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SUNNY Temp: 86 °F Wind: NNW at 13 mph Tuesday, June 17, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend June 1, 2003 Susan Logeais and her husband, Olivier, of Talent, chat while waiting for lunch at a new cafe in downtown Talent. The place is so new it doesn�t have a name. Mail Tribune / Jim Craven Is Talent mirroring Ashland? By TONY BOOM Mail Tribune TALENT — More and more of Ashland is showing up in its smaller neighbor to the north. The town’s only food market has added organic produce. Recently opened restaurants would be just as well at home on Ashland Plaza. And a majority on the City Council are former Ashland residents. Although some people say the town is becoming more like Ashland, city leaders say big differences remain. Tark’s Sentry Market had tried organic produce before, but couldn’t get enough turnover going to continue the offerings. That’s changed now, says Sue Ridgway, who owns the store with her husband, Ron. Advertisement "We’ve been making changes for the last year, getting away from being a conventional market," said Ridgway. They joined an independent California grocer’s group in February for advice on a store makeover and for access to more natural products. The produce section was rearranged. The store now carries organic garden seeds and features more local products. The store will be remodeled over the next year. Ashland residents began moving to Talent in the late 1980s as rising real estate prices forced them to look elsewhere. The trend continues, most people agree. "I think there definitely is the influence of Ashland on Talent," said City Administrator Betty Wheeler. "But we don’t consider ourselves an Ashland suburb." City Planner Kevin Cronin rejects the comparisons. "They are completely two different cites, two different cultures and two different entities," said Cronin. ‘The only thing is that a lot of folks have moved from Ashland to Talent." Some former Ashland residents expect the same level of city services they were used to, but the city has little money to provide more than the basics, said Cronin. Unlike Ashland, Talent doesn’t have a parks and recreation department, he noted. "Demographically, there is no comparison," said Cronin. That’s especially true for housing costs and household income. "I’m interested in seeing if the new residents are willing to participate in civic government," said Cronin. "City council, planning commission and parks commission meetings are empty. It’s frustrating for someone in government who believes in democratic participation." Greater public participation is one of the council’s goals for the coming year. Council members Wendy Siporen, Darby Stricker, Don Steyskal and Bob Wilson are former Ashland residents, as is Mayor Marian Telerski. In April the council backed a resolution designed to safeguard residents’ rights in the face of the federal Patriot Act. A similar resolution was passed in Ashland during February Changes in the general population’s tastes, rather than an influx of Ashland residents, may account for some of the changes in Talent, says Steyskal. Medford has more organic food outlets than it used to, he said. Three restaurateurs say there’s opportunity to capitalize on the influx of people from Ashland. Don Gregory and partner John Stough opened a cafe downtown at a former burger shop site in April. John Risser has become a partner in Caffe Cafe, which opened on Highway 99 next to the town’s hardware/liquor store a year ago. Risser said he hears customers say the business reminds them of how Ashland’s cafes used to be. Gregory said his business gets a lot of young families who may not have found the right breakfast spot in Ashland, or who are attracted to the lack of a tax on prepared food. Gregory’s as-yet unnamed cafe emphasizes local products and on-site preparation. Chef Jonathan Rand formerly worked at Gepetto’s and Ashland Bakery Cafe in Ashland. The restaurant is open for breakfast and lunch. A trained chef, Risser says Caffe Cafe will soon offer take home items for dinner. Baked items, light lunches and espresso drinks are available during morning and afternoon hours. Risser helped the Ashland Food Coop set up its new delicatessen operation when it remodeled last year. More artists have moved into town, says Bill Morgan of Southern Oregon Pottery & Supply Co. But so far that hasn’t resulted in an increase in art galleries. There’s still just one downtown. A parks and recreation levy lost narrowly in November. Wheeler said the council would probably wait until the next general election before they put a similar measure before the voters. But the city administrator did secure a $25,000 grant from the state for reconstruction of a tennis court and basketball court at Chuck Roberts Parks. Reach Ashland bureau reporter Tony Boom at 482-4651, or e-mail [email protected] City’s development on the rise TALENT — This city doesn’t compare to Ashland in size, and may never, even though there’s a building surge since a five-year construction moratorium was lifted last year. In 2000, Ashland had 19,523 residents while Talent had 5,589. A regional study projected 21,120 and 6,813 residents respectively by 2010. But City Planner Kevin Cronin says Talent could have up to 10,000 people by the end of the decade. Up to 230 new housing units may be approved, started, or completed this year, said Cronin. The Lithia View 20-lot subdivision was approved in January. A June public hearing is set for a 40-unit development on Suncrest Road. Two new developments, one on Talent Avenue and the other adjacent to Wagner Creek, will feature mixed-use commercial and residential buildings. That concept has been used in Ashland’s railroad district and other areas. Commercial development is set for downtown and along Highway 99. Talent Insurance Agency has approval for a mixed use building on South I Street. The owners of another downtown lot have talked to Cronin about a similar building. Construction has started on medical-professional offices at 208 S. Pacific Highway. A 1911 fire destroyed much of Talent’s downtown commercial area, leaving few historic buildings that survive to the present. In contrast, Ashland’s old downtown has remained largely intact despite periodic flooding of the plaza. Home prices continue to make Talent more affordable than Ashland. The median sale price in Talent during April was $148,742, an 11 percent increase over April 2002. In Ashland, the median price was $285,000, a 22 percent increase over the previous year. Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Rogue Valley Auto Finder Rogue Valley Job Finder --> Rogue Valley Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Real Estate Showcase Food for Thought Hike of the Week Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? 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