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Planning CommissionMinutes
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April 23, 2024
STUDY SESSION
Minutes
I.CALL TO ORDER:
Chair Verner called the meeting to order at 7:08 p.m. at the Civic Center Council Chambers, 1175 E.
Main Street. Commissioner KenCairn attempted to attend the meeting remotely via Zoom but was
prohibited from doing so due to technical difficulties.
Commissioners Present: Staff Present:
Lisa Verner Brandon Goldman, Community Development Director
Eric Herron Derek Severson, Planning Manager
Susan MacCracken Jain
Gregory Perkinson
Absent Members: Council Liaison:
Russell Phillips Paula Hyatt (absent)
Kerry KenCairn
Doug Knauer
II.ANNOUNCEMENTS
Community Development Director Brandon Goldman made the following announcement:
The City Council reviewed and awarded a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG),
Housing Trust Fund, and social service grants for Community Development projects. The
Housing Trust Fund was primarily directed towards the Sunstone Housing Collective, for the
purpose of purchasing the ball fields across from the Council Chambers and develop
affordable and family housing. $40,000 was also granted to a new Ashland Community Land
Trust organization to acquire property and develop affordable housing.
III.PUBLIC FORUM – None
IV.DISCUSSION ITEM
A.Discussion of changes proposed by the Development Process Management Advisory
Committee (DPMAC)
Chair Verner noted that Commissioner KenCairn is the Commission’s representative on the
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In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, please email
planning@ashland.or.us. Notification 72 hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to
ensure accessibility to the meeting (28 CFR 35.102-35.104 ADA Title 1).
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Development Process Management Advisory Committee (DPMAC) but is unable to attend tonight’s
meeting due to the aforementioned technical difficulties.
Staff Presentation
Mr. Goldman informed the Commission that the (DPMAC) was initiated by the previous City Manager
in response to a City-held roundtable with local developers. This group included architects,
designers, representatives of Southern Oregon University (SOU), local contractors, and
Commissioner KenCairn to determine if there are efficiencies that can be gained in departmental
processes, the issuance of building permits, or development code changes. Mr. Goldman explained
that this process began with a survey of applicants who had applied for a building permit or
planning action between 2018-2022. Staff received 71 responses, 93-97% of which were positive,
though some spoke to the difficulty of the development process.
Mr. Goldman described how questions arose from the survey about how to streamline the
application and permitting process. The City subsequently implemented its Citizen Self-Service
(CSS) portal, which allows customers to apply for permits and planning actions online, as well as
check the status of applications and request permit inspections. He noted that the CSS portal had
seen 80 new registrants in the last month. He added that the City’s permitting and application fees
are higher than some neighboring cities, but are lower than the state median.
Mr. Goldman outlined several proposed changes to Land Use applications, including: making tree
removals applications an administrative decision and removing the noticing requirement;
streamlining the Outline Plan/Final Plan review process with regards to the number of units proposed
for a development; reviewing the creation of private drives/requiring a street dedication depending
on the number of lots proposed; solar ordinance amendments to allow intra-parcel shading; greater
allowances for the conversion of buildings from commercial to residential use; and not requiring a
permit for the construction, repair, or replacement of fences provided that they meet City standards.
The Commission discussed the impacts these suggested changes could have on the City and
requested that staff provide a report on the DPMAC suggestions at the next Commission meeting. Mr.
Goldman remarked that formal report would be presented to the Council at its May 20, 2024
meeting. He added that the City is also reviewing other priorities, such as the development of CFAs,
an Economic Opportunity Analysis, and a Manufactured Park Zone Ordinance, which would then be
followed by the DPMAC suggestions.
B.Discussion of video “Smart Cities: Toward a New Model for Urban Communities”
( )
https://alum.mit.edu/forum/video-archive/smart-cities
Chair Verner related how the speaker in the video regarded zoning as an under-recognized platform
cities could utilize, and discussed how cities could use incentives to achieve their desired outcomes.
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In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, please email
planning@ashland.or.us. Notification 72 hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to
ensure accessibility to the meeting (28 CFR 35.102-35.104 ADA Title 1).
Planning CommissionMinutes
The Commission discussed shared-equity ownership and solar co-op arrangements, where people
would invest a share and receive a proportional share of benefit. Commissioner MacCracken Jain
cautioned against relying on complicated optimization strategies, stating that zoning and taxes are
among the strongest levers the City can use to enact change, particularly in reducing CO2 emissions
and improving quality of life. The Commission discussed how zoning could be used to impact
climate change. Mr. Goldman expressed appreciation for the state’s guidelines regarding Climate
Friendly Areas (CFAs) and its use of zoning changes to address systemic issues.
V.OPEN DISCUSSION
Commissioner MacCracken Jain commented that she had forwarded an article from the New York
Times to staff regarding the housing crisis in New Jersey. Mr. Goldman stated that the article would
be included in the May 14, 2024 Regular Meeting packet as an informational item.
VI.ADJOURNMENT
Meeting adjourned at 8:22 p.m.
Submitted by,
Michael Sullivan, Executive Assistant
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In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, please email
planning@ashland.or.us. Notification 72 hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to
ensure accessibility to the meeting (28 CFR 35.102-35.104 ADA Title 1).