Citizens For Florence

All
About
CFF
Annual Reports
2001 Report

Our Goal: To improve the livability of Florence through public education and community involvement.

2001 Annual Report

Build a Better Florence Campaign
CFF Web Page	Comprehensive Plan Review
Cannery Dune Project	Community Involvement
Public Information	Funding
Future Projects	CFF Wish List
Anti-SLAPP Suit Legislation

Build a Better Florence Campaign

CFF unveiled its Build a Better Florence Campaign on September 12, 2001. CFF's

CFF Web Page

Our web site received special recognition at the annual 1000 Friends of Oregon

citizensforflorence@yahoo.com

Comprehensive Plan Review

CFF volunteers spent many hours reviewing, analyzing and commenting on the City of Florence draft Comprehensive Plan. After reviewing public testimony, much of which was submitted by CFF, the council made significant changes in the plan. The City:

Moved the completion date for a wellhead protection plan forward;
Created a transportation plan (omitted from the original plan);
Adopted the Stormwater Management Plan;
Included information on Tsunami hazards;
Removed the Cannery Dune from consideration as a future well field; and
Acknowledged that water availability is an issue which must be addressed in planning decisions.

We also submitted suggestions we think will benefit all the residents in our community, including: City adoption of a Living Wage Ordinance; adoption of four Neighborhood Nodes (also see map) for use in planning for future growth; Wellhead Protection Plan; Development of Spruce Street instead of Oak Street; Ethics Training for new City committee and planning commission members . We also offered general comments and supporting documents that we believe could assist the City Council in developing a much improved Comprehensive Plan.
The next step is a review of the City's Comprehensive Plan by the Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD). CFF will participate in that review, and expects an appeal will be necessary, as many aspects of the comprehensive plan do not meet statewide land use planning laws.

Build a Better Florence Campaign
CFF Web Page	Comprehensive Plan Review
Cannery Dune Project	Community Involvement
Public Information	Funding
Future Projects	CFF Wish List
Anti-SLAPP Suit Legislation

Cannery Dune Project

CFF has begun accumulating funds for construction of an interpretive sign for the Cannery Dune, located behind Fred Meyer. Fred Meyer has consented to placement of the sign on their property, and will be providing parking spaces for tourists. The sign will show the fascinating history and life cycle of this inland dune, from birth to death. The preliminary design is posted on our web page.

Community Involvement

In January 2001, CFF joined with 1000 Friends of Oregon in challenging a City of Florence ordinance ("Measure 7") that would have allowed the City to ignore land use laws.
CFF submitted a list of questions about the local water supply to the City in February 2001.

In May 2001, CFF joined the community in the annual Clean Up Day in Florence. We picked up trash along Rhododendron from the hospital to Greentrees.
CFF opposed four proposed annexations in 2001. CFF reviewed water production data from the City, and prepared an analysis of future water needs, clearly indicating that the City could not provide sufficient water for the over 200 acres of land proposed for annexation.
We also submitted testimony to the City which indicates that the proposed annexations will actually cost taxpayers over $19 million.
CFF appealed a proposed zone change in 2001. A public hearing was set for September 17, 2001, but the appeal was dismissed by mutual agreement between CFF and the City, after the City assured CFF the Planning Commission recommendation was not a decision," that there would be a future public hearing on the re-zoning and annexation," and that the City would return CFF's appeal fee.
CFF hosted a local tour of Florence for the 1000 Friends of Oregon board meeting in September.

Build a Better Florence Campaign
CFF Web Page	Comprehensive Plan Review
Cannery Dune Project	Community Involvement
Public Information	Funding
Future Projects	CFF Wish List
Anti-SLAPP Suit Legislation

Public Information

As always, our primary focus is public education. In addition to maintaining the CFF web page we began the CFF Update, our e-mail newsletter. If you would like to receive this newsletter, contact us at: citizensforflorence@yahoo.com.
CFF produced and paid for a public notice in the local newspaper to call attention to a planned City workshop on our water supply in February 2001.
We continued to submitted numerous letters and comments on the City's proposed comprehensive plan during public hearings before the Planning Commission and City Council.
We have accumulated a small video library for loan to other organizations.
CFF continues to pay for copying city council meeting videotapes for replay on the local cable television station, and for reference in the Siuslaw Public Library. This project allows those who can't attend city council meetings the opportunity to watch their government in action. Campbell Productions copies and delivers the tapes at a cost of $35 per meeting.

Funding

CFF received a grant from the Oregon League of Conservation Voters Education Fund for training to expand our organizing skills and increase our participation in the community in environmental issues. (March 31, 2001 News Release)
The majority of our funding comes from our supporters. CFF is a Public Benefit, Not-For-Profit Corporation.

Build a Better Florence Campaign
CFF Web Page	Comprehensive Plan Review
Cannery Dune Project	Community Involvement
Public Information	Funding
Future Projects	CFF Wish List
Anti-SLAPP Suit Legislation

Future Projects

Construction and funding of the interpretive sign for the Cannery Dune will continue to be one of our major projects for next year.
Proposals to annex 200+ acres into the City of Florence will be closely scrutinized by CFF. If it appears these proposals do not comply with applicable land use laws, CFF intends to oppose them.
Unfortunately, it appears likely that legal expenses will be incurred in appealing the City's proposed Comprehensive Plan update. CFF will have access, in part, to attorney assistance provided by 1000 Friends of Oregon.
We will continue supporting the videotaping of City Council meetings, as we believe this public service is invaluable to many of our citizens who might not otherwise be able to participate in city government.
CFF's long range plans include continued public education activities through web page production, sponsoring and participating in public meetings and community affairs, and publishing informational newsletters.

CFF Wish List

Development of the Cannery Dune viewing area to include examples of intermittent dunal lakes, dunal wetlands, and riparian/dune edge habitat. All of these ecosystems are on publicly owned land, within easy walking distance of the Cannery Dune and Hwy 101.
Sponsorship of a "Land Use 101" type conference here in Florence. The goal would be to provide the public with a general overview of Oregon's complicated land use regulatory system.
Purchase of a city planning modeling computer program to assist the City with their visioning process for future development of Florence.
Sponsorship of a "Volunteering" conference. Florence has a large number of volunteers, in many areas of interest from health care to politics. The conference would offer ideas from experts in the field of volunteering, and would address such issues as preventing "burn out", increasing the effectiveness of volunteer efforts, how to work with existing groups, how to obtain government support, etc.
Purchase a combination television/vcr/dvd player for the library for individual viewing of videotapes. The library currently has a large screen tv for group viewing, but it is often either unused or unavailable because of group activities occurring in the Bromley Room.
Purchase of videotapes for the library on subjects dealing with city planning, urban sprawl, and public participation in government.

Anti-SLAPP Suit Legislation

CFF directors decided to publicly release their names in July of 2001. For many years, we kept the identity directors confidential - due to direct and indirect threats of business boycott, personal intimidation of family members, and so-called "libel" lawsuits from local and out of town developers who objected to CFF's testimony and evidence offered to local governments about their projects. With the anti-SLAPP Suit Legislation (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) going into effect, the directors decided they had sufficient protection from SLAPP suits to be able to publicly announce their participation in CFF's activities. Information about our contributors and supporters remains confidential.

Zane Ziemer, President

Build a Better Florence Campaign
CFF Web Page	Comprehensive Plan Review
Cannery Dune Project	Community Involvement
Public Information	Funding
Future Projects	CFF Wish List
Anti-SLAPP Suit Legislation

1998	1999	2000	2001	2002
CFF Vision: Build a Better Florence

Citizens For Florence
P.O. Box 1212
Florence, Oregon 97439

E-mail Address: citizensforflorence@yahoo.com

Copyright © 1998-2002 Citizens For Florence. Users may download information from this web site for personal use only. Unauthorized copying or distribution of this site or any of its contents without the express permission of the author is expressly forbidden.