by sand.
How you can help
This is fixable — and public attention is can massively help. Here's how you can help most, in order:
1. Email Oregon's Governor - Tina Kotek. Use the button below, or her office's contact form. If you live in Oregon, say you're a constituent — it carries more weight.
2. Email a reporter and share this page. One local news story does more than a thousand emails — a button with a pre-filled email for KATU, The Oregonian, KOIN, and FOX 12 is below.
3. Contact your own state legislators. A message from a lawmaker's constituent lands harder than a stranger's. (Find yours at oregonlegislature.gov.)
4. Support the legal expenses of our appeal. We're nearly out of resources fighting just to maintain our own home; anything helps cover legal fees. We aren't asking the state for money or favors. We're asking to be left alone to care for the home our family has kept for over 50 years.