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Manor plan remains stalled Mail Tribune / Drew Fleming The Rogue Valley Manor overlooks Medford�s south freeway interchange, where heavy traffic has prevented further development. Even though state traffic restrictions have eased, the Manor still must demonstrate to the city that a planned hotel, restaurant and series of office and retail buildings won�t cause traffic delays at various intersections. Despite laxer state rules, commercial development must meet city�s standards By Jessica Smith Recent changes in traffic congestion standards at Medford�s south freeway interchange apparently do not give the Rogue Valley Manor the green light to proceed with a commercial development in the area. The Oregon Transportation Commission a week ago approved new traffic congestion guidelines for the Barnett Road interchange to ease state restrictions on growth in southeast Medford. The Manor�s plan As part of a planned housing development near the Rogue Valley Manor, the retirement community wants to build a 22-acre commercial center off Ellendale Drive. Here�s what�s included in the plans: A 10,000-square-foot restaurant with 100 parking spaces. A 150-room hotel and 20,000-square-foot conference center. A seven-story office building and a smaller business office. A 10,000-square-foot, one-story parking structure. Two structures that combine housing and retail uses. A 60-unit housing complex. But the Manor must comply with local street standards before its commercial complex can be approved, city sources say. "They don�t just show up now and are good to go," said Cory Crebbin, public works director. To win the city�s approval, the Manor must show that vehicles expected to travel to and from a planned hotel, restaurant and series of office and retail buildings won�t cause traffic delays at various intersections. Whether the project can meet city standards was intended to be the subject of a public hearing tonight before the Medford City Council. But delays with traffic studies have led the city and the Manor to postpone the hearing � at least the third delay in six months. "We�re just going to take more time to work together," said Kara Peccia, a spokeswoman for the Manor. "Everyone agreed that we should take more of a holistic view of this, so we�ll continue the hearing." Back in July, the council agreed to hold a new public hearing on the Manor�s commercial complex, part of a larger expansion plan. The council�s decision followed a state Land Use Board of Appeals ruling that found the city incorrectly denied the Manor�s application two years ago. Though the city could have submitted new legal findings to support its reasons for the denial � traffic congestion at the interchange was originally cited � the council instead chose to grant the Manor a new hearing. Manor representatives previously have argued the retirement community could stage development to minimize traffic impacts on the interchange, governed by state rules, and city streets. Neighbors who live near the Manor have petitioned the council to again reject plans for the 22-acre commercial center off Ellendale Drive. In an October letter to the council, the neighborhood group questioned the effect the Manor�s plans would have on the Barnett Road interchange, considered one of the worst traffic bottlenecks in the region. Though city and state transportation officials are working to find a long-term solution to the congestion, the state doesn�t know when it will have the money to match local funds for the project. Tentative plans are to move the interchange south to Ellendale or Highland drive. Allowing the Manor to build its commercial center before the interchange is fixed would be short-sighted, argued Barbara Newell, a La Loma Drive resident who signed the neighborhood group�s petition. "The city has a huge choice of whether to keep Medford going down the right track toward controlled growth or whether to derail this train," Newell said. "We want good planning and no growth (near the interchange) until we have a true resolution to the traffic problem." Reach reporter Jessica Smith at 776-4481, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2000 Mail Tribune, Inc.