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Manor seeks commercial center approval City Council to hear proposal; traffic concerns remain crucial By Jessica Smith The Medford City Council rejected the idea once, but the Rogue Valley Manor is back this week to ask the council to reconsider the Manor�s plan to build a commercial center. The Manor wants the council to review the proposal under new state transportation guidelines that loosen traffic-related restrictions on developers in Medford. Manor attorney Rob Patridge will ask the council today to pull the commercial component back from the state Land Use Board of Appeals, where the expansion plans are scheduled for a hearing in June. The council denied the request May 4, but Patridge persuaded members to set time aside to discuss the matter at noon Thursday. "We need to get them to agree to look at it again because the facts have changed," said Patridge, who is also a state representative. But that doesn�t mean the council will reverse its decision, said Council President Jim Key. "I�m not going to vote any differently," Key said. "We didn�t approve the project because we weren�t ready to accept those impacts. In my mind, we�re still in that place." The council turned down the commercial center in 1998 � when it approved the rest of the Manor�s three-phase expansion plan � citing traffic problems at the south Medford freeway interchange. The plan to build a 25-acre commercial center off Ellendale Drive would have added 138 vehicle trips through the interchange during peak hours. At the time, state transportation officials wanted to no additional traffic at the interchange at peak hours. A new policy, however, allows for developments that create up to 25 peak-hour vehicle trips. Using that guideline, the city has approved two other projects, including a plan to build more than 250 homes on 67 acres in east Medford. The Manor is willing to trim the commercial center proposal or build it in phases to comply with the new rule, Patridge said. But some city council members still have questions about how the proposal would affect traffic, including the planned overhaul south Medford interchange overhaul. Options for the redesign include building new freeway interchanges at Ellendale Drive and Highland Avenue. The council meets today at noon and 7 p.m. in City Hall council chambers, 411 W. Eighth. At the noon session, the council will: Discuss whether to reaffirm the Medford Planning Commission�s approval of a zone change request that would clear the way for OnTrack�s expansion of a women�s shelter on Delta Waters Road. The matter was sent back to the council by LUBA. Consider a contract with Rogue Disposal to pick up leaf bags from residences. Residents could buy 30 disposal bags for $1, with no limit on the number of bags picked up in a single visit. Under previous agreements, disposal bags were free to residents but they could only get rid of 10 bags at a time. At the 7 p.m. session, the council will: Invite the public to comment on amendments to ordinances governing creeks and creek beds. The changes include new building setback rules and guidelines for protecting creek environments. Obituaries | Sports | Business | Classifieds | Tempo | Prime Times | So Oregon Sites | Outdoor Journal | Subscribe | Contact | Movies | Advertise | Real Estate Showcase | Archive | Editorials | Letters to the editor | Religion | Wake-up Call | NIE | Cyber Chef | Job Network | So Oregon Weather | WSJ Northwest | Forums | AP Wire | AP Money | F.A.Q. | Awards Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. The Community Newspaper Subsidiary of Dow Jones & Co, Inc Copyright �The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA