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OnTrack zone request goes to city tonight By JIM DAVIS A controversial plan to expand a drug and alcohol treatment center in Medford is expected to go before the city's planning commission tonight. OnTrack Inc. is seeking a zone change for the expansion of the center at 3397 Delta Waters Road in northeast Medford. It became such a hot-button issue that it led to the recall of a Medford councilman. The planning commission will probably devote a specific amount of time to the issue at tonight's public hearing and, if it's not completed, continue the issue to next month, said Medford senior planner Mark Gallagher. "If there are a lot of people there to testify, it will probably take too long to get through that," he said. OnTrack first proposed the expansion of its Delta Waters treatment center in 1995. OnTrack Executive Director Rita Sullivan couldn't be reached Wednesday. But she said earlier that the plan calls for adding 3,500 square feet to the common area, allowing the addition of 10 beds to the facility, which serves 17 to 22 women. The plan drew fierce opposition from neighbors who argued that it would increase crime, lower property values and otherwise hurt their neighborhood. In early 1996, a City Council majority approved a land-use designation change that would allow for the expanded center. That was a preliminary step; OnTrack still needed to rezone the property. Neighbors then recalled Councilman Mike Borwick, who represented that ward and voted for the change. OnTrack applied for the zone change last February, but needed to finish a traffic study before the issue could go before the Planning Commission. According to a consultant representing OnTrack, the facilities _ water, sewer, storm drains and roads _ are adequate for the facility. Gallagher said the city is recommending approval of the change, noting that the facility does not create a great deal of traffic. If OnTrack gets the zone change, the agency's next major hurdle would be a conditional-use permit. Gallagher said the conditional-use permit is more subjective than a zone change, where planning commissioners are expected to look at the facts. "That's the big step (the conditional-use permit) from the standpoint (that) the neighbors are going to be able to influence that one more easily than these other ones," Gallagher said. Tonight Who: Medford Planning Commission What: A public hearing on a requested zone change to allow expansion of an OnTrack Inc. drug treatment facility on Delta Waters Road just west of Foothills Road. Also on the agenda is a request from Rogue Valley Manor to annex property south of Quail Point Golf Course. When: 7 tonight Where: Medford City Hall, Council Chambers, 411 W. Eighth St. Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1998, Medford, Oregon USA