Issues of Interest Oak Street Bypass
	Our Goal: To improve the livability of Florence through public education and community involvement.

The City wants  to re-zone some property north of town to commercial.  In order to do that, one of the things they have to do is turn Oak Street into a bypass for Hwy. 101. (Also see: Register Guard Article 1/27/01). The following notice appeared in the August 25, 2001 Siuslaw News:

The Florence City Council has initiated a Local Improvement District for a street extension.   The project, known as the Oak Street Extension, will extend the current Oak Street roadway from 37th to 46th Streets.  The benefiting properties are those which abut the right of way upon which the street extension will be constructed.

The estimated total cost of the improvement is $1,544,166, which the City proposes to pay as follows:
 

Revenues:
Local Streets Network Grant	936,000
Systems Development Charge	45,500
Total Revenues		981,500
Assessments:
Right-of-way Dedication	409,666
City Participation	26,088
Benefiting Property	126,921
Total Assessments		562,675
Total Revenues and Assessments		$1,544,175

The abutting property owners may pay the full assessment at project completion or may elect to pay on the installment method, semi-annually, for a period not to exceed ten (10) years.  The installment method would include interest at approximately 4% per annum plus an administration fee of 2% per annum.

The hearing will be held September 4, 2001 at Florence City Hall, 250 Highway 101, Florence, Lane County, Oregon at 7:00 p.m. in Council Chambers.  Project information is available at Florence City Hall, Finance Department, 250 Highway 101, or by writing Florence City Recorder's Office, 250 Highway 101, Florence, OR, 97439, or by calling (541) 997-3436.

As required by ORS 305.583(5), the special benefit assessments for this project will be characterized by the City Council as an assessment for local improvements.  Pursuant to ORS 305.583, within 60 days of this notice any ten interested tax payers who disagree with this characterization may file a petition with the Oregon Tax Court.  Publication date: August 25, 2001.