Citizens For Florence

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CFF
Annual Reports
2002 Report

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

2002 Annual Report

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

Build a Better Florence Campaign

CFF unveiled its Build a Better Florence Campaign Campaign in September 2001. CFF's goal was to incorporate many of these ideas into the City's comprehensive plan.   In 2002, CFF presented our ideas to:

     ●    Florence Democratic Club
     ●    Florence City Club
     ●    Florence Community through an appearance on the local Community Forum on KCST Radio

The overall community response is most encouraging - another indication that CFF's message of "smart development" is winning support in Florence. For more information, see CFF’s “Vision For Florence”

CFF’s “VISION FOR FLORENCE”

We envision a Florence that:

     ■    Maintains and enhances existing city services before allowing expansion
     ■    Promotes economic vitality
     ■    Makes the best use of taxpayer resources and enhances property values by discouraging sprawl and encouraging
    redevelopment and infill
     ■    Encourages Neighborhood areas
     ■    Promotes youth and senior amenities
     ■    Is pedestrian and bicycle friendly
     ■    Is visually attractive, with parks, open space, and scenic amenities

■ Promotes city policies that protect the environment

Comprehensive Plan Review

In 2002, 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.

One major change in the final draft which was submitted to DLCD included the addition of over 160 more acres into the Urban Growth Boundary to accommodate a proposed Indian Casino. The public was never allowed opportunity to comment on this change. CFF filed an objection with DLCD. The City then withdrew that portion of the Comprehensive Plan, and has scheduled public hearings for mid-March 2003.
CFF also filed objections to increasing traffic in front of four schools, and encouraging sprawl along Hwy 101. CFF also suggested creation of a Wellhead Protection Plan for the community's water supply, a Living Wage Ordinance, creation of Neighborhood Nodes, a Dune Transition Plan, public ownership of land for community wells, and re-development of existing commercial and residential lands. The DLCD director determined that inmost instances, the City had complied with legal requirements, and did not support CFF’s objections. However, theCity’s proposed expansion of the Urban

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

Cannery Dune Project

CFF has long worked on obtaining legal public access to the Cannery Dune - the 20+ acre dune area behind the Florence Fred Meyer. Before CFF's involvement, the public had to illegally trespass across private property to get to the dune. After negotiations with Fred Meyer Stores which owns the property adjacent to the dune, CFF obtained permission to place the Cannery Dune Interpretive sign on Fred Meyer Property. In 2002, CFF obtained a legal easement for permanent public access to the dune from Fred Meyer property - and complete the first phase of our project. Now, on to phase 2 - funding and construction of the sign. Design for the sign is nearing completion, and the process of obtaining funds to build it are on-going. See the preliminary design on our web page.

CFF Web Page

Local issues continue to be our primary focus on the CFF Web Site. Increased local interest in a proposed gambling casino near Florence prompted us to add a Casino Information page.
Web site maintenance is provided by volunteers. Our internet presence costs $75 a quarter, a total of $300 per year. If you have ideas for our web site, let us know. Contact us at: citizensforflorence@yahoo.co

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

Community Involvement

A local developer asked CFF to review his preliminary plans. After careful review, CFF decided to take no position
on the development, but did offer ideas for improvement in the preliminary design of the 32-acre development next to the Florence Airport. After meeting with the developer, the original plans were changed, incorporating some of CFF’s ideas.

In spite of objections from CFF, the public, and another local government agency, the City of Florence approved an annexation of land north of Florence on Highway 101. The City Council had previously promised CFF that a public hearing would be held on this annexation, but did not do so. There was no public notice of the City's action, other than an agenda item listed in the City Council packet which was not available to the public until two days before the meeting. The Council made their decision at their regular council meeting. CFF tried to appeal the decision, but must wait until the issue goes before the Lane County Boundary Commission. There are also a number of other Florence annexation requests which are awaiting City Council approval - and which the City contends do not require any public notice. CFF's previous comments about this annexation.

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.

Funding

Years ago, a local developer was quoted in the newspaper saying that CFF had better have "deep pockets" if they were going to oppose his plans for building a 40 store outlet mall in Florence. Well, he was right, it costs money to do the things CFF does. For a number of years, CFF paid for copying and distributing City Council meeting videotapes to the Public Library and the local cable station for re-broadcast. We do research that no one else does, and offer testimony at public hearings. We're working on an interpretive sign at the Cannery Dune (behind Fred Meyer) that is estimated to cost around $5,000. CFF also maintains a web page, as well as our usual "watchdog" activities.
The majority of our funding comes from our supporters - either through direct donations or our annual CFF Deep Pockets Yard Sale.”. CFF is a Public Benefit, Not-For-Profit Corporation recognized by the IRS.

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

Future Projects

Continue CFF’s Build a Better Florence Campaign.
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.
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 increasing the effectiveness of volunteer efforts, 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.

Zane Ziemer, President

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

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

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