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http://www.omniture.com --> Sections Home Page Local News AP News Archives Business Classifieds Event Calendar Forums Life Opinion Obituaries Photo Gallery Since We Asked Sports Tempo Weather Special Coverage 2006 Britt Festivals --> Shop Our Valley AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Search Our Valley Special Sections Homelife Magazine Joy Magazine Readers Choice 2006 Oregon Golf Info Oregon Wine Info Our Valley Other Publications Local Links Ashland News eSouthernOregon Newspapers In Education Personals Moving Here Movie Listings TV Listings Volunteer Customer Service Advertise With Us Media Kit Place Classified Ad Contact Us FAQ's Home Delivery Site Map --> Email Story to a Friend June 18, 2006 Eagle Point development gets nod By Jennifer Strange for the Mail Tribune EAGLE POINT — The Oregon Department of Transportation on Friday cleared the way for a development of 223 new homes that will max out capacity on Highway 62. ODOT called the Pleasant Creek Hills subdivision development the "last straw that broke the camel's back" before Highway 62 overflows. "We reviewed their study and decided and agreed that the number of trips added to Highway 62 will not violate the volume-to-capacity ratio standards, which is basically how many cars go through intersections," said John Vial, district manager for ODOT. Pacific Crest Properties has proposed amending the zoning on a 50-acre parcel located on Highway 62 at Barton Road from light industrial to residential. The proposed subdivision would comprise 223 single- and multi-family lots, with approximately eight acres of multi-family land to later be used for townhouse development. The state agency spent months considering Pacific Crest's Traffic Impact Study — prepared by RDL Engineering in Central Point — to make sure safety and use standards would be met according to the Transportation Planning Rule under the Department of Land Conservation and Development. ODOT's decision means Pacific Crest Properties can develop without being required to plan traffic mitigation. It also means meeting future traffic standards as set by the DLCD will be harder for future developers. "The key piece is that when you add this development and Wal-Mart and all the other developments, the capacity of Highway 62 has been used up," Vial said. Although the City of Eagle Point's planning department is happy with ODOT's decision, it's bracing for expansion. "The Barton Road area was one of the last vestiges of urbanizable land we have left in our urban growth boundary," said Bunny Lincoln, Eagle Point city planner. "All that's left is a bit more — 35 acres beyond in five-acre parcels, and most of them are getting annexed next month." Considering an urban growth boundary expansion is quickly becoming a planning priority, said Lincoln. "It's a tremendous job. Our (UGB) expansion will be to meet the state requirements to have a 20-year supply of developable land." Once expansion is approved and developments are proposed, radical enhancements to the highway will follow, she said. Relieved to learn his project got the green light from ODOT, Pacific Crest Properties owner Gary Whittle is looking forward to Tuesday's public hearing, where he hopes to get the official thumbs up. "This has been a two-year battle with ODOT," said Whittle. "For now, there's no traffic mitigation required. ODOT's happy with it, the city of Eagle Point's happy with it, I'm happy with it." If the city approves his project, Whittle will next face a series of different issues, including wetlands mitigation. "Anytime you remove or fill more than 50 cubic yards of wetlands or waterways, you need to mitigate" by creating new wetlands or enhancing existing wetlands, said Julie Curtis, communications manager at the Department of State Lands. Mitigation can be done in four ways: on-site, off-site, by investing in "mitigation banks" or through payment to DSL's revolving wetlands mitigation fund. According to Lincoln, much of the Pleasant Creek Hills Subdivision wetlands mitigation had already been negotiated and undertaken. "Gary has a master plan for all the subdivisions, has done massive effort enhancing the wetlands in Westbrook, and he's already mitigated some of the wetlands in an area just below the development," Lincoln said. But other than an unrelated matter from 2003, there is no record of any development project by Pacific Crest Properties in DSL's database, Curtis said. "We looked many different ways and we couldn't find anything under Westbrook or Pacific Crest Properties. There was nothing in our databases about wetlands mitigation," Curtis said. "It sounds like they haven't made an application yet for this project." For now, having a plan in place for wetlands mitigation isn't necessary for the city to issue a permit, Lincoln said, citing the future Wal-Mart Supercenter as an example. "Wetlands definitely have to be enhanced or mitigated or preserved, but cities do not get involved in wetlands issues," she said, adding that the city just needs a "signoff" from the appropriate state agency. Whittle declined to comment on the wetlands issue, saying "there's a lot more information out there but it doesn't need to be talked about until after (Tuesday's) meeting." Testimony from agencies and citizens will be heard at two public hearings. The planning commission will listen to the testimony then make recommendations to the City Council, which will render the final decision on the proposed rezoning and subdivision plat. The Eagle Point Planning Commission public hearings are scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday and June 27 in the Eagle Point City Hall council chambers. Jennifer Strange is a freelance writer living in Central Point. Advertisement s Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback online casinos news Home Security Systems California Casinos Men's Clothing Southern Oregon Loans --> GMAT Prep Fundraisers Send Flowers Texas Electric Choice Entertainment Guide --> Casinos Canada Trunks, Footlocker Online Casino Reviews