COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL January 13, 2016
Chamber to honor
local citizens, businesses
at annual banquet
In this map,
dark areas
without out-
lines denote
portions of the
City of Cottage
Grove's 100-
year fl oodplain.
Those inter-
ested in seeing
if their property
is located in
the fl oodplain
can contact the
City's
Community
Development
Department.
BY JON STINNETT
The Cottage Grove Sentinel
T
courtesy graphic
City updating fl oodplain development
code, seeking public comments
BY JON STINNETT
The Cottage Grove Sentinel
C
3A
ottage Grove’s Community
Development
Department
wants to know what the public thinks
of efforts to update its code with re-
gard to development within the des-
ignated 100-year fl oodplain.
City Planner Amanda Ferguson
said the department sent about 400
letters to those residing or owning
properties within 200 feet of the
Row and Coast Fork of the Willa-
mette River within Cottage Grove’s
City Limits, including to those liv-
ing near Silk and Bennett Creeks,
regarding the new draft of the City’s
development code.
Ferguson wrote in a recent press
release that the City is undertaking
this code revision to bring the cur-
rent code up to date with new fed-
eral laws, case law and executive
orders on fl oodplain development,
adding that the new code also re-
fl ects changes in nation-wide fl ood
insurance requirements. Hurricanes
Katrina and Sandy have helped illus-
trate the need for new federal laws
regarding fl oodplain development.
Ferguson said the primary purpos-
es of the code are to protect human
life and health, minimize damages
to public facilities and utilities, help
maintain a stable tax base by provid-
ing for sound use and development
of fl ood prone areas, minimize the
need for rescue and emergency ser-
vices and minimize prolonged dis-
ruptions to the community during
times of fl ood.
Despite the number of notices
sent, Ferguson said that only about
80 properties in Cottage Grove are
located within the fl oodplain. Much
of the fl oodplain is located either
outside the City Limits, she said, or
in the wetland areas around the Row
River, 80 percent of which are owned
by the City of Cottage Grove itself.
“That City ownership was inten-
tional,” she said. “There was a lot
of land bought in the Eighties along
the Coast Fork and the Row to stop
development in those hazardous ar-
eas.”
With regard to the Coast Fork,
Ferguson said the fl oodplain can
be equated to the riverbank itself in
many areas, since the river in town
was channeled out to serve as a log
fl ume by lumber companies some
years ago.
Ferguson said that many differenc-
es exist between the very defi nition
of development with regard to the
100-year fl oodplain, which has only
reportedly been reached by high wa-
ter once in recent history, in fl ooding
that occurred here in 1964. One pro-
posed change in the code concerns
the City’s recommendation that no
development occur in the “fl ood-
way,” a much more narrow stretch
of the riparian areas around local
rivers. Currently, such development
is allowed if the property owner can
demonstrate that the development
has no negative downstream impact:
“Important changes include: reor-
ganization of priorities; new defi ni-
tion of ‘development’; clarifi cation
of permit process and substantial
damage/substantial improvement re-
quirements; prohibition against de-
velopment in the regulatory Flood-
way; increased freeboard standard;
and added protections for essential
facilities.”
Ferguson said the City hopes to
adopt the new code in the summer
of 2016. In the meantime, the City is
sponsoring an open house on Tues-
day, Feb. 2 from 4-6 p.m. at City
Hall to answer questions about the
proposed changes. Related com-
ments are due to the City by Friday,
Feb. 19.
Those interested in seeing if their
property is impacted by changes in
the proposed development code can
contact the Community Develop-
ment Department 541-942-3340
or visit City Hall to review current
fl oodplain maps.
s
t
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r
g
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o
C o our s!
t ner
n
i
W
he Cottage Grove Chamber of
Commerce will honor outstanding
local citizens and businesses at its an-
nual banquet this weekend.
The banquet, scheduled to take place
Saturday beginning at 5:30 p.m. at Em-
erald Valley Golf Club and Resort in
Creswell, will honor the Teacher of the
Year and Classifi ed Employee of the
Year award recipients from South Lane
School District, in addition to Cottage
Grove’s Junior First Citizen, First Citi-
zen, Distinguished Service Award recip-
ient and Business of the Year Award.
Chamber Executive Director Travis
Palmer told the Sentinel Monday that
some of the award winners had already
been announced. This year’s Distin-
courtesy photo
guished Service Award winner, selected South Lane Superintendent Krista
annually by representatives from area Parent with co-Teacher of the Year
service clubs, is Joe Raade. Raade vol- Peggy Lintula.
unteers with the Bohemia Sunrisers Ki- for families and children,” said the news-
wanis group and has recently served on letter.
the South Lane School Board.
Teixiera assists students during class-
Just before winter break, South Lane room instruction, schedules the Individ-
School District honored its classifi ed ualized Education Plan (IEP) meetings
employee and teachers of the year for for the high school and does paperwork
2015. Bohemia Elementary third-grade for the Special Education Department.
teacher Debbie Taie and A Primary Con-
“Diana is calm and patient with stu-
nection founder Peggy Lintula were an- dents and staff, is highly organized and
nounced as co-Teachers of the Year, and a great communicator,” said the newslet-
Diana Teixeira, an educational assistant ter. “She will regularly stay after class
at Cottage Grove High School who has or school to assist students with their
been working in the school district for schoolwork.”
11 years, was named Classifi ed Employ-
Scholarships for Cottage Grove’s Ju-
ee of the Year.
nior First Citizen award were presented
According to SLSD’s “What’s Right” to winner Eve Cornelius in the amount
newsletter, Taie has been teaching at Bo- of $1000 and to runner-up Kale’a Gal-
hemia for 29 years.
breath in the amount of $750. Palmer
“Debbie is described by her peers as said there were 13 applicants for the
someone who doesn’t give up on any scholarships.
students, has a level of patience and un-
Nominees for the First Citizen award
derstanding that allows for her students were Darby Valley, George Devine and
to fl ourish and is a leader in the school Paul Tocco. Palmer explained that the
who is nurturing to students and staff. winners were chosen from the results of
She is positive, warm, and is always a “detailed nomination sheet," adding
there for staff to listen and share,” the that voting in this case was extremely
newsletter said.
close.
Meanwhile, Lintula has been work-
“Both the First Citizen and Business
ing in South Lane School District for 35 of the Year awards were too close to call
years and founded A Primary Connec- until the last few votes,” he said. “And of
tion 25 years ago.
course, everybody is deserving.”
“Peggy demonstrates respect for ev-
Carousel House Bed and Breakfast and
eryone, and teaches that level of respect Catering was nominated for Business of
to everyone both professionally and per- the Year, as were South Lane Wheels and
sonally. She is relentless in her advocacy Cascade Home Center.
E
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R E
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South on Hwy 99 past the High School
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Call 541.767.0358
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