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Siuslaw NewsWednesday, April 17, 2024 Florence, Oregon

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Number 16 • 133 years

Council continues homeless camping code discussions By TONY REED The Siuslaw News

At 10:35 a.m., left, the moon was just touching the bottom of the sun. By 11:44 a.m., the moon had moved across the lower part of the sun. While it’s known that the next eclipse will occur in 2044, that one will only be visible in Montana and North Dakota but the next one to span the U.S. from coast to coast will happen Aug. 12, 2045.

Sun eclipsed by clouds, mostly the bottom third of the sun. While visible from the Siuslaw News office at the start, the event was Florence residents who were looking forward to clouded over within the next half-hour. Around Florence, some residents could be seen seeing the partial solar eclipse April 8 may have been hopeful when it started but likely went back outside looking up into the clouds while others occupied highway pullouts along Highways 101 indoors before too long. At 8 a.m., skies were mostly clear over town but by each hour, became and 126. Thinner inland clouds in Mapleton more cloudy until the shape of the sun couldn’t be allowed for sporadic viewing of the eclipse as clouds passed across the partially-eclipsed sun. seen at all. The sun and moon first “touched” at about 10:35 a.m. before Oregonians watched it pass over See ECLIPSE, Page A4 By TONY REED The Siuslaw News

Starbucks Coffee to take over Old Pizza Hut building By TONY REED Siuslaw News

All but the basic framework and roof have been removed from the former Pizza Hut building at 1940 Highway 101 in Florence, leaving some to wonder what’s going on with the property and what will happen there. When reconstruction is complete, the building will house a Starbuck’s Coffee shop with a dining area and drive-through. “The interior and exterior of the building will be remodeled to reflect the Starbucks branding,” according to the planning application. “The floor area and the building footprint will remain the same.” Proposed plans show that the roof shape will be modified and will not retain the former Pizza Hut shape. No estimated completion or opening date could be found in planning documents for the project. Another local building making residents ask “what’s going on?” is the former Hoberg’s Auto Repair at 345 Highway 101.

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Obituaries — A2 Sports & Lifestyle — B1

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A “Coming Soon” sign was placed on the building the first week of April, along with other signs parodying known franchises. City Manger Erin Reynolds said the City is aware that the building has a new owner, but more information hasn’t been provided. She said the city hasn’t been informed of the owner’s intentions,

Opinion — A3 Classifieds — B5-B6

and no development applications have been submitted. Reynolds said the property owner has been made aware of city code regarding signs, and will need to file a development application and go through the city’s land use process if they plan to change the use of the building. Signs have since been removed.

Hoberg’s Auto Repair was closed by its owners in June 2023, about the same time Starbucks filed applications with the City to renovate the Pizza Hut building. If you see a yellow sign with the words “Land Use Decision Pending” on a property within the city limits, go online to https://www.ci.florence.or.us/planning/land-use-decision-pending to learn more about it.

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Lawful reasons

Much discussion came from a recommendation by Williamson in regard to revoking permission to See CODE, Page A2

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The Florence City Council spent another couple hours April 4 discussing potential changes and adjustments to proposed codes that will determine allowable homeless sheltering locations inside city limits. City Manager Erin Reynolds explained that the process is very fluid as the council takes in input and revisits issues and gets feedback from the community. Community Development Director Wendy Farley-Campbell opened by noting that the session was the third time the council met to discuss the issue. Councilors were given a memo of information including a new version of Title 1 chapter 9 and a zoning map for reference. It was noted at the previous meeting that for definitive terms, camping would instead be referred to as sheltering. Farley-Campbell said she and City Attorney Ross Williamson made edits to proposed codes, based on council input from previous meetings. At the previous meeting, councilors discussed allowable tent sizes, suggesting only that industrial and circus size tents be prohibited. Regarding sizes to be allowed in a private yard where the owner allows them to camp, Farley-Campbell said she did a lot of research into tents. She said while considering how many people could be hosted in a typical backyard, she found that a 90 ft tent can accommodate four people, and up to six, but in cramped conditions. She said she chose to propose a maximum tent height of 6 ft, 5 in. which would be tall enough for people to stand in and would make organization easier. “Backyard fences are usually 6 ft tall,” she said. She said tents could be placed pretty much anywhere other than in in places where they would block traffic or sidewalks. Mayor Rob Ward questioned whether tents would be allowable in undeveloped areas blocking right of ways and for how long. “The intent is that if you are camping in the public right of way or a public place, on public land, that it’s allowed and yes, there is a time limit. As proposed, if you are sheltering on private property, either a business or a residence, as proposed, then there is no time limit.”

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