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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Archives Revels Classifieds Real Estate Menu Guide Wedding Weather Subscribe Contact Us June 10, 2005 Planners reluctantly approve amendment to urban renewal agency By Jennifer Squires Ashland Daily Tidings Although the members of the Talent Planning Commission had apprehensions about the scope of power of the Talent Urban Renewal Agency, the body recommended the city council approve a substantial amendment to the urban renewal plan. The recommendation came with a “concern about the amount of cash flow that we lose from the undeveloped properties,” said Commissioner Joi Riley when she stated the motion. The urban renewal agency was established in 1991 to improve the visual image of the center of Talent while bettering the safety, quality of life and economic situation of the area. The 122-acre urban renewal area includes land on both sides of Highway 99 and a large portion of downtown. It consists of a single, contiguous geographic area and has an estimated total taxable 1990-91 assessed value of $11,172,640, according to the plan of proposed changes submitted to the city. The city continues to earn the taxable amount from 1990-1991. All the increasing taxes above that pre-determined amount fund urban renewal projects. Other publicly funded entities such as the city, police and fire will not see those tax revenue increases until the urban renewal agency sunsets in 2019, which struck a chord of discontent with several commissioners. “I want that money to go to my town,” said Commissioner Ken Gosling, who voted against recommending approval of the amendment because new development can receive benefits from the urban renewal agency. “I want urban renewal to fix up what we have.” Commissioners asked Marla Cates, the executive director of the agency, if she could “give back” open spaces within the district, such as the site of the fledgling 10.34-acre Clearview mixed-use development on South Pacific Highway. The agency uses that revenue stream to fund projects, such as street improvements. The amendment updates the language of the document to eliminate redundancies and add specifics, as well as increase the urban renewal district by 1percent. The proposed addition to the urban growth area would annex the Talent irrigation building and part of the surrounding work yard to the agency’s area. In other business, the commissioners added a new business agenda item to have an informal discussion about changes to the Article 21 of the city zoning ordinance, which addresses planned unit developments. “We wanted to change the approval plan because we didn’t feel like it gave us enough teeth during the concept plan,” said Riley, who worked with commissioners Neil Gray and William Cecil to overhaul the PUD method. The revisions address the concept stage of the approval process and postpone adherence to technical requirements until the detailed plan of the proposed development is before the commission. The changes also require PUDs to be at least five acres and contain open spaces that are useful to residents and appropriate for the development. 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 Generic Viagra Vegas Travel Guide Search Engine Optimization Sportsbook Absinthe Supply Student Loans Hotel & Airline Reservations African Safari Hammocks Helzberg Diamonds Online Casinos Community Bonus Casino King of Spirits ink cartridges Mortgage Calculator Security Systems Mailing Lists Click Here Advertisement .:Advertisements:. Site Search: RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams