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Information:
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Patricia Wheeler:
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| Patricia A. Wheeler, Broker Commercial & Residential Real Estate |
Florence, Oregon East to Blachly North to Yachats South to Reedsport |
541-997-7777 - Work 541-999-0797 - Cell 541-997-7159 - Fax Click here to email me |
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Relocate to Florence
WHY LOCATE IN FLORENCE?
CITY OF FLORENCE 'VITAL STATISTICS' POPULATION/CLIMATE -- City Limits: 6700 (1999)
COMMUNITY FACILITIES -- Fire
protection: Volunteer Insurance Rating: 6
SCHOOLS -- Elementary: 1 Middle
School: 1 Senior High: 1
GOVERNMENT -- City: Council-Manager,
directly elected Mayor
UTILITIES -- Electric: Central
Lincoln Peoples Utility District
TAX STRUCTURE -- Total
Tax Rate: Varies according to taxing districts the property is
within, but ranges from approximately $13.81 per $1,000 (beach
area) to $15.51 per $1,000 (City of Florence).
FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS -- Commercial Banks and Savings Banks: 5 COMMUNICATIONS -- Newspaper: Siuslaw News - bi-weekly
TRANSPORTATION -- Bus: Greyhound
2000 CITY SERVICES GUIDE CENTRAL LINCOLN
P.U.D.: 997-3414, 996 Highway 101 N. CABLE TV (CHARTER
COMMUNICATIONS): 997-8404, 1234 Rhododendron Dr. COUNTY TRANSFER & RECYCLING: 997-8233,
85020 Highway 101 S. CENTRAL COAST DISPOSAL: 902-7554 FLORENCE REFUSE TRANSFER SITE: 997-4119 SEWER: 997-2141, City Hall,
250 Highway 101 WATER: 997-3436, City Hall,
250 Highway 101 DUNES CITY: 997-3338, 82877
Spruce, Westlake HECETA WATER DISTRICT: 997-2446,
87845 Highway 101 N. TELEPHONE (US WEST (QWEST)): 1-484-7770 OREGON DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES: 997-6837, 2056 Highway 101 N.
SIUSLAW SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 97J Lane County School District 97-J, Florence, Oregon, is situated in Western Lane County, on the Pacific Coast. The district encompasses some 210 square miles. The schools of the district are all located in the City of Florence, which has a population of over 6,700. It is estimated that fifteen to eighteen thousand people reside within the school district. The school district has a student population of 1,770 as of September 1997 (Kindergarten - Grade 12). They are housed in four different buildings. They enjoy a moderate classroom ratio because of the district's 104 certified personnel. The students further enjoy a full curriculum in the elementary school which is strengthened with specialists in music, physical education, remedial math and reading, handicap education, and speech therapy. There is a Gifted Program for grades K-12. The secondary schools have what is considered a broad curriculum for the size of the district. The district not only offers the standard program for those attending but also has good vocational offerings such as mechanics and metals. The district, working with Lane Community College, offers high school students an opportunity to achieve transferable college credits in English, history and mathematics within the regular program before graduation. Some non-transferable college credits in vocational courses are often available. All of these programs are supported by adequate aides, transportation, and an excellent maintenance force. Starting in the seventh grade, the district offers a full complement of boys' and girls' interscholastic athletic teams, and they are not only very competitive but enjoy strong support from the residents of the community. The Siuslaw School District tax base has provided the district stable financing since 1980. The amount of the base increases at six percent (6%) a year. The total district general budget for 1997-98 is $11,871,410.00. The district passed a bond issue for $4,750,000.00 to replace the aging Siuslaw Elementary building. The Rhododendron Primary building is now complete and houses K-6th grades. One of the Board goals for 1997-98 was to design a master plan for facility development and establish a bond amount for capital improvements, specifically a new middle school facility.
A TOWN FOR LIVING Think of the type of town where you would really like to be. Then consider Florence, Oregon. More than likely, Florence is the type of town you picture in your mind. Why? Because Florence has a multitude of faces. Florence is a small town. It is small enough that residential neighbors know one another, where one encounters plenty of familiar faces at the post office or in a grocery store. It is a town where citizens voluntarily staff our fire department, work together to clear land for another city park or raise funds for a new acute-care hospital. In 1993, local citizens pledged over $1,000,000 for a multi-use All Events Center, completed in 1996. Yet, Florence is a commercial center serving an area-wide population of nearly 28,000. It is accessible by highway, sea and air. There is a department store, a community college, a winter concert series and a taxi service. Florence is a beach town. To the north stretch 25 miles of clean sand, driftwood, crashing surf and high promontories. Southward is the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. Its 42 miles of shifting dunes, lakes and forests make it one of the country's most popular seaside attractions. Florence is a forest town. Tall stands of pine trees extend right into residential areas. Its backdrop is the Siuslaw National Forest, one of the nation's most productive tree growing areas. Florence is a river town, too. From more than one hundred miles deep within the Coastal range, the Siuslaw River begins a meandering trip to the sea. About a half mile west of Florence the river's mouth has been extended by new jetties. Two walls of massive stones jut a quarter mile into the Pacific Ocean. This $30 Million project was done to enhance river navigation. Florence is a lake town. Over a dozen fresh water lakes in its environs serve anglers, boaters and swimmers. It is a tourist town. Restaurants and lodgings abound. Whether one's recreational bent calls for sand, surf, golf course, lake shore or deep forest, realization is close at hand. Florence is also a retirement town. Probably 60 percent of its 6700 residents have chosen it has home for their senior years. Many of these tend to be active seniors, participating in community singing, travel clubs, nature study groups and volunteer work in government and social services. Other enhancements to retirement include an acute care hospital with a growing staff of physicians and a public library on a prominent downtown site. It is a town for young people. Florence and the nearby community of Mapleton provide schooling for nearly 2,000 students. It is a growing town. Unlike so many Oregon communities which have experienced population decreases, Florence has been and is expanding. Recently, half a million dollars was spent improving a lighted, 3,000 foot runway at the airport. Across the street is a growing industrial park. Local jobs relate primarily to tourism and wood products. Secondarily come commercial fishing and light manufacturing. Florence is a neighboring town. Just a few miles south is Dunes City. Its 1,185 residents have established homes between two of the largest coastal lakes, Woahink and Siltcoos. For them, it's only a walk to recreational opportunities, whether the choice is water skiing, fishing, hunting or access to dunes and beaches. East of Florence, further up into the Coastal Range is Mapleton. This unincorporated community at the junction of Highway 126 and Highway 36, is the gateway to water sports on the upper Siuslaw and Lake Creek. Mapleton has a small, but enthusiastic business community, offering a surprising number of services to locals and tourists. Many of the storefronts reflect a quaint reminder of earlier days along the river. Thoroughly modern, on the other hand, is an indoor Olympic-size swimming and diving facility. Doesn't this sound like living?
LAKES & FISHING There are literally dozens of lakes in the Florence area; some of the small ones on the dunes don't even have names. Some are partially or totally on private land and can't be accessed, but an amazing variety of the lakes are open to the public. About two dozen lakes are stocked by the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Department. Eight have launching ramps for boats. Most are surrounded with hiking trails that traverse the dunes or penetrate the dense coastal forest. Here's a summary of the lakes, starting in the north and moving southward. The lakes can be located on maps available at the Siuslaw National Forest ranger station in Mapleton or at the Oregon Dunes National Recreation area headquarters in Reedsport. Distances along Highway 101 are measured from Florence's Siuslaw River bridge. LILY LAKE - About eight miles north and just west of Highway 101, this little 6 acre lake on Forest Service land is a typical dunal lake with a marshy shore. It's hard to get to, but it does contain some cutthroat. It is a reserve for catch and release angling only with barbless hooks, flies and lures - no bait permitted. ALDER AND DUNE LAKES -- These two, 3 acre lakes are in Alder-Dunes Campground, about 7.5 miles north and just off Highway 101. Both lakes are accessed by trails and are stocked with rainbow trout. BUCK LAKE - A 4 acre lake just west of Highway 101 about 7.2 miles north, this lake is privately owned, but is accessible to fishermen, and has a campground adjacent. The owners request anglers to park on the highway to avoid a parking fee, but persons doing so should use caution. SUTTON LAKE - This beautiful 101 acre lake is just easy of Highway 101 and 6.3 miles north. A county boat ramp is located at the southwest corner of the lake just off Highway 101. The lake has rainbow trout, largemouth bass and yellow perch, as well as salmon and steelhead migrating through to spawn in tributaries. MERCER LAKE - The largest lake in the northern group at 341 acres. Mercer Lake is 5.9 miles north and about a mile east of Highway 101 on Mercer Lake Road. Largely surrounded by private land, the lake has two county launch ramps, one just off Mercer Lake Road at the road to the resort, the other 2.5 miles east of the resort. Rainbow trout, largemouth bass and perch populate Mercer's waters, which are connected with Sutton Lake. COLLARD LAKE - The northernmost in an interconnected chain of four lakes stretching to the Siuslaw River along the edge of the dunes. The lake is not stocked and has no public access. CLEAR LAKE - Another in the chain of lakes known for exceptionally pure water, this lake is largely privately owned and is accessible to the public only by foot or over the dunes on the west shore. It is a deep lake, and has some bass, cutthroat and cokanee. MUNSEL LAKE - Located on Munsel Lake Road, which runs from Highway 101 to North Fork Road around the northeast corner of Florence, this 93 acre lake is mostly private but has an unmarked county paved ramp at the southwest corner, near the road. Rainbow, bass and perch are at hand. A stream runs from Munsel Lake to the Siuslaw River, a small salmon run has been established in Munsel Creek. CLEAWOX LAKE - For all around-recreation, Cleawox is hard to beat. The 82 acre lake is about 2.4 miles south and west of Highway 101, and is largely surrounded by the popular Honeyman State Park, which features camping swimming and hiking trails. There is a boat ramp at the east end (near the highway). There is a very easy access to the banks of most of the lake, although the north end is private. Fishermen can find rainbow, bass, perch, bluegill and crappie. WOAHINK LAKE - Sailboaters love this 787 acre lake which is east of Highway 101 and stretches from Canary Road (three miles south) to Clear Lake Road (five miles south and nowhere near Clear Lake). There's plenty of room for skiers and other boaters, too, in fact, a seaplane even calls this lake home. There is a public boat ramp and swimming area at the eastern state park picnic area off Canary Road and another one off Clear Lake Road at the south end. There is a private resort farther east off Canary Road and other businesses between the highway and lake. Fishing is nothing to shout about, but they are in there, including some bass, cutthroat and stocked rainbow. There is a run of coho salmon into the lake during spawning season. SILTCOOS LAKE - This is the biggest lake on the Oregon Coast, covering almost six square miles. East of Highway 101, it is accessed by several roads. There are a half dozen resorts on the lake, plus a public ramp at Westlake and a ramp at the Oregon Dunes NRA's Tyee Campground just off 101 at Westlake Road. This shallow lake is often populated with bass fisherman, but most of the popular game species are found there as well. The Siltcoos Outlet, which connects the lake with the Pacific Ocean, carries runs of salmon and steelhead. ERHART LAKE - Also known as Loon Lake, this little 3 acre lake is a gem. It can be accessed by a dead-end road which heads south from Siltcoos Outlet Road just west of Highway 101. GEORGIA AND NORTH GEORGIA LAKES - These two tiny lakes are about seven miles south and just east of the highway. Fishermen must park on the shoulder and should use caution. There is some confusion on maps concerning these lakes; some maps have them marked as Erhart Lake, which is a half mile south and west of the highway. All three lakes are stocked with rainbow. CARTER LAKE - 'Good trout, fair perch' is one fisherman's assessment of this skinny 28 acre dunal lake which parallels the west side of the highway 8.4 miles south. There's a Forest Service Campground with a nice boat ramp. LOST LAKE - About 10.2 miles south, just across from the Dunes Overlook, is this little 6 acre parcel owned by Crown Zellerbach. There's a small campground with a boat access and there are rainbow. TAHKENITCH LAKE - Some of our fishermen spies say this 1,500 acre lake about 12 miles south has some of the best fishing in the area. There is a resort at the northwest corner and two Forest Service boat ramps are located along Highway 101. Away from the highway the many arms of the lake are mostly surrounded by timberland. It's a beauty, with cutthroat, rainbow, largemouth bass, bullheads, panfish and salmon and steelhead when they're ready. PERKINS LAKE - This 5 acre lake is about 13.5 miles south and west of the highway; it doesn't show on every map. There is foot access to the north end via an old dirt road. Most of this lake is on NRA land but there is a private residence. Stocked rainbow abound among other species.
PEACE HARBOR HOSPITAL Peace Harbor Hospital stands as a testimonial to the very essence of community spirit that prompted the Florence Community to support the building of this new facility with more than one million dollars, plus twenty-one acres of land for the building site. The new hospital was officially opened July 8, 1989. Florence has not been without hospital facilities, however, Western Lane Hospital, as it was then known, began in 1956 as a publicly owned facility funded through local property taxes. It served us well, but by the early 80's had become inadequate. Since Eugene's Sacred Heart Hospital had provided management services to the existing hospital, it was appropriate to seek their assistance in developing the new hospital. Thus began the partnership that developed the new Peace Harbor Hospital we enjoy today, owned and operated by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace. Florence now has a twenty-one bed acute acre, state-of-the-art hospital, with a staff of more than 130 people and more than 55 physicians covering many medical and surgical specialties. A physician directory is available on request. We also can provide the finest paramedic facility and helipad for transfer to major hospital centers as needed. Peace Harbor Hospital and Florence are proud to exhibit the hallmarks of our excellent medical facility. There are several insurance programs to supplement Medicare available to senior citizens. Among them are: Providence Good Health Plan HMO Oregon - Preferred Choice 65 Secure Horizons SelectCare Health Plans
SIUSLAW PUBLIC LIBRARY The Siuslaw Public Library proudly opened its new building to the public in December, 1990. The facility, built of natural wood and landscaped with native plants, boasts 14,800 square feet of inviting floor space. You will find a spacious children's section, young adult and senior areas, two public meeting rooms, browsing and work areas, and plenty of comfortable seating. There are computer services, internet access, information an reference services, children's programs and storytimes, interlibrary loans among other services. There is a Branch in Mapleton located in the Lions Club Building on Riverview Avenue, open four days a week. Policies Library cards - people living inside the district may check out materials at no charge. A resident may apply for a card at the circulation desk by showing appropriate identification. People living outside the district may purchase a family card for a quarterly or annual fee. Applicants under 16 must have a parent or guardian signature. Loan Periods - New Books: 14 days (limit two); Videocassettes: 10 days (limit four per household); Recorded Books: 21 days (limit six); Toys: 21 days (limit two per household); CDs: 21 days (limit six); Magazines: 21 days (limit six); all other materials: 21 days (no limit). Friends Of The Library This volunteer group actively supports the library. Its members sponsor library activities for children, hold membership meetings, publish several newsletters each year and raise money at their annual book sale. This money pays for special library projects and materials. If you wish to join, you will find application forms at the library. Book Donations The library profits tremendously from donations, which are used as supplemental copies for popular titles already on our shelves, and as replacements for worn or damaged books. Often people donate personal collections on specific topics, such as fine arts, which greatly enhance our collection. The library welcomes book club donations, hardbacks on a variety of topics, and large print books. Hours Sunday -- 1-5, Monday-Thursday-Friday-Saturday -- 10-6, Tuesday-Wednesday -- 10-8
FLORENCE CONVENTION & PERFORMING ARTS CENTER This facility sits in the heart of town and provides convention, conference and meeting rooms designed to provide the essentials to make meetings as comfortable and productive as possible. The center boasts 9,300 square feet of Banquet and Meeting space conveniently located on one floor. The are five meeting rooms and an Executive Board (in progress). An on-site caterer. Complete audio visual inventory. Flexible floor space for small groups up to 500. 457-seat state of the art proscenium theater. Ample free parking. Meeting Rooms: Combined rooms--520 banquet, 462 classroom, 790 theater, 850 reception. Total dimensions: 46 x 123. Rooms 1, 2, 4 and 5 --80 banquet, 80 classroom, 145 theater, 162 reception. Total dimensions: 46 x 24'8' Room 3--96 banquet, 85 classroom, 160 theater, 190 reception. Total dimensions: 46 x 29 Lobby -- total dimensions 20 x 96
Audio/Visual and Equipment Rental: Standard usage fee includes tables, chairs, 2 microphones, CD/Cassette player, 30' pipe and drape. Additional equipment can be requested.
LANE COMMUNITY COLLEGE AT FLORENCE Lane Community College was created in 1964. Lane Community College offers professional/technical programs, college transfer classes, community education, high school, and basic education to people of all ages and stages of life. Professional/technical programs are designed to prepare people for work. College transfer classes transfer to colleges and universities throughout the world. Continuing Education offers classes of personal and professional interest to residents and special offerings focus on the educational interests of people over age 55. Business Development Center and Business and Industry Services focuses on the needs of business owners and employers. Training and Development specializes in helping dislocated workers and others return to the work force. English as a Second Language and international ESL programs help non-native speakers learn English. Adult High School and GED programs make it possible for adults to finish high school. Basic skills classes help adults improve basic reading, writing, math, and life skills. There are evening and weekend classes. There are online and telecourses. Lane's web site (www.lanecc.edu) contains a wealth of information. A small sampling courses available: Child Development, Survey of World Literature, Essentials of Algebra, Oil Painting Workshops, Computer instruction from how to turn it on to surfing the net, Tap, Ballroom and Swing Dance, Beginning Golf, Clam Digging Demonstrations, Investing, Piano, Creative Journaling. Outward Ventures for young and old -- travel to the aquarium, folk concerts, hiking in the cascades, Rogue River trips.
FLORENCE AREA CAMPGROUNDS State Campgrounds
County Campgrounds
Federal Campgrounds
Private Campgrounds
FLORENCE AREA MOTELS
C/R = /cribs & rollaways; CTV
= cable tv; HT = hot tub; H = hbo; IDP = indoor
pool; J/S = jacuzzi/spa; K = kitchens; ODP =
outdoor pool;
C/R = /cribs & rollaways; CTV
= cable tv; HT = hot tub; H = hbo; IDP = indoor
pool; J/S = jacuzzi/spa; K = kitchens; ODP =
outdoor pool;
WEATHER PERCENTAGES
ANNUAL RAINFALL STATISTICS
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