Local businesses have until October 31 to opt in to a new, reduced-cost storm drain cleaning program. Lane County’s Stormwater Management Program has partnered with Stormwater Protection Systems (SPS) to provide discounted storm drain cleaning. This voluntary program allows county businesses to clean their private storm drains for a reduced flat fee of $65 per drain.
Stormwater often drains directly into rivers and streams without treatment, resulting in pollutants from parking lots and roadways contributing to water quality issues. Storm drain cleaning and maintenance are vital in ensuring clean waterways by removing contaminants like oil, pesticides, and fertilizers.
Businesses are responsible for cleaning and maintaining privately owned storm drains in their parking lots. Removing debris and sediment from storm drains reduces flooding by increasing stormwater system capacity during heavy rainfall. The program aims to make this service more affordable and encourage bi-annual cleanings—improving critical streams and rivers.
Businesses are eligible to sign up each fall and spring in anticipation of heavy rainfall and more water entering the storm drain systems. To register a company for the fall program, visit www.LaneCountyOR.gov/SCAP and sign up by October 31.
The $65-per-drain fee covers debris removal from standard parking lot drains, power washing in and around the drain, and disposal of all contaminated sediment. The program does not cover additional fees for jetting, repair, or oversized storm drains.
About the Lane County Stormwater Management Program
The Lane County Stormwater Management Program was created in 2007 to comply with Phase II of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). The NPDES is a federal permit under the Clean Water Act that requires municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s) operators to implement best management practices to prevent contaminants from reaching streams via stormwater runoff. The Phase II permit requires all affected municipalities to create and implement a Stormwater Management Program (SWMP), which addresses six minimum control measures to significantly reduce pollutants discharged into water bodies. More information is available online.
About Stormwater Protection Systems
Stormwater Protection Systems offers a range of services to manage and maintain stormwater drainage systems for businesses, public agencies, and schools in Lane County. Formally known as Gibson Steel Basins, SPS has been operating locally for 20 years. In addition to storm drain cleaning, they specialize in stormwater filtration services, repair, erosion control products, site inspections, and maintenance programs to benefit local streams and rivers. For more information, visit sps-maintenance.com.
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Lane County Elections has been recognized by the National Association of Election Officials (NAEO) for its outstanding efforts to ensure the integrity and security of the democratic process.
“This award is a testament to our team’s tireless dedication to upholding the fundamental principles of democracy,” said County Administrator Steve Mokrohisky. “We are honored to be recognized for our innovative approaches to election security, and we remain committed to providing voters the utmost confidence in the integrity of our electoral process.”
Lane County Elections was recognized for three things designed to increase confidence in the elections process: access to a 24-hour livestream of the Elections Office during every election; publishing an 8-step Mail Ballot Processing Guide; and publicizing a tentative schedule of mail ballot processing activities so people can follow along with the process in real time. When used in concert, these three things empower observers to view the mail ballot process easily and meaningfully.
For upcoming elections, people interested in observing the process can access the livestream and other information at www.LaneCountyOR.gov/Elections. The livestream begins on the day ballots are mailed and continues until election certification is complete. Detailed information about elections security in Lane County is also available on the Elections website.
The National Association of Election Officials (NAEO) is an organization dedicated to promoting and preserving the integrity of elections in the United States. Through collaboration, education, and recognition, NAEO supports election officials in their efforts to uphold the highest standards of election administration and security.
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***Update: The planned ecological burn in the South Bottomlands area of Mt. Pisgah has been canceled today.**
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Lane County Parks, in cooperation with the Friends of Buford Park and Mt. Pisgah, as well as US Fish & Wildlife Service and Rivers to Ridges partners, will be conducting an ecological – or prescribed – burn at the Howard Buford Recreation Area (HBRA) today, weather permitting. The ecological burn will help enhance prairie and savanna habitats within the park.
“Howard Buford Recreation Area supports one of the largest remaining blocks of prairie and oak habitats in the Willamette Valley, and fire is a regular and natural part of the environment of these habitats,” said Lane County Parks Natural Areas Coordinator Ed Alverson. “We work closely with Lane Regional Air Pollution Authority and our Rivers to Ridges partners throughout the area to make sure the burn is safely implemented and will not disrupt the community.”
Lane County parks and partners have conducted more than a dozen prescribed burns in HBRA since 1999. Ecological burns are always dependent on weather and ensuring atmospheric conditions will disperse smoke upward and away from densely populated areas. If postponed, an update will be provided to the community by notification to the media.
For the safety of park visitors, the following trail closures will be in place during day of the ecological burn:
South Bottomlands Closures:
- Trail 5 between the Arboretum boundary and the intersection with Trail 3
- All trails within the South Bottomlands area
Signs will be posted at the park notifying visitors of the trail closures.
Visitors to the park should be aware of localized smoky conditions and the presence of fire crews within the park during the burn.
Follow Lane County Parks on Facebook and Instagram for updates.
Other partners in this effort include EcoStudies Institute and The Nature Conservancy.
Why the County conducts ecological burning:
Ecological burns are an essential management tool to sustain and expand native plant communities in these rare Willamette Valley habitats. The Willamette Valley was once dominated by savannas and prairies rich with diverse grass and wildflower species. These now-rare ecosystems require regular disturbance, such as fire, to maintain native species and to prevent conversion of open prairie to a closed woodland or forest. Historically, disturbance was provided through regular intentional burning by Native people or ignition by lightning. Many of our native prairie wildflowers, such as camas and Bradshaw’s lomatium, have evolved with fire for thousands of years and flourish after a site is burned.
Ecological burns in the park’s prairies accomplish several biological and fire safety goals including improved seed germination, removal of built up thatch, and short-term soil fertilization. All of these factors help native, grassland species thrive, including the declining Western Meadowlark (Oregon’s state bird), which nests in prairies and other open grassland habitats. In addition, prescribed burns protect the open prairie structure, as well as reduce the future risk of high intensity wildfires through the removal of standing, dead vegetation.
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Lane County is conducting a sealed-bid auction of real property now through 4:00 p.m. PST on Tuesday, September 26, 2023. Bids will be opened at 2:00 p.m. on September 28, and winners will be notified by telephone and email.
Included in the auction are lots located in Eugene, Florence, Oakridge, Blachly and Creswell. The properties up for auction range from a $2,200 minimum bid to a $180,000 minimum bid.
The properties have minimum bid amounts and will not be sold for less than the minimum bid. The properties will be sold on an as-is basis using a quitclaim deed, which passes any title, claim or interest in the property to the buyer without making any representations regarding other claims or liens.
Payment must be made with cash, cashier’s checks or certified back checks payable to Lane County. No personal or business checks, debit and credit cards or financing will be accepted. A 20 percent deposit of the minimum bid amount is due within 24 hours of the bid opening. The remaining balance, plus a $100 recording fee, is due no later than 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 5, 2023.
For more information including a complete list of auction terms, property descriptions and registration information, visit www.LaneCountyOR.gov/PropertyManagement under the “Auction” section.
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The ALL IN Lane County emergency effort, targeted to prevent homelessness, create and improve emergency shelters, and re-house unsheltered individuals, has launched an interactive digital dashboard aimed at delivering accurate, timely information regarding the status of the work being done. The dashboard will be updated weekly and offer community members several layers of data, including a breakdown of outcomes by focus and by provider.
“This dashboard reflects the ALL IN Lane County effort’s commitment to transparency and accountability in regards to how these much needed funds are being used to move the needle on homelessness,” said ALLIN Lane County lead, Kate Budd.
The ALL IN effort is the first multi-agency, county-wide effort aimed at reducing houselessness with an emergency focus. This work is made possible through Governor Kotek’s emergency orders on homelessness and subsequent funding through HB 5019. It is also only made possible through strategic partnerships and participation of local service providers and governmental jurisdictions.
The Lane County Multi Agency Coordination (MAC) group is providing interagency management, planning, and operational leadership to provide strategic coordination, as well as identify resources and manage goals for the region’s ALL IN work. The group is led by Lane County with broad representation from community-based organizations and local government.
The All IN Lane County effort will:
-Stabilize 741 households to prevent homelessness.
-Create 230 quality, low-barrier emergency shelter beds.
-Re-house 247 households from the street into permanent dwellings.
Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) has also launched a dashboard which reports on each region’s progress. It is important to note, however, that the OHCS dashboard is only updated monthly, whereas ALL IN Lane County’s is updated weekly.
To view the dashboard, please visit: https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/lchsd/viz/All_In_PublicDashboard/Summary
For more information about ALL IN Lane County, organizations involved, please visit: www.LaneCountyor.gov/ALLIN
On August 30, 2023, the Oregon Speed Zone Panel approved Lane County’s request for a lower speed limit on portions of London Road and South 6th Street near Cottage Grove. Several community members testified in support of Lane County’s request, expressing concern regarding people driving too fast on London Road.
The new, lower speed limits are:
- South 6th Street, from I-5/Goddard Lane to Latham Road (45 MPH)
- London Road
- From Latham Road to Hootens Corner Road (45 MPH)
- From Hootens Corner Road to Williams Creek Loop (50 MPH)
These were the only locations approved based on Oregon’s speed setting rules. The new speeds take effect once the signs are posted in the coming weeks.
“Most traffic fatalities and serious-injury crashes involve excessive speeds,” said Lane County Senior Transportation Planner Becky Taylor. “While it may feel comfortable to drive fast on a rural road, please keep in mind that there are homes along those roads with people needing to pull in and out of driveways and walk across the street to check their mailboxes. We want everyone to be safe.”
In addition to posting signs reflecting the new, lower speed limits, Lane County will enhance the recommended speed signs around curves. Curve speeds signs are lower than the posted speed limit based on engineering that shows how fast a vehicle can safely travel through the curve without leaving the roadway.
Lane County will also be working on more traffic enforcement. Traffic fines are doubled within the first seven miles of London Road based on its Safety Corridor designation. The fees are intended to make people think twice about speeding. They do not generate enough revenue to support enforcement activities, which are primarily funded by grants for officers willing to work overtime shifts.
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Alternate routes: Road Name: Vaughn Road Location: South of Veneta Closure: At the intersection with Slow Down Lane near milepost 8.8 Dates and times: Monday, September 18, through Tuesday, September 26 Bolton Hill Road to Territorial Highway Reason for closure: Culvert replacement will close Vaughn Road in both directions 24/7 during the closure period.
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Each year Lane County auctions vehicles because of age or mileage. Lane County Fleet Services will conduct a public, open-bid (with proxy bidding) auction from Thursday, September 21, to Saturday, September 23. Bids must be submitted online and will be received until Saturday, September 23, at 12:00 p.m. All bids start with a minimum set amount.
Vehicles may be previewed before the sale by visiting http://fleetauction.lanecounty.org. In-person viewing is available from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, and from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Saturday during the course of the auction. Test drives are not available.
Examples of some of the items included in the auction are:
- Mowers
- Dump truck
- Pickups and chassis
- Cars, trucks, SUVs
- Road repair equipment
- Trailers
- Generator and compressors
- And a lot more!
Proceeds go to the replacement fund that helps offset the cost to buy replacement vehicles. Lane County Fleet Services is located at 3040 North Delta Highway in Eugene. All bids must be submitted online at fleetauction.lanecounty.org. No faxed, voice or paper bids will be accepted. Acceptable forms of payment include cash, credit cards (Visa, Mastercard or Discover) cashier's checks, money order or certified check made payable to Lane County Department of Finance. Personal checks for $50 or less are also accepted. Full payment is due within 48 hours of notification.
This is the twenty-fourth year Lane County Fleet Services and other municipalities have combined their auctions to reduce the cost of disposing of surplus equipment. This auction is a partnership among Lane County, Eugene Water and Electric Board (EWEB), the City of Eugene, Rainbow Water District, Homes for Good, Willamalane Park and Recreation District, and others.
Lane County makes no warranties or guarantees and will not be held responsible for advertising errors or omissions. All equipment is offered to other municipalities before the public and therefore is subject to prior sale.
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