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M/CLOUDY Temp: 42 °F Wind: WNW at 3 mph Monday, March 3, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend February 13, 2003 Signs like this one are popping up around town under a new city policy. This one advertises a proposed zone change for a parcel at Jeanette and Dakota avenues. Mail Tribune / Jim Craven Medford makes use of signs of things to come By MEG LANDERS Mail Tribune From constructing a pathway to partitioning a lot to changing a residential zone, the city wants to get the word out about public hearings. That’s why little blue and white signs have been sprouting in lots around Medford this past week, notifying area landowners of upcoming land- use hearings. This helps them reach residents who may otherwise fall through the cracks, according to Medford Planning Director Rob Scott. "The idea is to have additional outreach," he said. "This is all about customer service." The new signs supplement the legal notices in the newspaper as well as the notices mailed out to landowners within 200 feet of the property at issue. They alert neighbors to upcoming Historic, Planning or Site Plan and Architectural Commission hearings, and post the phone number of the planning department if anyone has questions about the land use plan. If nothing else, the posted information may just keep strangers from bothering those who live near the property. "A lot of people ask about that property (in passing)," said Shannon Jones, 34, who lives on Dakota Avenue, across the street from a piece of property scheduled for a zoning change. He said since the sign went up last week, he’s seen passers-by stopping to read it. He was already aware of the hearing before the sign went up, though, because the city had mailed him a notice. He said the city does a good job of keeping neighbors informed of hearings. In the past the city has had occasional complaints from tenants who said they didn’t know about a nearby land-use change that affected them, said Jim Maize, Medford senior planner. "If someone is a renter, they’re not going to be sent a notice," he said. Scott said that sometimes the planning department’s records may not have caught up with the current ownership, or sometimes a residence is rented and the landlord lives out of the area. He said the signs are on a trial basis, and at this point they’re going up about 21 days before the scheduled public hearing. "I think we ordered like 50 signs, and we’ll see what we learn," he said. To reach the planning department, call 774-2380. Reach reporter Meg Landers at 776-4481 or e-mail [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy Website Feedback A D V E R T I S E R S