New Lot Size Approved
There is interest in Florence for developing a new hotel that will help support the Florence Event Center. The news coming during the Florence Area Chamber’s annual Meeting last week. This prompted a review of some of the other possible ventures by business entities. Last year there was talk about a new senior living facility. City Manager Erin Reynolds gave coast radio a brief update.
“They’re still very interested in Florence and that’s still their plan. They happen to have a few other developments throughout the state that they are focusing on more as their priority to complete. And when those are completed the plan to turn their focus to Florence. I think it will be another year before we see any activity there.”
Involving other moves that may affect building and construction was the approval of a new minimum property size for buildings within the cities jurisdiction. Reynolds says it used to be a 5 acre minimum.
“The planning commission recommended lowering that to 2 acres and the city council ultimately approved that.”
Reynolds says that this could open up available properties for a more dense use of space.
Bigger and Better Fireworks
It has been a struggle over the past couple years to create a large fireworks show. The price of professional fireworks has steadily increased and according to Bettina Hannigan with the Florence Area Chamber of Commerce, the budget has not, but this year Hannigan promises a bigger and better show.
“We’ve had several 500 dollar sponsors that have stepped up and made it possible for us to improve the quality of the firework performance.”
In the previous 2 years the fireworks have been on the banks of the river east of the Port RV park, but this year Hannigan says the barge returns and the show will be in a much more visible place on the river across from the boardwark.
Central Lincoln Schedules Outage
Central Lincoln PUD will be performing some line maintenance Wednesday that will temporarily disrupt about 100 customers. Gary Wenzel with Central Lincoln PUD says they hope it will be a one day work load.
“We are having to move 3 spans of line to the opposite side of the road from where it’s at because the river there is washing the bank away”
Wenzel says power will be out approximately 8 hours.
“This Wednesday from 8:30 to 4:00 pm. It’ll be on the North Fork road, all PUD customers beyond Portage way.”
Coast Radio News will keep this updated in case the outage extends past their intended deadline.
