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48 °F Forecast | Road Cams Thursday, January 27, 2005 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Real Estate Guide Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People Volunteer Opportunities Moving to Southern Oregon? MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend December 28, 2004 ODOT fights Phoenix’s Home Depot decision While the appeal is pending at LUBA, transportation officials seek to solve traffic problems with the city By MEG LANDERS Mail Tribune The state highway agency is fighting Home Depot coming to Phoenix while simultaneously asking the city to help work out a solution. The Oregon Department of Transportation has filed a notice with the state Land Use Board of Appeals that it will appeal a Dec. 6 decision by the Phoenix City Council to move ahead with the store. "We have our foot in the door for the appeal," said Art Anderson, ODOT area manager. Meanwhile, the agency has sent a letter to the city inviting it to the table in search of a solution. "There’s some dialogue going on as to possible mitigation," said Anderson. Advertisement Stuart Foster, chairman of the Oregon Transportation Commission, said while the appeal is on its way to LUBA, Phoenix and ODOT can look to allay concerns about traffic that would be generated by the store, which would be built on North Phoenix Road northeast of the Fern Valley freeway interchange. "Hopefully we can reach some sort of a resolution with the city of Phoenix and the developer that’s consistent (with other interchange projects)," said Foster. The City Council on Dec. 6 made way for construction of the store by approving a zone change for property owned by Bob Robertson on North Phoenix Road. ODOT has expressed concerns to the Planning Commission and the City Council that the 103,000-square-foot store would cause gridlock at an already failing interchange. Paul Mather, southwest Oregon manager for the Oregon Department of Transportation, sent a letter to Phoenix opening the discussion. "It is the impact the proposed, large commercial development will have to the interchange that truly concerns us," the letter reads. The letter suggests several local jurisdictions can join forces to secure more funding. ODOT does not have a specific funding proposal now, Anderson said. Phoenix City Councilman Dan Sauro said he hopes the freeway overpass can be widened to four lanes. "If we were able to widen that ... that would solve everything," he said. Mayor LarryParducci was out of town and not available for comment. Sauro, whose position on the council ends in January, said he will remain on the Citizens Advisory Committee and involved in this plan. He said he believes there’s "better than a 50 percent chance that we will come to an agreement." He said Phoenix is in need of a store like Home Depot, which would create revenue for the city through taxes. "We need a tax base," said Sauro. "Mainly what we need is a City Hall. If you pull the termites away from the existing City Hall it will all come crashing down." Reach reporter Meg Landers at 776-4481 or e-mail [email protected] 78. Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Student Loan Consolidation Conference Calls - $50/Month Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker, Trunk, Footlockers