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2 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW UPDATE: Hunt for distance runner Ragsdale will be suspended at 10 tonight ... DA won't offer felony discharge to justice director Shane Hagey ... SOCIAL MEDIA: Community rallies around hunt for Todd Ragsdale ... UPDATE: Hunt for distance runner Ragsdale will be suspended at 10 tonight ... DA won't offer felony discharge to justice director Shane Hagey ... SOCIAL MEDIA: Community rallies around hunt for Todd Ragsdale ... Wrong place for apartments? A proposed 100-unit, low-income apartment complex in east Medford draws opposition from residents worried about property values, traffic Neighbors in east Medford have rallied in opposition to a proposed 100-unit, low-income apartment complex that they say is out of place in an area of single-family homes. Comment By DAMIAN MANN MailTribune.com By DAMIAN MANN Posted May. 10, 2011 at 12:10 AM Updated May 10, 2011 at 11:56 AM By DAMIAN MANN Posted May. 10, 2011 at 12:10 AM Updated May 10, 2011 at 11:56 AM Hearing scheduled --> What: Hearing by the Medford Site and Architectural Commission on a proposed 100-unit apartment project in the Cherry Creek subdivision in east Medford. When: Noon, June 3, in the City Hall Coun... » Read more X Hearing scheduled What: Hearing by the Medford Site and Architectural Commission on a proposed 100-unit apartment project in the Cherry Creek subdivision in east Medford. When: Noon, June 3, in the City Hall Council Chambers. The project under discussion: Sixteen buildings totaling 94,550 square feet on 6 acres. The project will include 100 apartments and 150 parking spaces. » Social News Neighbors in east Medford have rallied in opposition to a proposed 100-unit, low-income apartment complex that they say is out of place in an area of single-family homes. "They are dumping an apartment island into a residential community," said Mack Borgen, a 63-year-old Spring Street resident. "A project of this size is going to affect a substantial part of east Medford." A petition signed by 73 neighbors opposes the Cherry Creek Apartments, which would be situated on almost 6 acres at the corner of Spring Street and North Berkeley Way, adjacent to Donahue-Frohnmayer Park. Residents have sent the Medford Site and Architectural Commission a letter opposing the Jackson County Housing Authority project. The commission postponed a hearing scheduled for last Friday, and Medford Public Works will analyze the project to see what its traffic impact would be on Spring Street, according to Jim Huber, Medford planning director. The hearing is now scheduled for noon, June 3, in the City Hall Council Chambers. Cherry Creek would feature 16 buildings totaling 94,550 square feet and have 150 parking spaces. Originally, the 6-acre parcel was part of an almost 30-acre development that would have included 197 housing units. The parcel is zoned for 20 housing units per acre. Borgen said 100 apartments would generate a lot of traffic on Spring Street, making the area more dangerous for pedestrians. He also said the project would bring down property values for the surrounding neighborhood that is mostly single-family homes on large lots. Jason Elzy, program manager with the Housing Authority, said demand for low-income housing units is high in Jackson County, with waiting lists of six months to four years. Elzy said many of the neighbors' concerns will be addressed at the June 3 hearing. He said the housing authority was somewhat surprised by the reaction, but said it was understandable considering the scope of the project. "We've run across these types of concerns in prior housing projects," he said. "Once the project is placed on the site, we are welcomed with open arms." The housing authority's 1,100 units in the county are locally managed and receive a lot of oversight, he said. Based on city codes, Elzy said, the project could have had up to 130 units on the land, but the housing authority decided to opt for 100, which is two units more than the minimum allowed. Construction costs for the first phase of 50 units would be $6.1 million, bringing the total project to more than $12 million, he said. "We will have well over 100 jobs during the course of 12 months of construction," Elzy said. The park adjacent to the proposed apartments is routinely used by residents such as Katelyn Kelly, a 28-year-old mother who was pushing her 13-month-old daughter, Makena, in a stroller Monday. Kelly said she worries the intersection of Spring and Berkeley as well as Spring Street and Springbrook Road could become more dangerous to cross. The aesthetics of the park could be ruined by the apartment complex, she fears. "It won't be as visually appealing when we use the park," she said. Her husband, 28-year-old Travis Kelly, said he opposes a proposed exemption that would cut down on the buffer space between the apartments and the park and halve the amount of trees required for the project. "I want their development to impact my park as little as possible," he said. A 10-foot-wide buffer with 40 trees, 103 shrubs and a 6-foot fence would normally be required for the project. The developer proposes planting 18 trees, 57 shrubs, a lawn and a 6-foot fence. Kelly said a two-story apartment complex also would look out of place in a neighborhood filled with single-story homes. Ronnie Mankins, a 42-year-old Spring Street resident, said there are other areas in Medford that are more suitable for apartment complexes. "In my eyes, it's not compatible with this area," he said. Mankins said he thinks the apartment complex could affect property values for about a mile in all directions. "I just think there is a place for this other than here," he said. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 541-776-4476, or e-mail [email protected]. By DAMIAN MANN MailTribune.com By DAMIAN MANN Posted May. 10, 2011 at 12:10 AM Updated May 10, 2011 at 11:56 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. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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