Document text
83 °F Forecast | Road Cams Saturday, June 19, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Prime Times Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Rogue Valley's Finest EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds 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 Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend June 17, 2004 Downtown renewal City of Phoenix launches urban improvement process By BUFFY POLLOCK for the Mail Tribune PHOENIX — Plans to create a city center and urban renewal district moved closer to reality last week when the City Council approved a $15,000 contract with Spencer and Kupper Planning of Portland to facilitate the process. City Planner Denis Murray said the project had been a long time coming. Spencer and Kupper had laid out plans for a city center and urban renewal district in recent years, but funding was limited. "Basically our funds ran out and we didn’t really finish setting up the urban renewal district," he said. "But we ended up with this great plan and it’s ready to go." Murray said residents could expect to see significant improvements to the downtown in coming years. Advertisement Creation of an urban renewal district and city center would encourage development and provide funding for much needed revitalization to the downtown, which suffers from vacant buildings and inadequate infrastructure. Once areas of blight are identified, the city will propose boundaries for the district that must then be approved by voters. Funding for urban renewal projects, explained Charlie Kupper, comes from freezing assessed property values in the district for 20 years.Increases to property value are then withheld from other taxing districts and directed to the urban renewal agency. "An urban renewal plan is essentially a capital improvements plan," said Kupper. "Defining a boundary for the area, defining what kinds of things will be funded and making projections of revenue that could be generated to complete such things." Projects could include establishing a mixed-use transit-oriented center, making parking improvements and expanding sewer and water systems, said Murray. Improvements already made downtown include sidewalks, lighting and trees on Main and Second streets. Murray said the city will receive grants through the state Department of Transportation and Department of Land Conservation and Development for the $15,000 contract. Buffy Pollock is a free-lance writer living in Medford. E-mail her at [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 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