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Click Here 45 °F Forecast | Road Cams Monday, February 23, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find a Rental 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 Email Story to a Friend February 7, 2004 Greg Hathaway, a Portland lawyer for Wal-Mart, makes his case for a Wal-Mart Supercenter at Friday�s Site Plan and Architectural Review Commission in Medford. Mail Tribune / Bob Pennell Wal-Mart hearing draws a crowd Residents voice concerns, praise for proposed supercenter at Miles Field By MEG LANDERS Mail Tribune Speakers opposing a Wal-Mart Supercenter in Medford said a public hearing Friday left them frustrated that their voices weren’t heard. After testifying, some citizens said Jon Elliott, the chairman of the city’s Site Plan and Architectural Review Commission, inappropriately cut off several public testimonies. In crowded Council Chambers, the commission heard testimony Friday from Rogue Valley residents both for and against the proposed Wal-Mart Supercenter at the Miles Field site between Highway 99 and Center Drive in south Medford. More than 150 people showed up for the hearing, which was continued to March. Brent Thompson, president of Friends of Jackson County, a land-use watchdog group, said after the meeting that he saw several interrupted testimonies and questions the validity of the hearing. Advertisement "I think we have a problem with that meeting," he said. "You can limit people’s testimony. I don’t believe they get to censor." But Elliott defended his actions. He said when two or three people come to a public hearing he lets them stray off-topic, but with 25 people who want to give testimony, he has to remind them of the scope of the commission and not let them get off the subject. After handling other items on its agenda and listening to a presentation from Wal-Mart representatives, the commission opened its public hearing several hours into its meeting Friday. "We’d be there all night," Elliot said. The public hearing on Wal-Mart’s plans was continued until noon March 12, as requested by Wal-Mart’s attorney, to give the retail giant time to respond to the commission’s concerns about the building’s appearance. The meeting began with Chairman Elliott setting the tone. "Before we start, badges must come off," he told the audience. "I won’t allow any signage of any kind in the Council Chambers." He then warned that while he welcomed testimony, the commission’s scope is narrow, focusing on the aesthetic qualities of development proposals. "If you get off the subject, I’m going to assume that you’re finished," he said. Following presentations by Medford planning staff and an attorney, engineer and architect for Wal-Mart, commissioners expressed concern about the appearance of the building, especially the back side facing Highway 99. "There are Wal-Marts that have been built that are very much more appealing than this one," said Elliott. The commissioners also expressed concern about the pallets and nine-foot-tall storage containers that would be stored on site, and asked the Wal-Mart team to come back with more visually appealing ideas. Supporters, who earlier wore yellow smiley-face Wal-Mart buttons, appeared to be about two-thirds of the audience. Opponents, however, gave most of the testimony. Medford Attorney Bill Mansfield said he was concerned the project would aggravate the already congested traffic problem on nearby Barnett Road. Mike Miles, son of Claude "Shorty" Miles, for whom Miles Field was named, also began expressing concerns about traffic, but was cut off by the chairman several times for venturing onto the topic of the replacement for Miles Field. Talent City Council member Wendy Siporen, representing Citizens for Responsible Development, spoke on several issues, and alleged the project violates zoning and traffic requirements, but Elliott interrupted her several times and asked her to stay on the topic of the building’s appearance. Medford resident John Statler said the size alone made it incompatible with the neighborhood. "The face of it’s so huge that I can’t imagine," he said, so he brought a mock up for a visual aid. He held up three cutouts representing two buildings near the site and the proposed supercenter: a 1-foot-long cutout for the credit union building, a 3-foot-long cutout for the nearby Armory, and a 6- foot-long cutout for the supercenter. During the public hearing, several people expressed support for the project. Sheri Sherman of Medford said she supports Wal-Mart and the architects’ proposal, and said Medford is the hub of Southern Oregon. "We need to make sure that we have the right products here for us when we go shopping," she said. Following the meeting, Wal-Mart attorney Greg Hathaway of Portland said he wasn’t surprised that the hearing was continued. Hathaway has represented several Wal-Mart projects in Oregon, and said he’s worked on six or seven that have gone to public hearings. He said hearing that the store is very big and therefore is not compatible, an argument presented by several people during Friday’s hearing, was the most common argument he’s heard at other hearings. But he’s confident the project will pass in Medford. "Our job is to demonstrate compatibility," he said. 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 © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback 3 WEEKS FREE! ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S RESOURCES Oregon Road Conditions & Cams SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Food for Thought Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Prime Times