Property Owner Input Sought for Watershed Protections
For the past three years the Siuslaw Estuary Partnership has been working on evaluating water quality in and around the Florence area north of the Siuslaw River.
Carol Heinkel — “The ultimate goal is to protect and improve water quality in the North Florence sole source dunal aquifer, and also protect fish and wildlife habitat.”
Carol Heinkel says the partnership is made up of the City of Florence and federal, state and local agencies. There have been several citizen forums over the past three years, but now, she says, it’s time to expand the outreach.
Carol Heinkel — “And by outreach I mean is, not outreach to just general interest groups, but, this outreach is actually to those who would potentially effected by the Comprehensive Plan and code amendments.”
Ultimately, the goal is to create a plan that will protect water resources and that includes changes to the city’s comprehensive plan. Those will be taken to the Florence City Council early in 2013.
Carol Heinkel — “Hopefully by then, we’re hoping that we will have talked to everybody, gotten their feedback, addressed their issues. So we’re hoping that we’re really… if there’s something to testify to, hopefully it will just be in support.”
Heceta Water PUD Hearing
A public hearing this evening at Siuslaw Public Library will allow residents in the Florence Urban Growth Boundary and north of Florence the chance to provide input on a proposal that would create a new People’s Utility District to assume operation of the Heceta Water District.
The Oregon Department of Energy regulates formation of PUDs, no matter what the purpose is. They’ll take testimony from residents this evening beginning at seven PM at Siusalaw Public Library. Chief Petitioner Ron Gerber has said the move is intended to help protect Heceta Water from loss of territory as the City of Florence expands. The matter will eventually be sent to voters.
City Hall Week
It’s “City Hall Week” in Oregon… that means local elected officials will be spending time with legislative candidates talking about issues of importance. 21 different locations in Oregon will be hosting public forums Wednesday; one of those locations will be Florence City Hall. Candidates for local legislative office, as well as incumbents and elected officials from several different central coast cities will be in attendance beginning at noon Wednesday to talk about finance reform; land use issues; assessed values of properties; jobs; and 9-1-1 services. The public is invited to attend.
Park Smoking Ban Pushed
A smoking ban at Lane County facilities could be expanded beyond the walls of buildings and onto the 46-hundred acres of parks, campgrounds and open space operated by the Lane County Parks Department. Alicia Hays, the head of Lane County Public Health, says her office is meeting with residents and staff members around the county with the intention of expanding the smoking ban. Hays says the final decision would be left up to the County Commission. Lane County has 73 parks and other recreation facilities that would be impacted by the ban.
