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Neighbors continue to voice concerns in Jacksonville City Council sessions about noise and traffic from outdoor events at Bigham Knoll, where such events must be approved by the council. Plans for a June 21 John L. Scott Realty customer appreciation night drew criticism for a lack of notice to neighbors and misstatements in the event packet when the council considered the request in May. But the Oregon Wine Experience, set for Aug. 20-26, drew praise from a neighbor for that organization’s efforts to resolve issues. “The neighborhood will be greatly impacted by amplified music and traffic” at the realty event, said Penni Viets, who represented the Neighborhood Concerns Committee at the May session. “What is going to be required to mitigate the noise for the neighborhood, and will there be any neighborhood notification for the event?” “We don’t want to shut their projected business down … but they have to play with the residents. The residents were there first,” said Linda Graham. Events with live music where alcohol is served are disruptive to the area, she said. Police are uncertain how to deal with complaints about excessive noise, she added. Development of the Bigham Knoll site over the last decade has led to a number of compliance issues with criteria in the approved conditional use permit and concerns about special events. The campus is home of the 1908 Jacksonville School, which now houses a German restaurant and other businesses. There are also indoor event facilities on the campus. Bigham Knoll had requested running permission in 2013 to hold a specific number of outdoor events, but that was not approved. Instead, each organization must submit a 14-page packet to the council for approval. The packet covers such items as notification of neighbors, alcohol service, estimates of impacts and proof of liability insurance. Annual outdoor events usually include a car show and the Oregon Wine Experience. City Planning Director Ian Foster said a wedding held on the field in 2017 had not gone through the approval process. City officials conducted a review of the conditional use permit in 2015 and found 13 outstanding conditions that needed to be met. Lighting, fences, parking and other compliance issues went back and forth between the city and the property for several years. Bigham Knoll is now in compliance with all requirements in the conditional use permit, Foster told the council June 5. “I’m sure that everyone who lives around Bigham Knoll thinks they are never going to solve this (event) problem,” Mayor Paul Becker said at the May session. “Neighbors are entitled to some kind of affirmative, corrective action to show that we’re going to do something about it.” Since that time, Becker said, Bigham Knoll appears to be making a greater effort to address issues. “The Bigham Knoll management now is clearly trying to resolve the problems,” Becker said Wednesday. “There seems to be a sea change in attitude and tones in all parts. Hope always springs eternal.” John L. Scott event representative Heather Fox told the council she had not been made aware by Bigham Knoll management of the need to submit an event packet until a week before the May council session. She said the group would notify the neighborhood and work to address concerns. The council approved the event. “It feels like after every one of these events, or before, that citizens come in and are complaining about the same issues,” said Councilor Ken Gregg. “Bigham has a responsibility to educate everyone who rents their facilities.” When Oregon Wine Experience presented its request to the council June 19, it was passed without discussion. Organizers explained how they had addressed issues raised in the past and said they would be vigilant in the future. “Even the neighbors applaud the Wine Experience,” said Graham at the June session. She noted they had turned off a noisy refrigerated truck overnight and worked to curtail noise in the parking lot after events ended at 9:30 p.m. Bigham Knoll management has held discussions with the city planning staff on amending the conditional use permit to allow for events without having to gain council approval, Foster said. The company has not submitted a formal request to amend the conditional use permit. A call to Bigham Knoll management seeking comment was not returned. Reach Ashland freelance writer Tony Boom at [email protected] .