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Councilman drops annexing-vote idea He says Medford has long-range planning A Medford city councilman has dropped an effort to require the city to seek voter approval for annexations. Last spring, before he was a councilman, John Michaels joined with other supporters of voter-approved annexations and collected about 2,000 signatures to place the issue on the ballot. But he said the city has taken a new approach to growth since then. "I felt that the city is moving along in the right direction, finally, in doing some long-range planning that's addressing growth," said Michaels, who represents the city's northwest ward. He pointed to the Southeast Plan, a development of 10,000 residents proposed east of Barnett Road, and said other council members seem committed to improving parks, schools and infrastructure before bringing large developments into the city. Voter-approved annexations are generally thought as a way of curbing growth, but Michaels said he just wanted voters to take time to think before adding land to the city. Beginning with Corvallis in 1976, a requirement for voter approval for annexations exists in a dozen cities, including Rogue River, where voters added it in 1996. Last year, Talent voters approved a new city charter that allows either the council or citizens themselves to refer proposed annexations to a popular vote. It does not require voter approval of all annexations. Michaels said he wouldn't oppose a similar initiative now if someone else wanted to spearhead it. Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA