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Siuslaw NewsWednesday, May 15, 2024 Florence, Oregon

Number 20 • 133 years

PHOTO BY TONY REED

The City Council authorized the sale of this wooded property, left, at 9th and Greenwood streets so the new owner can build an affordable rental complex like Oak Manor, right, which was completed off Oak Street in Florence just months ago. The buyer also plans to build an early learning center on the property.

City sells property for affordable housing, learning center By TONY REED Siuslaw News

At its May 6 meeting, the Florence City Council authorized the sale of two parcels of City property, to be used for the construction of an affordable rental complex and an early learning child care center. “The interested parties are Our Coastal Village, Inc. for Parcel 1, with the intention to build an Affordable Apartment Rental Complex, and Chestnut Management, LLC. for Parcel 2, with the intention to build an Early Learning and Child Care Center, the printed staff report states. “The

interested buyer has proposed purchasing the city-owned property as described and shown above to create the Elm Park Planned Unit Development (PUD) and build an Affordable Apartment Rental Complex and an Early Learning and Child Care Center. The vision at this time is to break the PUD up into two distinct parcels.” According to staff reports, the property is located between Greenwood Street and the undeveloped platted rights-of-way of Fir, 10th, and 11th Streets, north of 9th St. City Manager Erin Reynolds explained that while the May 6

meeting was the first of three public hearings, the council had already held three confidential executive session meetings on the topic. The property is just northwest of the police department on Greenwood St. and is currently undeveloped and contains only trees and shrubs. It’s 1.48 acres in size and is zoned professional office district and was deemed a surplus property in 2018. “You might ask what happened in 2018 that made us deem it as surplus property,” Reynolds said. “Back in the decades prior to the last 20 years or so, the City really thought that we would end up moving and consolidating all City operations around

the Florence Justice Center, so when the Florence Justice Center was built in the 1990s, we knew we needed a newer City Hall and actually needed a home for Public Works.” She said while working out details, it was decided the location wasn’t suitable, and a process in 2018 led to the remodel of the City Hall building that’s used today. “The concept at this time is to build a multi-unit, affordable rental apartment complex,” Reynolds said, “of approximately 36 units, varying in size from 2 and 3 bedrooms, and would be named Elm Park Apartments.”

Reynolds explained that the smaller parcel would host an early learning facility for about 50 kids of various ages up to five years old. However, the project will be seen as one development called Elm Park, she said. “At its most basic terms the sales price agreed by the City Council is for Parcel 1 at $266,000 and Parcel 2 at $71,000,” Reynolds said, noting that the $5.27 per square foot price was arrived at through comparable sales numbers of recent years. See CITY, Page A2

Hart crowned Miss Oregon Teen By TONY REED Siuslaw News

Rhododendron Festival Month kicks off

The Florence City Council paused for a photo with the Rhody royalty following a proclamation declaring May as Rhododendron Festival Month. Each member of the royalty was given a free pass to the carnival which starts May 16. Results from the coronation ceremony at Florence Event Center May 11 are on our website at thesiuslawnews.com A full schedule of events, maps, and information can be found in this week’s Rhododendron Days special section inside this issue.

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Obituaries — A2 Sports & Lifestyle — B1

Opinion — A3 Classifieds — B5-B6

A Siuslaw High School junior now wears the crown of Miss Oregon Teen and will go on to the national pageant this summer. Ashlyn Hart was crowned May at the Sherwood Center for the Arts, in Sherwood Oregon on May 4. Contacted Monday morning, Ashlyn said the title came as a total PHOTO BY MISS OREGON TEEN USA shock. WEBSITE “I was not expecting it,” she said. Ashlyn Hart, shortly after “This is my first pageant. Usually, being crowned Miss Teen that doesn’t happen. There are girls Oregon. Photo from Miss that have been doing this for years, so for me to win was a total shock to Oregon Teen. everyone.” Asked what judges felt were her “I think it’s something I portrayed strong qualifications, Ashlyn said well,” she said, later noting that judges expressed a preference for contestants who were genuine in See HART, Page A4 their presentations.

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