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SUNNY Temp: 94 °F Wind: NW at 4 mph Sunday, September 28, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine Joy Magazine Tempo A & E RogueValleyAutoFinder RogueValleyHomeFinder Real Estate Showcase Wellness Connection 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 Employment Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend June 26, 2003 Jackson County approves ‘shovel-ready’ stimulus plan By DAMIAN MANN Mail Tribune Jackson County Commissioners approved an economic stimulus plan Wednesday that would make it easier for manufacturing businesses to relocate to Southern Oregon and bring more high-paying jobs. The creation of so-called shovel-ready properties and virtual building sites is part of a plan to eliminate some of the red tape businesses face when they want to move into an area. As part of the new virtual building program, Southern Oregon Regional Economic Development Inc. will work with developers and landowners to design buildings of 20,000 to 50,000 square feet that would meet all local regulations, doing everything short of pulling the permit. "It’s a cheap way of building it and they will come," said SOREDI Executive Director Gordon Safley. Advertisement This would reduce what would be an 18- to 24-month process to six to nine months, he said. Despite the lack of red tape, a business still would need to meet environmental regulations and conduct traffic studies. "There are some business we could not bring here," said Safley, mentioning a pulp mill or a Fiberglas company as examples. SOREDI has received a $20,000 state grant to gear up for the new program. Safley said that under the shovel-ready program, the state wants to create a database of available land to dispel the impression that Oregon doesn’t want business. "The object is to have the sites there, to have them ready so that business doesn’t have to go through the research," said Safley. "The purpose is job creation — and the higher paying the better." SOREDI has found six sites in Jackson County and one in Josephine County that each have a minimum of 25 acres that would qualify for the shovel-ready program. The land in Jackson County is located in Medford, White City and within the urban growth boundary of Central Point. The properties are privately owned. Using some state money, these properties would have water, sewer, storm drains and utilities in place and other issues like wetlands resolved in advance, he said. Businesses still will have to meet all county and state regulations and submit environmental reports. "It doesn’t short-circuit the process," he said. A previous economic stimulus plan helped generate 524 new manufacturing jobs last year in Josephine and Jackson counties with an average hourly wage of $15.44, according to SOREDI. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, 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 | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Rogue Valley Auto Finder Rogue Valley Job Finder --> Rogue Valley Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Real Estate Showcase Food for Thought Hike of the Week Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Openings Prime Times