** CFF Activities
-- CFF Appeal to LUBA
-- Public Access to Cannery Dune
-- Volunteers Needed
** Florence Area
-- Florence Referendum
-- Farmers Market
** Other Info
-- Beach Bill Celebration July 21
-- Salem Denies First Annexation
-- Pay As You Drive Insurance
-- National Geographic on Sprawl
** Links of Interest
-- EPA's Nonpoint Source Pollution Newsletter
-- Awesome Aquifer Adventure
-- Smartscape CD
-- Climate Change Impacts Gulf Coast
** Upcoming Events
-- CFF Meeting July 26, 2002
** Activism Via the Net

- - - -

** CFF ACTIVITIES **

-- CFF APPEAL TO LUBA - City of Florence has filed a motion to dismiss CFF's appeal of their recent annexation approval.  After researching the subject, CFF agrees that an appeal at this level of  the process is not appropriate.  The city provided no public notice of the approval, and CFF had to file the Notice of Intent to Appeal before completing our research in order to preserve appeal rights.  Usually,  appeals of land use decisions must be initiated within  21 days of the decision.  However, unlike other City Council actions, annexation decisions are ultimately made by the Lane County Boundary Commission, not any individual city.  CFF intends to request a public hearing at such time as the City actually submits the annexation to the Commission for approval - something they have not yet done.  The annexation does not take effect until approved by the Boundary Commission. There are also a number of other Florence annexation requests which are awaiting City Council approval - and which do not require the city  to give any public notice before proceeding.  CFFs  previous comments about this annexation: http://www.citizensforflorence.com/City/city-com-comdev1.html

-- PUBLIC ACCESS TO CANNERY DUNE - 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.  The recent easement for permanent public access to the dune from Fred Meyer property completes 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. http://www.citizensforflorence.com/Issues/dune-sign.html

-- VOLUNTEERS NEEDED - CFF's long running Cannery Dune Sign project needs some volunteers.  We'll be presenting our final design for the sign at our July 26 meeting.  Latest estimates are between $5,000 and $8,000 for the sign and possibly even an interpretive "area" - depending on funding.  We need volunteers to  help with fundraising and/or grant writing.  If you can give us a hand, contact Project Coordinator Jenny Velinty.

** FLORENCE AREA **

-- FLORENCE REFERENDUM - As reported earlier, Florence City Council approved a 50+ acre annexation without holding a public hearing, as promised.  Some local residents tried to force the issue to a public vote by filing a referendum. See news release: http://www.citizensforflorence.com/News/arch-0207.html
See CFF's Objections to this annexation: http://www.citizensforflorence.com/City/city-com-comdev5a.html

-- FARMERS' MARKET - The lines at many Oregon farmers' markets this summer are getting longer, with a renewed interest by the public in where their food comes from in the wake of the events of September 11, 2001. "People are tending to be loyal to locally grown," says Laura Barton, trade manager with the Oregon Department of Agriculture. "A lot of people aren't traveling as much and want to stay closer to home. So things like farmers' markets and that local connection is important this summer."

The rapid growth of farmers' markets in Oregon shows no signs of slowing down. There are 68 markets open for business this year compared to 55 last year.  Just a little more than a decade ago, there were only 10 farmers' markets in Oregon.  Barton noted: "First, the consumer seems to be more interested in where the food comes from. They want that connection to the farm and know that the produce was picked just hours earlier. Second, there are a lot of interesting varieties of  fruits and vegetables that you don't often see on the retail supermarket shelves."

Florence Farmers Market: Every Saturday, 9:30 am to Noon, in Salmonberry Natural Foods' parking lot, 812 Quince Street (1 block off Hwy 126) - Organic, locally grown produce, plants and crafts.

** OTHER INFO **

-- BEACH BILL CELEBRATION JULY 21st - Oregon Shores Conservation Coalition invites you to their Beach Bill Celebration:  Sunday, July 21st 2002 at the Westin Salishan in Gleneden Beach (just south of Lincoln City).  Luncheon followed by keynote speakers Sec. of State Bill Bradbury and Governor Kitzhaber (invited, depending on special sessions), and honoring some of the remaining leaders in the Beach Bill of 1967. Tickets are $50 each, or sponsor level of $100. Tables are available. Please call Caroline at 541-547-3075 or email cbauman@casco.net to purchase. Reservations with check can be mailed directly to OSCC, Box 1344, Depoe Bay, OR 97341. This is a fundraiser for Oregon Shores Conservation Coalition.

-- PAY AS YOU DRIVE INSURANCE - Oregon Environmental Council has launched a campaign to bring an innovative and environmentally friendly new insurance product to Oregon consumers -- Pay-As-You-Drive (PAYD) auto insurance.  If you drive less than average (or would like to drive less), PAYD insurance could save you money, while reducing your impact on the environment and Oregon's communities.  A PAYD insurance option would be based on actual miles driven, much as you pay only for the water and electricity you actually use. By giving drivers a direct financial incentive to reduce mileage, PAYD insurance could reduce driving by about 10%, reducing the number of crashes, saving tax dollars on roadwork, and curbing congestion, pollution, and the other environmental impacts of the automobile. http://www.orcouncil.org/Pollution/PAYD.htm

-- SALEM DENIES FIRST ANNEXATION IN 30 YEARS - Developers of a controversial South Salem project will  not be able to ask voters this fall to annex the land  into city boundaries.  The Salem City Council voted unanimously earlier this week to deny an annexation proposal for “Kuebler Village” — possibly the first such denial in 30 years. Council members said they rejected the annexation because plans for the 45-acre property did not follow the city’s long-range growth plan and included too much retail space that could draw business from downtown. http://news.statesmanjournal.com/article.cfm?i=44100

-- NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC ON SPRAWL - The recent National Geographic special on sprawl and sprawl-related issues states, "As population growth fuels soaring demand for housing, roads, and related services, millions of people see the effects of sprawl paving over the  natural landscape and eroding the character of their communities. Apart from frustration with traffic congestion and aesthetic blight, there's mounting concern about increased pollution, strains on local water supplies, and the rapid loss of trees, wetlands, farmland, wildlife habitats, and open spaces." Site  includes background information and links to additional information on growth, alternatives to sprawl, and related land use issues. http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/data/2001/07/01/html/ft_20010701.3.html
(this may need to be reentered in your browser)

**LINKS OF INTEREST**

 -- EPA's NONPOINT SOURCE POLLUTION NEWSLETTER
 http://www.epa.gov/owow/info/NewsNotes

-- THE AWESOME AQUIFER ADVENTURE - The Groundwater Foundation recently released the 2001-2002 Awesome Aquifer Club (AAC) kit for educators.  The AAC, a classroom-based program, promotes groundwater education during the school year through classroom and community activities. http://www.epa.gov/owow/info/NewsNotes

- SMARTSCAPE CD - Texas Smartscape is an interactive CD-ROM created by a multi-disciplinary team to help homeowners and developers in North Central Texas learn how to landscape with native and adapted plants.
http://www.epa.gov/owow/info/NewsNotes

-- CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS GULF COAST - Interactive website http://www.ucsusa.org/gulf.

** ACTIVISM VIA THE NET **

 CFF provides these links for your convenience only, and recommends you research any issues carefully before participating.

-- TAKE ACTION FOR ROADLESS FORESTS http://action.zdev.net/

-- WRITE YOUR REPRESENTATIVES
Representative DeFazio http://www.house.gov/htbin/wrep_findrep
Senator Smith http://www.senate.gov/~gsmith/webform.htm
Senator Wyden http://www.senate.gov/~wyden/mail.htm

-- AUDUBON SOCIETY - TAKE ACTION - There is a chance to stop the USFS from logging new areas of the irreplaceable Tongass. Before they can move forward, the USFS had to open a 90-day comment period allowing the general public to weigh-in on their plan.  The comment period closes on August 17th, 2002. Audubon special website where you can send your comment  immediately:
http://www.capitolconnect.com/audubon/contact/default.asp?subject=54

-- PROTECT ROADLESS AREAS - You can take action via the web at:
http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/congress/ws3sxi4278xmeb
For more info:  http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/congress/forward/ws3sxi4278xmeb
** UPCOMING EVENTS **

-- CFF Meeting July 26, 2002 - NEXT MEETING:  Last Friday in July - July 26, 6:30 pm, Kathleen Sullivan's house.  Potluck dinner.  Presentation on Sustainable Development by Jan Cole.  (She's a really great speaker, by the way)

-- CFF's UPDATE Calendar

** CFF Activities
-- CFF Annual "Deep Pockets" Yard Sale 9/14
** Florence Area
-- 104!
-- City Water Supply
-- Residents Oppose Florence Annexations
** Other Info
-- Forestland to Transfer to Tribes
-- Growing, Growing, Gone - Relentless Sprawl
-- ParaTransit
-- Walkable Suburbs
-- Idea: Strip Roads of Signals & Controls
** Links of Interest
-- So, How Much IS the Federal Deficit?
-- Everglades Threatened by Development
** Upcoming Events
-- CFF Meetings
** Activism Via the Net
- - - -

** CFF ACTIVITIES **

-- CFF ANNUAL 'DEEP POCKETS' YARD SALE - It's that time again.  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. CFF has many ongoing community projects, and they all seem to cost money.  We pay 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, http://www.citizensforflorence.com , as well as our usual "watchdog" activities.  And we need your support. We need volunteers to help with the annual yard sale and we need items donated for us to sell. The sale will be Saturday, September 14 and 15, at the corner of 19th and Pine Street.  If you have items to donate, drop us an e-mail at citizensforflorence@yahoo.com .  And then come join us on the 14th and 15th.  This is usually our biggest fundraiser of the year, and we hope you can give us a hand either with donations or with a couple hours of your time.

** FLORENCE AREA **
 

-- 104 ! - Florence hit an all time high of 104 degrees at 2:25 pm on August 13.

-- FLORENCE WATER SUPPLY - The City's water supply situation is coming more to the front of people's minds as the temperatures climb.  City staff, at a July 22 workshop explained that a projected $3 million water system upgrade and expansion was needed to meet current and future demand for drinking water. It was estimated by the City manager that about half the increase was due to current demand and half was due to  growth.

The city plans to ask voters to approve a General Obligation Bond to pay for the expansion.  If the voters do not approve the use of General Obligation Bonds, then the City use Revenue Bonds which do not require a vote of the people. The City currently has three water reservoirs.  Two of the reservoirs have a capacity of about 2 million gallons each.  But the city has not been keeping these full over the past couple of weeks, in spite of the  increased fire danger. The City's wells can't produce enough water to keep the tanks full, but the City has received permission to purchase all the water it needs  from Heceta Water District.  Public records at Heceta Water District indicate the City has not been purchasing enough water from Heceta Water District to keep the city's tanks full.  Both tanks can be filled to between 38 and 39 feet (total height is 40 feet), but the city has been maintaining the levels at less than that.
Records at Heceta Water District show:

                              Gallons of      City
                      Date    Water           Tank
                              Purchased       Level

                      8/8     361,000         28'
                      8/9     352,000         27'
                      8/10    341,000         26'
                      8/11    344,000         28'
                      8/12    153,000         23'
                      8/13    198,000         26'
                      8/14    260,000         19'
                      8/15    ?               16'

-- FLORENCE ANNEXATIONS - Latest update on Florence Annexations opposed by Florence residents.
http://www.citizensforflorence.com/News/arch-0208.html

** OTHER INFO **

-- FOREST LAND TO TRANSFER TO TRIBES? - Sen. Gordon Smith says he will introduce legislation to give national forestland in Oregon to the Confederated  Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw.  This legislation would transfer to the tribes 63,000 acres of mostly protected forest reserves in the southern end of the Siuslaw National Forest, including spectacular old growth forests and salmon streams that are tributaries to the Siuslaw, Umpqua and Smith rivers. http://www.citizensforflorence.com/News/arch-0208.html

-- GROWING, GROWING GONE: RELENTLESS SPRAWL TRASHES EVERGREEN STATE -- The blight of growth spreads over the land like fungus. The Green River Valley's soils, once among the world's most productive, are gone, smothered under warehouses and concrete. We'll pay for  that some day, or our grandchildren will.
 http://www.citizensforflorence.com/News/arch-0207.html
 

-- PARATRANSIT -- Report on transit challenges for people with disabilities — and a rapidly growing elderly population — article and report by Kevin Wisselink of United Cerebral Palsy of Michigan and the Michigan Land Use Institute’s Kelly Thayer.  http://mlui.org/mailinglist/redirect.asp?i=603&l=51

-- WALKABLE SUBURBS -- According to a story in the Washington Post, "the walkable suburban community has  emerged along a four-mile stretch through a Virginia county's heart. In the suburbs of Washington, DC, once-sleepy commercial strips typical of older suburbs have been transformed into mini-metropolises clustered around five Orange Line Metro transit stations..." http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A33753-2002Jul6.html

-- IDEA: STRIP ROADS OF SIGNALS & CONTROLS, FOR SAFETY - According to a June 24th BBC story, "The key to improving safety at road junctions could be to strip them of traffic lights and other road control measures and reduce speed limits to 20mph. The system is based on no one having right of way, forcing motorists, pedestrians and other road users to make eye contact  and decide among themselves when it is safe to proceed. “The principle flies in the face of 50 years of traffic safety engineering, which has seen the  installation of increasingly more sophisticated road safety features, from pedestrian crossings to traffic lights and speed cameras. A similar "back to basics" system has already proved successful in the Netherlands and the idea will be presented to civil engineers in the UK...”
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/newsid_2062000/2062160.stm

**LINKS OF INTEREST**

-- SO, HOW MUCH IS THE FEDERAL DEFICIT? http://www.publicdebt.treas.gov/opd/opdpenny.htm

-- EVERGLADES THREATENED BY DEVELOPMENT
 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A38838-2002Jun24.html

** ACTIVISM VIA THE NET **

CFF provides these links for your convenience only, and recommends you research any issues carefully before participating.

-- PROTECT TONGAS - U.S. Forest Service recently decided to recommend that no new areas in the Tongass National Forest in Alaska, out of a potential 9  million wild roadless acres, receive protection as designated Wilderness. The Tongass is America's largest, wildest, and perhaps most threatened national forest. Wilderness protection is necessary to prevent commercial logging, mining, and road building from destroying this ancient rainforest. Fortunately, between now and August 16, 2002 citizens have an opportunity  to comment on the Forest Service's decision.
http://capwiz.com/awc/issues/alert/?alertid=366256
                                            or
Take action on protection of Tongass National Forest: http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/rainforest/ws3sxi4a78xinm

** UPCOMING EVENTS **

 -- CFF Meetings:
August 31, 2002 - 4:00 pm, Debby Todd's house. Potluck dinner.
September 28, 2002 - 4:00 pm, Ali and Howard Shaprio's house. Potluck dinner.
November 1, 2002 - 6:00 pm, Bill Fleenor's house. Potluck dinner.

** UPCOMING EVENTS **

-- CFF's UPDATE Calendar