Document text
Central Point threatens to sue over amphitheater By Buffy Pollock CENTRAL POINT � Saying Jackson County officials are not responding to their concerns over the effects a new amphitheater would have on residents, City Council members said Tuesday they will file a lawsuit to stop its progress unless the city is included in the planning process. Council members called a special meeting Tuesday to discuss what actions they might take to force the county to include them in the planning process for a new 5,900-seat amphitheater at the Jackson County Fairgrounds just outside city limits. Members said they are concerned that concerts at the amphitheater would bring fair-week-style noise and traffic to town. They also said they expressed these concerns in a letter to Jackson County Commissioners but have not received a satisfactory response. Members directed Mayor Bill Walton to attend today�s Board of Commissioners meeting to voice their concerns and invite Commissioner Sue Kupillas to the next City Council meeting Oct. 12, during which fairgrounds personnel are expected to make a presentation on the amphitheater. Council member David Gilmour said he hoped the personal invitation would impress upon the commissioners that the issue is important to Central Point. "We have this little window before the election where public opinion is very important," he said. City Attorney Doug Engle said his research indicates the county has not held the proper land-use hearings for the amphitheater. "Our remedy would be to file a lawsuit and ask a Medford judge to interpret the county�s actions (and determine whether) they need to pursue proper land-use procedures," he said. "I think if they take a hard look at this they know they need to hold a land-use hearing and notify all those involved" � including the fairgrounds� neighbors. Engle said property owners within 750 feet of the site and affected agencies have to be notified of a land-use change. Discussed during a land-use hearing would be factors that affect the local community, such as noise, traffic and dust. "It looks like we would definitely have our day in court if enough people thought the noise and traffic would be severe," Engle said. Fairgrounds manager Chris Borovansky said last week the amphitheater would be built to keep noise levels bearable and that it was not a project that involved the city of Central Point. "We welcome anyone that might be interested to attend planning meetings, but we are a county entity," he said. "We�re not talking about city property. We�d like to be good neighbors, that�s been our intentions all along, but the decisions have been made," he said. Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2000 Mail Tribune, Inc.