Residents who live outside the Eugene-Springfield area have the rest of the week to take a short online survey to help update Lane County’s Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan.
Take the survey at www.LaneCountyOR.gov/mitigation (QR code attached)
Watch a short video highlighting the importance of the Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan: https://vimeo.com/801037726. (Local media partners are welcome to use all or a portion of the video as part of their coverage.)
Lane County’s Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan is updated every five years. Mitigation means acting now to reduce our long-term risk from natural hazards. It is our local blueprint to help protect people and property. Updating this plan also makes Lane County and its partner cities eligible for federal grants and funding to help mitigate potential impacts from disasters such as fuels reduction to reduce our risk of wildfire.
Residents can weigh in on the plan update: Do you think Lane County should focus on fuels reduction? Updating culverts and bridges to withstand flooding? Or something else? Take the short survey to tell us what you think the plan should focus on first.
The survey opened in mid-February. In addition to news coverage and online advertisements, a random sample of 4,500 rural residents were invited via mail to take the survey.
Paper copies of the survey can be requested by calling 541-682-6967 or emailing PublicInformation@LaneCountyOR.gov.
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Lane County wants to hear from you!
Lane County Human Services (LCHS) has opened the 2023 Community Needs Survey! The survey will be open from now until April 30th. This annual, community-wide survey seeks to inform LCHS about the needs and concerns that you may have for communities across Lane County. The survey primarily focuses on issues such as housing, education, health, and rural services. Areas of concern identified through the responses will help to make sure funding is used to support gaps and needs for services in Lane County.
The survey takes about 15 minutes to complete, all answers are completely anonymous and confidential, and are available in English, Spanish, and Chinese by clicking the links below. Additionally, the attached flyer can be shared broadly to help encourage response.
Community Needs Survey (English)
Community Needs Survey (Spanish)
Community Needs Survey (Chinese)
Road name: North Fork Siuslaw Road
Location: 8162 North Fork Siuslaw Road
Begin Closure: Milepost 8.600
End Closure: Milepost 9.800
Dates and times: Saturday, March 18, 2023 beginning at 9:00 a.m.
Alternate routes: None
Reason for closure: A live structure training, also known as a “Burn to Learn,” will be performed by Western Lane Fire & EMS Authority on North Fork Siuslaw Road. It requires fire apparatus to be staged in the roadway. One lane of travel will be open during the exercise. Delays are expected throughout the day while the training is occurring and potentially after dusk while the area is being monitored. Please use caution when travelling through the area.
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The Board of County Commissioners (BCC) took action this week to advance the recovery process for Holiday Farm Fire survivors.
Commissioners voted to accept a $4.1 million* grant from Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) for Holiday Farm Fire recovery. The funds can be used for affordable housing development, home purchases, infrastructure, and recovery staffing.
“This is an important step forward for the disaster recovery effort,” said Commissioner Heather Buch. “I am grateful to OHCS Director Andrea Bell for her firm commitment to wildfire recovery in the McKenzie River Valley. This funding is extremely important, and Lane County and our recovery partners will quickly put them to good use.”
The grant funding will be used to support several projects in the McKenzie River Valley, including using $800,000 toward the development of multiple low- to moderate-income single-family homes in Blue River. Lane County’s contribution will be used by McKenzie Community Land Trust and DevNW to secure additional state funds for this project. McKenzie Community Land Trust was established in 2022 to support the development of affordable homeownership opportunities in the McKenzie River Valley. DevNW is a Springfield-based nonprofit that develops and manages affordable rental homes throughout Lane, Benton, and Linn counties.
Other projects that will receive support from this grant include:
Blue River Drive Design and Engineering: A ¼-mile stretch of Blue River Drive, known as “downtown Blue River,” needs design work to meet community transportation needs and to accommodate water, electric, and other underground utilities within the right-of-way. Grant funds will pay for an initial streetscape design.
Blue River Retracement Survey. The wildfire removed all trace of fences and other unofficial landmarks commonly used to mark property boundaries in downtown Blue River. Lane County is hiring a contractor to conduct property boundary surveys for all properties in this area.
Non-Blue River Property Surveys. Lane County will develop a process to fund property boundary surveys outside of the downtown Blue River area.
McKenzie Valley Long Term Recovery Group. Funding to help wildfire survivors in need of support to aid their recovery.
Wildfire Recovery and Resilience Account (WRRA) Program. Continue providing rental assistance and financial assistance for home repairs.
Communications. Install communications conduit to accommodate high speed communications while utility work is occurring in the right-of-way within the McKenzie River Valley and in Blue River.
Parks and boat ramps. Fund repairs to local parks and boat ramps damaged in the Holiday Farm Fire.
More information about Holiday Farm Fire recovery is available at www.McKenzieRebuilds.org.
* The grant funding was made available as part of Oregon House Bill 5006, which allocated $150 million statewide for wildfire recovery.
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