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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Emergency services Attorney general's decision would limit federal sharing of asset forfeitures Since You Asked: Video games need a home Students march to celebrate MLK Jr. Fighting for legacies Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Emergency services Attorney general's decision would limit federal sharing of asset forfeitures Thief hitches up trailer and tows away snowmobile and golf cart Grants Pass man admits to abusing toddler after hearing his own confession Aggravated theft suspect on the lam Politics and Elections Oregon Legislature convenes, session starts Feb. 12 Councilman stirs online dust-up with anti-marijuana post Education Unfair labor complaint against Medford School District resolved Arsonist attempts to burn down building at Jackson Elementary Not as ready as they should be Medford schools superintendent announces sweeping administration changes Ashland schools expand chickenpox exclusion rules Environment New wandering wolf arrives in Southern Oregon OR-7 now officially the leader of his pack Ashland trails up for changes Monument expansion expected to increase tourism, protect resources Biologist resigns over LNG reporting failure State News Oregon man reveled in Cuba trip Dancers: Strip club owes us wages 'Wild' author wows overflow crowd Portland seeks help for street repairs Drought continuing in California, Southwest Nation - World Obituaries Susan Lynne Schaffer Death Notices Elizabeth Hope Garrett Frank O. 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Thief hitches up trailer and tows away snowmobile and golf cart ... Fairgrounds has new interim director ... Community has a chance to weigh in on casino ... Thief hitches up trailer and tows away snowmobile and golf cart ... Fairgrounds has new interim director ... GROWING PAINS Medford looks for room to stretch out Population expected to increase by 50 percent in 20 years Faced with the prospect of running out of buildable land in the near future, the city of Medford may seek approval from the state to add another 1,650 acres to its urban growth boundary. Comment By Damian Mann Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Posted Sep. 15, 2014 @ 12:01 am By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Posted Sep. 15, 2014 @ 12:01 am » Social News Faced with the prospect of running out of buildable land in the near future, the city of Medford may seek approval from the state to add another 1,650 acres to its urban growth boundary to help accommodate 15,000 new homes and enough land for commercial development. City officials are trying to figure out how much land it needs to handle anticipated growth over the next 20 years as the population increases from 76,000 to a projected 115,000, more than a 50 percent increase. The city has to undergo a state process to add acreage to expand outside of the 18,000 acres already in its urban growth boundary. The last time the city went through the process was in 1990, when it added land also projected to be sufficient for 20 years. That land was not developed as quickly as projected. When the Great Recession hit, development came to a virtual halt, stalling projects such as the massive Southeast Plan, where 1,000 acres were slated for development in the early 2000s. “We had a much slower growth rate,” said Bianca Petrou, assistant planning director. The state allows cities three options to handle expected growth: Increase the density within existing boundaries, expand boundaries for expected growth or do a combination of increasing density and expanding boundaries. Petrou said the city likely will seek a combination of the two. A planning proposal that would require City Council approval calls for increasing the density on an existing 800 acres within the city, shaving off 100 acres for expansion Still, based on growth projections in a 2007 study, the city will need to add about 1,000 acres for residential and about 650 acres for commercial, she said. Altogether, the expansion and the increased density would accommodate about 15,000 residential units, Petrou said. The council will likely discuss the proposals developed by the Medford Planning Department on Oct. 23, and the public will get a chance to review them at an open house tentatively scheduled for Oct. 28. The proposed expansion mostly would be to the northeast and southeast of the city, Petrou said. “For the most part, the city doesn’t plan to grow to the west,” she said. The growth areas were chosen, in part, because the city could extend streets and services such as water and sewer by connecting into existing lines. The city has avoided expanding to the west in an effort to preserve farmland, Petrou said. Among the areas being looked as part of the expansion is land within the boundaries of the Centennial Golf Course property on North Phoenix Road. Brian McLemore, chief executive officer of Pacific Retirement Services, parent company of the Rogue Valley Manor and the golf course, said his organization still wants to build an active adult community that was proposed several years ago. The golf course would remain and be the central theme for the 1,000-unit residential complex, McLemore said. He said PRS is hopeful the city follows through on the expansion efforts, but the project will need to some “tweaks” before it is finalized. “It’s still the plan,” he said. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 541-776-4476, or e-mail [email protected]. Follow him at www.twitter.com/reporterdm. By Damian Mann Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Posted Sep. 15, 2014 @ 12:01 am » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. 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