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Consultant: OnTrack expansion wouldn't mean more traffic Medford panel puts off decision on contentious plan By JIM DAVIS Expanding a residential drug and alcohol treatment center in northeast Medford wouldn't increase traffic, a planning consultant told the Medford Planning Commission Thursday. OnTrack Inc., a nonprofit substance abuse treatment agency, wants to rezone property on Delta Waters Road, allowing it to expand its treatment facility. About 75 people attended the meeting on Thursday, most appearing for the OnTrack hearing. The plan has drawn fierce opposition from neighbors who worry about increased crime and traffic and lower property values. Craig Stone, a planning consultant for OnTrack, said the Oregon Department of Transportation didn't object to the zone change. "ODOT knows how to say no," Stone said. The Planning Commission voted to postpone the issue until Jan. 28 after neighbors argued that they didn't have enough time to prepare for Thursday's public hearing. "I didn't find out about it until I read about it in the paper this morning," said Jolynn Barnicoat, a neighbor who lives within 200 feet of the center. OnTrack Inc. wants to expand its existing center at 3397 Delta Waters Road, just west of Foothills Road. The agency wants to add 10 beds to the facility, which now serves 17 to 22 women in its "Moms" program. The issue became so contentious that in 1996 the neighbors banded together and recalled Councilman Mike Borwick, who represented the city's northeast ward and voted for one of the steps in the process. At Thursday's hearing, Stone said the women in the treatment center aren't allowed to drive. He said the center wouldn't hire additional staff, and that traffic -- a key issue for a zoning matter -- wouldn't be affected at all. Several neighbors, however, said traffic would increase around the center. Colin Fagan, a nearby neighbor, said traffic would increase just from people bringing supplies to the center. Kathy Brooks wondered about traffic increasing during visiting hours. Bob Pierle, another neighbor, asked the commission to postpone the meeting because he said he had gone to the city's planning department on Jan. 7 but was unable to get a copy of the staff report on the project. He got the report the next day. Fagan said he, too, had problems getting the report on Jan. 7. Barnicoat said she lives across the street from the center and never received a letter from the city notifying her of Thursday's public hearing. Jim Eisenhard, the city's planning director, said the report was available at 4:30 p.m. Thursday. The law requires the city to make the report available one week before the meeting. Medford senior planner Mark Gallagher said a letter was sent to Barnicoat's residence but was returned. Planning commissioners then decided to postpone the issue. Pierle said neighbors plan to use the extra time to hold meetings and develop arguments against the proposal. OnTrack Executive Director Rita Sullivan declined to talk about the postponement. Stone also wouldn't discuss the issue. Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA