A group calling itself Estuary YES will hold a party Saturday to raise awareness of issues about the South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve. The group is concerned about a possible re-zone of Indian Point, a tract of land adjacent to the Joe Ney Slough at the north end of the South Slough.

The Coos County Board of Commissioners is set to decide the matter on March 22. The Smith River, Calif., landowner Hank Westbrook wants the forest land zoning to be changed to urban residential-2 in order to allow recreational planned unit-developments, which can include high-density residential and commercial facilities in Charleston, one of Coos County's three unincorporated communities. The recreational developments would be allowed under an amendment to an ordinance that commissioners approved in November.

"We think the zoning change on Indian Point, Inc. that is before the county commissioners could negatively impact what we see as a valuable driver of our local economy: the estuary," said Sue Smith, a spokeswoman for the group. "We hope that anyone who cares about the future of our slough will come by."

Sen. Joanne Verger, D-Coos Bay, recently introduced a bill to expand the territory the South Slough is able to acquire from Valino Island to the South Slough Bridge, though the east-west boundaries are not clearly defined and would be interpreted on a case-by-case basis by a governor-appointed commission.

The event will happen from 4:30 to 7 p.m. at Bay Moss Studio, 187 Central Ave. in Coos Bay. The gathering will feature live music, entertainment and information about the zone change.

"We're not raising money, just awareness," said Norma Van Natta, a Charleston resident.