Document text
0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Ashland councilor was in Paris during Friday's attacks ... Medford pot growing ban would affect 1,942 growers ... Medford man charged for stealing water-filled gas can ... Ashland councilor was in Paris during Friday's attacks ... Medford pot growing ban would affect 1,942 growers ... Medford man charged for stealing water-filled gas can ... GRANTS PASS Mystery fence blocks ... what? No one seems to know what barricade on vacant lot is for Comment By Chris Bristol of the Grants Pass Daily Courier MailTribune.com By Chris Bristol of the Grants Pass Daily Courier Posted Nov. 16, 2015 at 4:41 PM By Chris Bristol of the Grants Pass Daily Courier Posted Nov. 16, 2015 at 4:41 PM » Social News Mark Lucas likes the ring of it: The Fence to Nowhere. "The Fence to Nowhere," he mused, referring to the mysterious 6-foot chain-link barricade now lining the front entrance to his downtown apartment building in Grants Pass. "Well, that's about what it is." Lucas and his wife, Caroline Garrett, manage the City Center Senior Apartments, an 11-unit apartment building for low-income seniors at the corner of Fifth and E streets. The building — Lucas thinks it was built in 1914 — abuts an empty lot owned, as it turns out, by Josephine County. It may not always have been a vacant lot, but that's what it's been for decades now. For the six years they've been managing the building, Lucas said he and Garrett have gone out of their way to keep the lot clean of garbage, weeds and leaves. "We've been raking and mowing the grass almost to the sidewalk. Last year we collected about 60 bags of leaves from the trees," he said, pointing at a pair of maples in the lot. One day last month they got a letter from the county warning them not to park there anymore — Lucas and Garrett did sometimes — and to remove some bricks they'd laid down for a nicer patio area. Said Garrett: "All of a sudden, overnight, we get a notice that we are infringing on their property and we are going to be cited if we don't get it removed. It was no big deal. They could have just told us instead of threatening us." Then a week and a half ago, a crew from Quality Fence Co. showed up and started installing a chain-link fence between the apartment building and the lot. Not on all four sides of the lot, or three sides, or even two. Just one side — between the building and the lot. Why? Said Lucas, "That's what we'd like to know." The county owns the lot, that much is certain. Property records say so, and don't forget the letter on the county letterhead warning Lucas and Garrett to stay out. But getting a straight answer to a simple question proved to be a challenge. Calls to several county departments received responses ranging from incomprehension to indifference. County Legal Counsel Wally Hicks, who penned the warning letter about the lot, said he thought the fence might have something to do with talk of using the lot as a new transfer point for buses (instead of the current one in front of the county courthouse on busy Sixth Street). However, the Transit Department said it had nothing to do with the fence. "No, I didn't put up the fence," Transit Manager Scott Chaney said in an email. "If someone put a fence on County property the Building Operations and Maintenance Department of the County would know about it." On Friday, an employee at Building Operations suggested the Board of Commissioners might hold the answer — not realizing the call had just been transferred by an employee at the Board of Commissioners' office. The call was then referred to Building Operations Manager Ryan Johnson, who didn't return the call. All of which would not surprise Lucas or Garrett, who said they'd heard maybe a bus stop or something was going in, but still couldn't grasp the need for a fence such as it is. Maybe they're just trying to keep us in, joked Lucas, adding, "This thing, it's just something you can't do nothing about. Not anymore." Daily Courier reporter Jules Rogers contributed to this report; City Editor Chris Bristol can be reached at 541-474-3716 or [email protected]. By Chris Bristol of the Grants Pass Daily Courier MailTribune.com By Chris Bristol of the Grants Pass Daily Courier Posted Nov. 16, 2015 at 4:41 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501