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Click Here 42 °F Forecast | Road Cams Saturday, January 31, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find a Rental 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 Email Story to a Friend December 17, 2003 Land will get global push ‘Shovel-ready’ parcel in White City selected for world marketing By MEG LANDERS Mail Tribune Curt Burrill is excited that a parcel of land he submitted is one of three local properties out of 25 in Oregon chosen to be marketed worldwide to help bring jobs to Oregon. The 105-acre parcel in White City on Avenue G, owned by Burrill Resources, is listed as one of the largest ready-to-go, rail-served industrial sites on the West Coast. And according to Oregon’s Industrial Lands Advisory Committee, which released a report Monday, it’s "of statewide significance for job creation." In February, Gov. Ted Kulongoski said Oregon needed to have an inventoried, ready supply of developable industrial land in strategic market locations. So the Oregon Economic and Community Development Department assembled a committee to identify 25 such sites. Advertisement Medford Mayor Lindsay Berryman was appointed to the committee. The chosen sites will be marketed to attract new companies to the state. "I think we did quite well for our area," said the mayor, who represented southwest Oregon. The other two properties recommended are a 46-acre parcel in Central Point near the Medford airport, owned by Modoc Orchards; and a 90-acre parcel in Medford at the northeast end of the airport, owned by Reginald and Annette Breeze, William Bagley, David Freel, John Ferris and Robert G. Hunter. Berryman said several criteria were used to select sites, including whether the owner was a willing seller, whether the parcel was accessible to air/rail/freeway shipping, if there were environmental concerns that needed to be addressed and if it was already zoned for industrial use. She said a fourth local parcel was being considered, but the owner was not willing to sell in the near future, so it was dropped. Burrill sees the designation as a helpful marketing tool. "(The property) has been on the market for at least 15 years," he said, adding that companies including Hyundai had shown some interest. Burrill said potential businesses could range from an auto parts distribution center to a building materials factory. He’s just glad for the attention, as is Berryman. "They’re going to be marketed nationally and internationally," said Berryman. "We’re sitting in a very good position for marketing." Executive Director Gordon Safley of Southern Oregon Regional Economic Development Inc. said the designation will not bypass normal development requirements, such as notifying neighbors of the landowner’s intentions. "It does not eliminate the public process," he said, adding it will be some time before the properties could be developed. "The process to recruit a new business is anywhere from 12 to 24 months." The list is merely the committee’s recommendation, but Burrill thinks it will stick. "I think the governor probably puts a lot of merit in the committee’s recommendation," he said. Reach reporter Meg Landers at 776-4481 or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback 3 WEEKS FREE! ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S RESOURCES Oregon Road Conditions & Cams SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Food for Thought Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Prime Times