Planning commission to consider approval of Ocean Dunes housing and Wyndham extension. Bear lady speaks out, food share volunteers sought.

City recommends approval of Ocean Dunes housing plan…

The public comment period has been closed and the Florence Planning Commission will deliberate this evening on a request for preliminary approval for a 97-unit planned unit development on the south end of Ocean Dunes Golf Links. Access for the 29-acre, two-phase plan would come primarily through an existing neighborhood and that’s drawn opposition from neighbors who say there’s enough traffic on their streets already. Developers say the existing streets were designed and built with the possibility in mind that they would eventually serve as access streets for this development. The Ocean Dunes proposal has been scaled back slightly. A third phase covering eight acres and containing 23 units has been withdrawn for now. The staff report drawn up by the City of Florence is endorsing approval of the plan, saying it meets all applicable codes and requirements. Several conditions of approval are included in that endorsement, including a requirement that construction access for both phases be routed either through Three Rivers Casino or city property to the northwest, keeping heavy trucks off neighborhood streets. The Planning Commission meets at Florence City Hall at seven pm this evening.

Florence Planning Commissioners will consider an extension this evening on an approval granted last year for a 120-unit time share resort. The Wyndham Timeshare was highly touted at the time as being a possible economic boon to the core downtown area when first proposed. Economic considerations caused the New Jersey based company to withdraw those plans last fall and opt out of plans to purchase the property across from the Florence Events Center. The landowners, Aspen Florence LLC purchased the approval rights and have asked for the extension.

The woman convicted in Lincoln County earlier this month of disturbing wildlife by feeding several bears near her Yachats River home spoke up in her defense last week. Karen Noyes said she missed the final day of her trial because she was sick and not because she left on vacation as had been reported in some press accounts. Noyes also said a neighbor never told her to stop feeding the bears and actually encouraged her to continue the feeding. She also maintains a state wildlife official told her it was legal to feed bears… the same official she says, that ultimately testified against her.

If you look at the right time tomorrow morning, you just might see more real estate than usual. A series of extremely low tides along the Oregon Coast means tide pools, shipwrecks and even ‘ghost forests’ might be visible. Tides of minus three-feet are expected along the northern coast but, according to tables published by NOAA, they’ll be minus 2.1 feet on the Siuslaw and area beaches. Tomorrow’s low tide at Florence on the Siuslaw River is expected at 9:05 AM.

Got some time on your hands? Karen Lyn wants to help you use it up. Recent changes at Florence Food Share from a ‘food box’ pantry to more of a shopping experience means more volunteers are needed says the manager of that facility. Lyn says there are also volunteer opportunities in the ‘back of the house’ re-packing bulk foods and sorting donations. Florence Food Share assists as many as 600 households each month with emergency food rations. It’s at 2190 Spruce Street next to New Life Lutheran Church.

TAKING A LOOK INTO COAST RADIO SPORTS:

American Legion Baseball:
The Three Rivers Sandblasters posted 19 hits in a 9-5 win over the Post Nine Highwaymen yesterday in Salem. Eddie Crowe had a triple and three singles… brother Joe Crowe settled for just three singles without the triple. Kyle Davis had two RBI for the ‘Blasters on two doubles. He also picked up the win in relief, coming in for starter Trevor Roberts in the seventh inning. Drew Thomas took the loss for Post 9, his second against Three Rivers.

Northwest League Baseball:
Vincent Belnome had a double, a homer and three RBI to lead the Eugene Emeralds to a 7-5 win over the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes. Jason Codiroli and Chadd Hartman also homered for the Emeralds, who scored three runs in the first and never trailed.

On The Schedule:
The Sandblasters are in Corvallis this evening against Richie’s Market. The Emeralds begin their first road trip of the season this evening when they open up a five game series against the Yakima Bears.