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CLOUDY Temp: 51 °F Wind: WNW at 10 mph Sunday, March 2, 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 December 16, 2002 Expo noise-level plan moves forward By BUFFY POLLOCK for the Mail Tribune CENTRAL POINT — After more than two years of discussion, the City Council and Jackson County Fair Board have reached common ground on plans for a 5,800-seat Lithia Motors Amphitheater at the Jackson County Expo. A sound ordinance written by representatives of both entities prohibits noise levels from continuing above 95 decibels and includes strict enforcement measures. The ordinance received initial approval Wednesday by county commissioners and a public hearing and final approval are expected in about a month. City Council also approved the ordinance Thursday and thanked fairgrounds manager Chris Borovansky for changes made to the project to minimize sound and traffic problems during events. Former council member Dennis Richardson, who was elected to the state Legislature earlier this year but continued working with the fair board for the city, said Friday he had confidence the new ordinance would be effective. "I’m pleased with the changes that have been made, especially with the provision for an annual review that will allow us to continue to have the ability to make adjustments as needed," he said. First and second violations of the sound limit come with a warning, while a third violation carries a $10,000 fine. A fourth and final violation will result in the sound technician being removed from the sound booth. Despite the sound ordinance and other changes promised by the county, some council members still had concerns. "Very few of our residents know anything about this and it’s going to be built right inside our city. It should have been built in White City," said councilwoman Donna Higginbotham. "This is our town and I feel like we’ve been slapped in the face with this big noisy mess. I’ll tell you who I really feel sorry for are the people that live over there." But Mayor Bill Walton, initially the project’s biggest critic, said plans for the amphitheater had come a long way in two years. Though the $2.85 million project was originally planned for a June 2001 groundbreaking, concerns raised by angry citizens and the council resulted in substantial delays and numerous changes. Sound abatement berms originally planned for 12 feet high will be built between 20 and 24 feet; the stage will face toward the fairgrounds rather than the city; and a traffic control plan has been tested. Borovansky said traffic during concerts, which will have an attendance limit of 5,800, will be less severe than during the fair, which averages 20,000 people per day. The 15-show annual maximum would include all concerts during fair week. All that remains for the project to begin is better weather and additional fundraising. "And we’re not done working with the city," Borovansky said. "This is going to be an ongoing process. We want to work together on this." Buffy Pollock is a free-lance writer living in Medford. E-mail her at [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