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Orchard Hill school plan voted down by planners By DAMIAN MANN Mail Tribune Medford Planning Commission members rejected plans for a $2 million expansion project at Orchard Hill Elementary School Thursday, a decision that has drawn criticism from the Phoenix-Talent School District. "On the one hand, they have allowed the expansion of 600 new homes, but not the expansion of the school that serves those homes," said school board Chairman Craig Prewitt. Orchard Hill is run by the Phoenix-Talent district, which serves the southern portion of Medford below Barnett Road on the east side of Interstate 5. Prewitt said the commission's decision is ironic in light of its approval of a major new development near North Phoenix Road that could ultimately house 10,000 new residents on 1,000 acres. The district has $16.2 million in voter-approved bonds that will finance the remodeling of its schools, including improvements to Orchard Hill such as four new classrooms, an improved bus loop and the expansion of a 50-space parking lot to provide eight more spaces. "We have voter-approved money ready to go, but the Medford Planning Commission has said 'no,' " said Prewitt. Medford senior planner Jim Maize said the city had received more than 20 letters from nearby residents opposed to the school project. Residents cite the noise and diesel pollution from a proposed bus loop that would be moved 70 feet closer to a residential area. The planning commission turned down the proposal by a 5-4 vote, Maize said. Maize said landscaping could be installed as one way to mitigate residents' concerns and possibly gain commission approval. The district also could return with a proposal just to build the classrooms, postponing a decision on the parking lot and bus loop, said Maize. Prewitt responded, "I don't know what else we can do. We've already cut down the (additional) spaces from 20 to eight." Business manager Doug Spani said district officials met Friday afternoon to come up with a compromise solution to satisfy the planning commission. The district could still proceed with some other projects planned at Orchard Hill, including a new heating and air-conditioning system. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.