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URBAN DEVELOPMENT Updated Normal Neighborhood Plan goes to City Council Tuesday Comment By Alec Dickinson For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By Alec Dickinson For the Tidings Posted Aug. 28, 2015 at 5:26 PM Updated Aug 28, 2015 at 5:27 PM By Alec Dickinson For the Tidings Posted Aug. 28, 2015 at 5:26 PM Updated Aug 28, 2015 at 5:27 PM » RELATED CONTENT • Guest Opinion: Normal Neighborhood Plan needs rethinking • Council Corner: Transforming Ashland for the future • Council rejects plan for Normal Neighborhood • Normal Neighborhood Plan draws concern • Normal Avenue plans are disturbing » Social News The Ashland City Council will again take up a comprehensive plan that would govern development in the proposed Normal Neighborhood at its regular meeting Tuesday. With nearly 94 acres of developable land at the northern terminus of Normal Street, the proposed regulations would govern a substantial piece of the land available for housing within the city’s urban growth boundary. Land that would be governed by the plan is privately owned and is currently outside the city limits, but could be annexed by the city at the request of property owners who wish to develop higher density developments. Ashland Community Development Director Bill Molnar says any annexation would have to be requested by property owners. “Someone could come in today and begin the annexation process and they would be subject to the ordinances we have on the books now," Molnar explained. "Once the Normal Plan is adopted, that would be the guiding document for development. So we don’t have any active application for development.” Some argue, however, that the land, which is bordered by Clay Street on the east, Ashland Middle School on the west, East Main Street to the north, and the railroad tracks to the south, does not require annexation and should not be brought under the auspices of the city. A group known as the Normal Neighborhood Plan Citizen Action Group plans to oppose the proposed framework. In a letter to the Tidings, the group took issue with the possibility of annexation, saying “Ashland has traditionally adopted a development strategy of infill of existing city land over sprawl into surrounding county land through annexation, a policy the (Normal Neighborhood) plan (NNP) completely ignores. NNP, as part of the Urban Growth Boundary, would have to be annexed.” While there are no immediate applications for annexation, Molnar says setting guidelines for development is good planning practice. “I think it’s kind of the heart of planning is trying to be ahead of the game," Molnar said. "Once you get a request for annexation, you get put in a reactionary mode. You apply the standards you have at that time. The purpose of this exercise for the last three years is to identify the key issues of neighborhood character, how best to plan for transportation and pathways. The area is riddled with a bunch of natural features such as creek corridors and wetlands. The more we can do ahead of time to identify them and put them on official maps, we can say to future developers, hey, this is what you’re going to be expected to take into account when you decide to consider annexation.” When the city Planning Commission originally brought the comprehensive plan to the council in April of 2014 with a recommendation to approve the plan, a series of three public meetings on the draft plan resulted in the formation of the ad-hoc Normal Neighborhood Plan working group. Per the council’s direction, the group, which included representatives from neighboring developments, property owners within the area governed by the plan, as well as planning commissioners Richard Kaplan and Michael Dawkins, City Councilors Pam Marsh and Mike Morris, and Mayor John Stromberg, held nine public meetings to address specific concerns about the draft plan. The results of those discussions have informed the updated plan, particularly with respect to zoning and land use. The updated plan calls for land use and zoning designations that are more consistent with the zoning of adjacent land already within the city. The plan would also allow the possibility of neighborhood businesses near the northeast corner of the area on East Main. Higher density zoning would be located closer to existing city parks and infrastructure near the railroad tracks, with lower density designations to the north. The city says the lower density and a maximum building height of two and a half stories should help protect views in the area, as well as maintain a gradual transition between rural and urban areas. Creek corridors and wetlands have been left as green spaces in the proposed plan; however, the NNP Citizen Action Group says that does not go far enough to protect natural areas governed by the proposed zoning changes. The group asserts that the three wetlands designated within the area proposed for annexation would be under threat if the plan was adopted. The group additionally claims the proposed changes could lead to high capital output by Ashland residents to support new infrastructure. Ashland City Administrator Dave Kanner says that while the city may pay for some infrastructure, the majority of the financial burden would be borne by developers. “Typically it’s the developer that is responsible for the development of the infrastructure’s costs," Kanner said. "However, it’s really very site-specific. The developer has to put in the infrastructure that serves their property, and if there is no infrastructure to the property, they have to put that in. However, to the extent that there is infrastructure that serves everybody, the city would pay for that.” Kanner says funding for new infrastructure in the area would come from city system development charge funds, which are fees charged to developers to improve infrastructure throughout the city. He also stressed that there was no plan for immediate development in the area. “The fact that the master plan is adopted doesn’t mean there is going to be any development there," Kanner said. "And I think to the extent that there is development there, it’s going to happen slowly over the next 30 to 50 years.” The Normal Neighborhood Plan is slated for its first of two readings at the council meeting beginning at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 1, in the council chambers at ​1175 E. Main St. The second reading is due at the council’s regular meeting on Sept. 15. Ordinances in the plan would become effective 30 days after approval. Alec Dickinson an Ashland freelance writer. Reach him at [email protected]. By Alec Dickinson For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By Alec Dickinson For the Tidings Posted Aug. 28, 2015 at 5:26 PM Updated Aug 28, 2015 at 5:27 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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