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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Archives Revels Classifieds Real Estate Menu Guide Wedding Weather Subscribe Contact Us March 16, 2005 RVCDC gets grant for 3 townhouses By Vickie Aldous Ashland Daily Tidings The Ashland City Council awarded $190,000 in grants to help the Rogue Valley Community Development Corporation buy three townhouses for use as affordable housing. During a Tuesday night meeting, the council decided to give the Medford-based nonprofit federal Community Development Block grants that pass through the city of Ashland. Two of the three townhouses on Quincy Street in Ashland are occupied. If the current tenants meet income requirements, they could be eligible to buy the renovated townhouses, according to RVCDC Executive Director Ron Demele. "They could go from being renters to homeowners," Demele said. The townhouses would be available to low or moderate-income households, according to the RVCDC application. Habitat for Humanity had also applied for a portion of the grant money. The group hoped to use $156,000 to buy two lots from the proposed 13-unit Fordyce Street co-housing project in Ashland. However, the co-housing project previously was denied by the Ashland Planning Commission and has been appealed to the city council. The council will continue a public hearing in April on an appeal of the planning commission's decision. The city council voted to disqualify the Habitat for Humanity application because it did not meet readiness criteria for projects that receive Community Development Block grants. Demele said the project to buy and remodel the Quincy Street townhouses could move forward quickly. Ashland Housing Commissioners and Ashland Community Development Department staff also expressed misgivings about awarding the money to Habitat for Humanity because the co-housing project requires a change in zoning to proceed. In order to win the zone change, the project already would have to provide some affordable housing units. Habitat for Humanity could apply for a grant during the next annual funding cycle if the co-housing project eventually wins approval. In other business Tuesday night, a dozen concerned residents showed up to voice concerns about a proposed rock quarry on Dead Indian Memorial Road. They raised concerns about dangerous traffic levels on the narrow, twisting road; increased congestion at Ashland's south Interstate 5 interchange; plumes of dust and fumes that would pollute the air and endanger children, the elderly and asthmatics, and negative impacts to the tourism industry. Residents said hundreds of people along the road and in the surrounding area would be affected by the quarry project, which was appealed to the state Land Use Board of Appeals and then remanded back to Jackson County. A public hearing on the project is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Monday before the Jackson County Hearings Officer. The council agreed to send a letter to the county expressing a range of concerns about the proposed quarry. Staff writer Vickie Aldous can be reached at 482-3456 x 3018 or [email protected]. DailyTidings.com Home Page Archives | Revels | Classifieds | Real Estate Guide | Weather | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2005 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Deep Muscle Stimulator Ceramic Piggy Banks FREE Entertainment Guide Women's & Men's Slippers Accelerate Weightloss Products Backpacks Online Pharmacy Vegas Travel Guide Search Engine Optimization Student Loans Hotel & Airline Reservations Hammocks Water Filter Helzberg Diamonds Online Casinos Community Bonus Casino Mortgage Calculator Security Systems Mailing Lists Click Here Advertisement .:Advertisements:. Site Search: RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams