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City council goals discussed By Myles Murphy Ashland Daily Tidings With the unusually high number of public building projects either wrapped up or well underway, city leaders are shifting from construction to contemplation, developing plans and philosophies for the future. The Ashland City Council will consider approval of its 2003-04 "to do" list when it meets at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Ashland Civic Center Council Chambers, 1175 E. Main St. The meeting will be carried live on Rogue Valley Community Television Channel 9. The council will meet at 6 p.m. in executive session to consult with legal counsel on current litigation. The general public is not allowed in executive sessions. Each spring, the council puts together the Strategic Plan Goals of the City of Ashland, which codifies the council's goals for the next year. The council met Feb. 8 in an all-day session to develop the strategic plan goals for the fiscal year 2003-04, and discussed modifications at council meetings Feb. 18 and March 18. Many of the goals for the 2002-03 fiscal year were concrete and easily measured: They include the successful launching or completion of the many construction projects carried out in the city during the past year, such as the new fire station, remodeling of the Ashland Public Library and Hillah Temple, and improvements to Siskiyou Boulevard. In contrast, most of the major goals this time around pertain to the creation of new plans, strategies and policies, such as the development of a riparian ordinance, an urban forestry plan, re-examining economic development policies and reviewing the city's health and human services plan. Based on public input, council discussion, the city's comprehensive plan and other long-range plans, the goals cover a wide range of areas, including: Citizen participation and involvement, environmental resources, housing, economic strategy, public services, transportation and transit, energy, air and water conservation, parks, open space and aesthetics, urbanization, historical sites and structures, regional strategies, financial management, social and human services and organizational effectiveness. Giving a nod to recent citizen concerns about the planning process and citizen participation, the council will look at updating and improving the seating arrangements in the council chambers, as well as bettering Internet access to city meetings and information and other changes. To this end, a remodel of the council chambers is slated to begin by the summer of 2004. A community forum on planning issues will likely take this spring. The council will also consider updating the Ashland City Charter itself, and will start by looking into the formation of a committee to review the document. On the nuts-and-bolts side, the council plans to hire a housing program specialist and adopt the proposed housing action plan along with an implementation program to spur ongoing efforts to create and retain affordable housing in the city. Future development will also be in the spotlight, with city leaders working to guide plans for building on the Railroad Property and the land in the old Croman Mill site. Some perennial goals remain, such as improving the viability of the Ashland Fiber Network, moving forward with the Talent-Ashland-Phoenix water intertie plan, and making city streets safer. If approved, the financial means to pursue the goals will be incorporated into next year's budget. The complete list of goals - along with timelines and other information - is available on the city Web site www.ashland.or.us. Click on the phrase "Document Center" on the left-hand column, and find the link the 2003-004 goals, third document from the top in the highlighted section which opens up. In other business, the council will: consider a second reading of an ordinance changing the city's land use ordinance on approval standards for zone changes and annexations; consider a reading by title only of a resolution in support of House Bill 2595 to repeal the ban on real estate transfer taxes in the state; hear Mayor Alan DeBoer's' presentation of the James M. Ragland Memorial "Volunteer Spirit" community service award to Sue Graham; consider confirmation of the mayor's appointments to various boards, commissions and committees; consider a liquor license application from Karen Stacy for Jazbo's Lounge at 131 A St.; accept the presentation of this year's Tree City USA Award; hear the mayor's proclamations of April 28-May 2 as Back to School Week, April 27-May 3 as Volunteer Recognition Week and April 21-27 as Respite Care Awareness week; and, consider minutes of boards, commissions and committees. LINKS: DAILY TIDINGS: Main | News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Opinion | Columnists | AP News | Subscribe | Archives | Weather | Classifieds | Contact Us | Privacy REVELS: Main | Calendar | Dining | Movies | T.V. OTHER: Road Cams Copyright 2003 Ashland Daily Tidings 541.482.3456. 1661 Siskiyou Blvd., Ashland, OR 97520. Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. - Advertisers -