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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend December 26, 2005 Dennis and Nancy Nelson shop at a Bi-Mart recently that didn�t exist when they moved here in 1974. They say what they see now in the Rogue Valley is exactly what they left in San Jose, Calif. Mail Tribune / Bob Pennell Growing BIGGER But is it better? Residents weigh the benefits of the valley’s burgeoning population over the costs By DAMIAN MANN Mail Tribune In 1974, Dennis Nelson and his family left the congested grind of San Jose, Calif., searching for a more serene life in the Rogue Valley. Three decades later, the Nelsons, like many other transplants, believe the life they left behind has finally caught up with them. "Now we can look out into our once beautiful valley and see exactly what we left 31 years ago in San Jose," said the 65-year-old inventor. "The quaintness of the area has been lost." What attracted the Nelsons to the valley also has caught the attention of thousands of other newcomers — many from California — who still find the area a welcome change. While many are shocked at the dramatic population increase recently — 32 percent since 1990 — the fact is that almost like clockwork, the population of Jackson County has doubled or more every 30 years since 1900. Advertisement In 1970, 94,533 people lived here, compared to about 193,000 in 2004. And, while many might think life here was better 30 years ago, a survey in 1970 by a Medford citizens group found that the single biggest gripe from a small sampling of residents was traffic. When the Nelsons and their three daughters first settled in west Medford, there were no big box stores, there was little traffic congestion and they could leave their front door unlocked, they say. "Life was good in Medford," said Nelson. "We could sit on our front porch and only see a car pass by every 45 minutes or so," said his 62-year-old wife, Nancy, who works in the advertising department at the Mail Tribune. For many, an explosion of growth in the past 15 years alone has brought with it the worst of rapid urbanization: long lines, traffic and the decline of a small-town feel. "The traffic is beyond belief, and the newcomers want to get everywhere fast," said Dennis Nelson. Other residents point out that along with that growth come benefits: more entertainment, more dining, bigger stores and, yes, lots of drive-through coffee stands. "Still, in all, the Rogue Valley, and Medford in particular, is a terrific place to live," said Medford resident Lee Morris, who moved here with his wife, Adrienne, in 1998 from Illinois. But, he added, "The pace of growth has been a little unexpected and the growth of house prices has been breathtaking." He’s also concerned about the availability of health care here in the future because Medicare reimbursements are being reduced, forcing doctors to move to other areas. Still, he remains philosophical about the growth. "I’m neither surprised nor dismayed," he said. "We couldn’t have been the first to discover the attraction of the Rogue Valley and I knew we wouldn’t be the last." Unlike her husband, Adrienne said she doesn’t see that Medford has much of a future as a livable community. "It is already too late," she said. "The planning should have taken place 10 years ago." She said decisions made in the past will haunt Medford for years to come, citing the lack of sufficient freeway interchanges for the size of the city as one example. "This town, like so many others, is run by the good old boys," she said. "That is to the detriment of the community." Despite her feelings about the way Medford is growing, Adrienne said she likely will stay put. "I’m too old to move," she said. Many residents, such as Patti Iverson of Medford, celebrate the changes in valley. "It is getting crowded, but it’s still a 100 times better than many other places," said the 55-year-old homemaker, who has lived here 26 years. She lists improvements that growth has brought with it. Instead of going to Ashland for theater, she can go to the Craterian Ginger Rogers Theater in downtown Medford. Instead of going to Eugene for shopping, she can find what she wants locally. The air pollution has lessened, the drinking water is still clean and the views of the mountains are still just as wonderful, she said. "There’s more diversity of people," said Iverson. "I like to see the different colors of skin, don’t you?" Katrina Tucker, who does see downsides to the rapid growth, also is upbeat about the changes. "There are many places in the Rogue Valley to find theater, arts, fine dining, entertainment, musicals, to name a few," she said. "Sure we have given up some luxuries, but just look at what we have gained." Lisa McGowen of Medford, who doesn’t share these rosy perspectives, said she moved here in 1976 at age 8 from Palo Alto, Calif., only to see Palo Alto effectively moving to her. "Only lately have I truly seen that this area is expanding beyond control," said the 37-year-old mother of three. "Traffic jams, increasing crime rates, ruder people always in a hurry, the ‘track’ housing boom, the ridiculous prices and the list goes on." Chris Crawford has similar sentiments, noticing that people here have become more rushed with a decline in "good will." "The most serious cost of population growth in the Rogue Valley is the erosion of the social atmosphere," said the 55-year-old Jacksonville resident. When he moved here eight years ago, he noticed that people were generally friendlier. Citing one of many memories, he said, after eating at a local restaurant, he stepped outside and heard the screech of tires as a logging truck stopped. An elderly woman, who didn’t expect the truck to stop, was waiting at the crosswalk. "The driver smiled and waved the little old lady over the crosswalk," he said. "At that moment, I knew I wanted to live among those people." Crawford admits he had to change many of his "California ways and become a good Oregonian" by becoming more courteous. He suggested, "What if we placed a sign on Interstate 5 at the border saying, ‘Welcome to Oregon — scrape that California mud off your soul before entering." Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail Growing BIGGER ">[email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. 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