FURA Purchases Old Middle School Site; City Council Meeting To Finalize ADU Allowances; Operation Emerald Shield; Rhododendron Festival Concludes

FURA Purchases Old Middle School Site

The vacant lot on quince street across from the Florence Event Center has been purchased by the Florence Urban Renewal Agency.  FURA based its decision on the purchase on the criteria that it would be a strategic location for development with a proximity to the Florence Event Center, the Old Town Gateway on Quince Street and the intent to incentivize development on a site that has been long vacant.  The intent is to attract private development to the area.  With FURA now being the land owner they can potentially partner with various entities to increase property values and property tax increment for the district.  The 6.24 acres will be in addition to the two lots at the intersection of Spruce and 126 that FURA has previously purchased.

City Council Meeting To Finalize ADU Allowances

According to Mayor Joe Henry, this evenings city council meeting will be a defining point for all of the deliberations regarding Senate bill 1051.  This bill requires citys to adhere to a more lenient policy as it pertains to Accesory Dwelling Units and will become law in July.  The city of Florence has been working on this for some time now and has been moving in this direction prior to the change in Oregon’s law.  Allowing additional housing units on currently single family dwelling residential properties requires a change in city code.  Those changes could come this evening.

Operation Emerald Shield

This Wednesday there will be a joint exercise for the Florence Police Department, PeaceHarbor Hospital, Siuslaw Valley Fire and Rescue and Western Lane Ambulance District.  The event will cover what to do in the face of a catastrophic event and will take place at Lane Community College.  The area around the college on Oak Street will be closed to traffic from the hours of 9 am until 1 pm on Wednesday from 30th to 34th street.  The agencies will be working together to test their ability to respond in case of an actual event.

Rhododendron Festival Concludes

It’s a Wrap!  The 111th rhododendron Festival is behind us and it was quite the experience.  The weather cooperated again this year and festival goers lined the streets for all the events. Saturday morning’s Rhody run winners were Ahrlin Bauman for the men in the 5k, Nicki Yorges for the women and in the 10k Isaac Griffes came in first for the men and Jennifer Federov for the women.  The 26th annual show and shine featured over a hundred vehicles with a lot of favorites including Gary Mcdaniels winning 1974 chevy vega wagon and Gene and Myrtle Stroud’s 1950 Studebaker.  at the beginning of the Rhody Festivities Florence also learned that it came in 2nd in the USA Today poll for Best Small Town For Adventure beating out towns like Sun Valley Idaho, Telluride, Colorado, Sedona, Arizona, and Moab, Utah.