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Ashland planners won't budge on credit union plan Friday Jan 27, 2017 at 12:01 AM By Julie Akins for the Mail Tribune The Ashland Planning Commission is defending its decision to deny a plan presented by Rogue Credit Union to build a new branch and accommodate between 24 and 32 affordable apartment-style housing units in partnership with a nonprofit community group. Planning Commission Chair Melanie Mindlin says the proposal for low-cost housing was not enough to sway commissioners. “Affordable housing was just a theoretical proposition and was not part of their actual proposal," she said of the proposal that came before the commission Jan. 10. "Obviously, they thought they deserved an exception and the majority of commissioners did not agree.” Mindlin says sometimes land is purchased on a hope that doesn’t come to fruition. She characterized this as one of those times. “You will see from the record that the applicants were completely aware that their project was not in compliance with city standards before they purchased the property," she said. "They took a chance that didn’t pan out.” Matt Stephenson, the executive vice president of Rogue Credit Union, said the majority of Ashland residents bank with them through an office on Lithia Way downtown which has become crowded and does not offer enough parking. The credit union hoped to open another branch on a vacant lot at 1651 Ashland St. across from Wendy’s restaurant. They planned to create an office with a drive-through window there while keeping the downtown branch. Stephenson said the expansion has been supported by residents. “This would reduce vehicular traffic downtown. We estimate 20 or more jobs for the community. Our members desperately want this.” The credit union holds the last drive-up window permit within the city of Ashland. Haywood Norton was the lone dissenting vote on the Planning Commission in favor of the plan. “I can support the exception," he said, "because only 12 drive-up windows are allowed by city code, 11 drive-up windows presently exist at Ashland businesses, and thus this project is the last project that can have a drive-up window and will not set a precedent for any additional exceptions for similar projects with drive up windows along Ashland Street.” The credit union wanted to build a branch that would be 4,508 square feet on their property on Ashland Street and subdivide the parcel, allowing for affordable housing in the newly created second lot. The application asked for a variance from a city requirement that any building must occupy at least half the size of the lot. “If we built a 10,000-square-foot building it would be a gross misuse of our members' money and it wouldn’t have adequate parking,” Stephenson said. The City Council at study sessions in December and January identified the area which they referred to as “the Transit Triangle,” bounded by Ashland Street, Tolman Creek Road and Siskiyou Boulevard, as an ideal location for affordable housing and mixed use planning. The proposed new branch and affordable housing units would be on the Route 10 bus route, which runs around the triangle. “We first looked into the affordable housing piece because city staff recommended that would be a good thing for the community," said Stephenson of the project plans. "We’re trying our hardest to do good things for the community.” Rich Rhode of the city Housing and Human Services Commission says they have been watching the proposal. “I would hope they could grant a variance for the project," Rhode said, "while staying within the intent of the law.” Rhode says they’ve received feedback at the Housing Commission. “We’ve had calls from the community from people concerned at the turning down of this proposal. Those are more affordable housing units than we’ve seen in quite awhile.” Rogue Credit Union is planning to appeal the Planning Commission’s decision. They hope to persuade the commission to reconsider at its next meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 14, according to Stephenson. If not, the credit union plans to appeal to the Ashland City Council, according to Stephenson. “If they hold to their decision to deny this we do have the ability to appeal to the City Council, a body of elected officials. We do believe citizens will argue in our favor.” Email Ashland freelance writer Julie Akins at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter at twitter.com/@julieakins.