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Festival's building hurdles shrink Project still has planning process By DANI DODGE ASHLAND -- The Oregon Shakespeare Festival will face both the planning commission and lease negotiations before a new 350-seat theater will become reality. "We've got to iron out the details before this can be settled -- and there could be some little hitches here and there," said Councilman Don Laws. "But I think it will get worked out, and I think it will happen." On Tuesday, the Ashland City Council gave the festival the go-ahead to begin the planning process to build a new theater that will replace the Black Swan Theatre. The new theater, which has not yet been named, is slated to be four levels and about 25,000 to 30,000 square feet. If approved, it will be built on the current Hargadine parking lot. The festival has proposed building a two-tier parking structure on the remainder of the lot, which would add another 36 spaces to the current 84. Laws said by giving conceptual approval to the project, the council is recognizing the project will not overwhelm Ashland's downtown. The theater will increase the size of the festival by about 10 percent. The new theater will seat between 260 and 350 people, up to 200 more seats than the Black Swan. "The council pretty much has decided the impact of the project isn't too great for the good of the city," Laws said. "I don't think we are concerned about the issue of Shakespeare swallowing the whole downtown." The festival is aiming to open the new theater by the beginning of the 2002 season, said festival Executive Director Paul Nicholson. "At the moment the timetable has us beginning construction about this time next year," Nicholson said. "We are assuming (the construction) will be a year-long process." Before that happens, though, there could be several public hearings on different aspects of the plan. Right now, the theater is working with architects to draw up designs for a pre-planning application. That process gives the city planning department a chance to look at the drawings and give input. After some of the bigger design issues are worked through, the festival will seek formal approval from the city planning commission. The city will hold a public hearing beforehand. There is also expected to be public hearings on issues dealing with the festival's lease with the city. The city owns the property under the festival buildings as well as the parking lot. The lease on that property needs to be renewed and changed to accommodate the new theater. One of the main points of contention in the new lease will be parking. The festival would like to be reimbursed for building the parking structure by charging fees in the lot. Laws and other council members have said if parking fees are charged, the money should go toward funding alternative transportation. City Administrator Mike Freeman said the city and festival will be getting together in the next few weeks to define the issues that may come up in renewing the lease agreement. "One of the things that was important is public participation and open meetings," Freeman said. "There will be multiple opportunities to provide input." Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA