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41 °F Forecast | Road Cams Thursday, January 27, 2005 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 Menu Guide How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Real Estate Guide Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People Volunteer Opportunities Moving to Southern Oregon? 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 December 16, 2004 The Southeast Plan will eventually add thousands of homes off North Phoenix Road in Medford, but a citizens group worries the development may create flooding problems for others. Mail Tribune / Bob Pennell Plan raises flood fears Thousands of homes built in southeast Medford could stress the city’s storm drain system By MEG LANDERS Mail Tribune The Southeast Plan could add thousands of new homes within Medford’s city limits and compound problems the city has in dealing with storm water runoff. So a proposal to allow more building and paving on lots within the plan area has come in for criticism from a local citizens group. "It puts a huge stress on our storm drainage system," said Carole Berg, chairwoman of the Citizens Planning Advisory Committee. Berg wants the city to postpone adopting the provision concerning lot coverage until studies are done. Berg plans to speak during the public hearing portion of the Medford City Council meeting at 7 tonight at City Hall. The council will consider several amendments to the Medford Comprehensive Plan to accommodate the Southeast Plan. The Southeast Plan is designed to be a pedestrian-friendly community of about 10,000 residents on 1,000 acres east of North Phoenix Road, from the ridge above Cherry Lane south to Coal Mine Road. Planning for the community began more than 13 years ago and the plan document was adopted by the council in 1998. Among the proposed changes is one that increases how much a lot can be covered by houses, roads, sidewalks, etc. The change raises the amount from 40 percent to about 45 percent, depending on the zone. Advertisement CPAC members, who support the overall plan, say they worry the change will make Medford more vulnerable to flooding. The storm drainage system, which already has trouble handling current storm water runoff, would be pushed beyond its capacity, said Berg. Because the southeast area is higher in elevation than many areas of the city, the lower areas would be more likely to flood, she said. The lot coverage is one of many proposed changes supported by city planners. Suzanne Myers, city associate planner, said the public hearing is intended in part to adopt a plan with detailed street locations. "This just really spells out in detail what should go where," she said. The council appointed the Southeast Plan Implementation Advisory Committee in 2001. The committee is made up of five developers and real estate planners: Mike Mahar, Lou Mahar, Randy Jones, Craig Stone and Jim Bennett; three planning commission members: Carl Bartlett, Bob Tull and Boyd Gibson; and two city council members: Jim Key and Greg Jones. In addition to CPAC’s concerns, the city also received a letter from Steven Niemela, assistant district wildlife biologist with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, on Nov. 28 offering suggestions to minimize loss of wildlife habitat in the area. "Unfortunately, the plan area currently includes valuable deer and elk winter range, and turkey habitat," Niemela wrote. His suggestions included reducing speed limits in wildlife crossing areas, providing birdhouses and retaining standing and downed dead wood within greenways for small wildlife. "Native vegetation is preferred over non-native in all plantings," he wrote. Two property owners, one inside and one outside of the plan area, sent letters to the city objecting to the density of the plan. Myers, however, said she’s optimistic about the proposed changes. She said there has been regular communication with neighbors and property owners, including an open house held in August. "We had about 70 people coming to that," she said. "Everybody seemed pretty supportive." Reach reporter Meg Landers at 776-4481 or e-mail [email protected] . Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? 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