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M/CLEAR Temp: 70 °F Wind: N at 4 mph Friday, August 2, 2002 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA Cyberchef E The People Golf Job Network Headbone Zone Wellness Connection Movie Times Newspaper in Education Oregon CarZone Outdoor Journal Personals Prime Times Real Estate Tempo A & E TV Times W3 Magazine CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Destinations Automotive Communities Employment Entertainment Publications Real Estate Recreation Shopping Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Jobs @ Mail Tribune Email Story to a Friend July 30, 2002 Medford council considers duplex limits Worried about blight, members weigh a ban for the dual units on the west side of town By MELISSA MARTIN Mail Tribune Saying they’re concerned about neighborhood blight, Medford City Council members Thursday may move to prohibit new duplexes in west Medford. The meeting will be held at noon in the City Council chambers on the third floor of Medford City Hall, 411 W. 8th St. Council members will consider several options, including changing zoning to prohibit new duplexes on lots 5,000 square feet or smaller. Another option is changing the density standard in west Medford to six homes per acre instead of the present 10 homes per acre. "I think we need to concentrate on owner-occupied ownership," said councilman Sal Esquivel, who lives in west Medford. "The key to revitalization is getting people involved," Esquivel said. "When we started upgrading our yard, the neighbor next door did the same. It’s something that catches on. West Medford is where Medford started — it was the core in the 1880s. We need to come back to that." Council members toured west Medford by bus Thursday. Several expressed concern about the high percentage of rentals and about builders tearing down old houses and replacing them with duplexes that don’t fit into historic neighborhoods. Also on Thursday, the council will: Sign a 10-year franchise agreement with PacifiCorp, which provides electricity in Medford. The city will collect 5 percent of the power company’s gross revenue, the same as in an agreement signed in 1992. Medford anticipates $2,179,490 in revenue from PacifiCorp in 2003. Award the job of renovating the Santo Community Center to R.A. Murphy Construction Inc. of Eagle Point for $349,884. Reid Murphy was the only contractor who submitted a bid. Spend $76,523 for the purchase of a quarter of an acre from Roberts and Larson LLC for additional right-of-way near the northeast corner of South Village and North Phoenix roads. The city has spent more than $1 million buying property to realign North Phoenix Road, a $1.61 million project that’s currently under construction. Award a $60,000 contract to Hughes Brothers Construction to remove sludge from a Regional Water Reclamation Facility lagoon. Receive a $12,500 wetlands grant from Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development. During the evening session at 7 p.m., the City Council will hold public hearings to annex about 40 acres into the city limits. The proposed annexations are 9.78 acres on the east side of Orchard Home Drive, south of Westwood Drive, and 28.25 acres plus 4.3 acres of right-of-way on the west side of Crater Lake Highway, near Justice Road. Reach reporter Melissa Martin at 776-4497, 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 1997-2002 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy web master feedback A D V E R T I S E R S