HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-28 RPS Resolution of Issues RESOLUTION NO. 2011-,Z? '
A RESOLUTION ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF ASHLAND
RECOMMENDING RESOLUTION OF ISSUES RELATING TO THE CITY
OF ASHLAND AS PART OF ADOPTION OF THE GREATER BEAR
CREEK VALLEY REGIONAL PROBLEM SOLVING PLAN.
Recitals:
A. WHEREAS Pursuant toformer ORS 197.654 (1)(2007), Jackson County and the cities
of Medford, Ashland, Central Point, Eagle Point, Phoenix and Talent, entered into a
collaborative regional problem-solving (RPS)process; and
B. WHEREAS the City of Ashland (City), as a participant in RPS, having signed a
Participants' Agreement identifying a regional land use problem, establishing goals addressing
the problem, creating mechanisms for achieving such goals, and a system for monitoring the
implementation and effectiveness of the those goals ; and
C. WHEREAS the Greater Bear Creek Valley Regional Problem Solving Plan(the"RPS
Plan") contemplated by the Participants' Agreement has been proposed under the provisions of
former ORS 197.654(1) and former 197.656(2), which remain applicable to this RPS process;
and
D. WHEREAS Jackson County is the local government charged with adopting the final RPS
Plan; and
E. WHEREAS the RPS process must include: (a) An opportunity for involvement by other
stakeholders with an interest iri the problem; and (b) Efforts among the collaborators to agree on
goals, objectives and measures of success; and
F. WHEREAS the City made initial recommendations to the Jackson County Planning
Commission concerning the contents and adoption of the RPS Plan, including associated maps
and findings as Resolution#2010-021; and
G. WHEREAS the Jackson County Planning Commission has conducted public hearings on
the RPS Plan over the course of the past 19 months and will be forwarding recommended
revisions of the RPS Plan to the Board of Commissioners; and
H. WHEREAS the City Council conducted a public meeting on the RPS Plan on August 16,
2011 to consider the revisions recommended by Jackson County planning staff and the Jackson
County Planning Commission; and
L WHEREAS, all requirements for legal notices and advertisements have been fulfilled and
public testimony accepted and recorded; now, therefore,
THE CITY OF ASHLAND RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION I —RPS PLAN. The City Council of Ashland hereby recommends Jackson County's
adoption of the"Greater Bear Creek Valley Regional Plan", attached as Exhibit "A", and
associated findings as amended with the following provisions:
1. Population—In Resolution#2010-021, the Council previously recommended that
Ashland's population estimates be corrected to reflect projected growth rates
more consistent with Ashland's historic development patterns, emphasizing the
importance of basing,infrastructure planning to accommodate growth within our
existing city boundaries on accurate numbers. The County has subsequently
initiated a limited re-opening of its Population Element to reflect a 1.06 percent
annual growth rate for Ashland through 2026, and a 0.91 percent annual growth
rate through the 2040 planning horizon in conjucnction with review of the RPS
Plan. The Council wishes to express our appreciation to the Board of
Commissioners for being willing to resolve this matter through the on going
collaborative planning process of RPS, and to reaffirm the importance of
accurate population allocations to Ashland and the broader regional planning
process.
2. Efficient Land Use and Transportation Planning — In Resolution #2010-021,
the Council recommended that commitments to Transit Oriented Developments
(TODs) and/or higher density be incorporated into the Regional Problem Solving
Plan in order to provide densities to support a successful regional transit system.
With the revisions recommended by the Jackson County Planning Commission,
participating cities are to commit to staggered densities of from 6.5 to 7.9
dwelling units per acre for their existing urban growth boundaries and proposed
urban reserves over the planning horizon while also seeking a substantial
percentage of new residential development and employment creation within
Transit Oriented Developments (TODs) or mixed-use pedestrian friendly areas.
The Council wishes to again emphasize the importance of planning development
in the region in a manner that will ultimately support a successful regional transit
system, and recommends that the Board of Commissioners adopt #3 and#13 of
the Planning Commission's recommended revisions to the plan.
3. Urban Fringe — The Council recommends that the Board of Commissioners
adopt the Chapter 5 revisions proposed by County staff in Section 2.15 to retain
the ten-acre minimum lot size requirement for those areas located in the County
within a mile of Ashland's Urban Growth Boundary until Ashland identifies
urban reserve areas and an urban reserve management agreement (URMA) is
signed between Ashland and Jackson County.
4. Jurisdictional Transfer — The Council wishes to reaffirm it's previous stance
that jurisdictional transfer of County roads within existing city limits should not
be tied directly to the adoption and acknowledgement process for the RPS Plan,
but should instead be negotiated between the County and individual cities in
conjunction with Urban Growth Boundary and Urban Resere Area management
agreements.
5. High Value Farm Land — The City of Ashland continues to believe that the
amount of high value farm land included in Urban Reserve Areas should be
minimized through more efficient use of lands within existing boundaries, and
that high value farm land should be the last option considered for accommodating
development. Ashland's first preference would be to see the RLRC-identified
high value farm lands removed from the urban reserve areas. Absent meaningful
reductions in the amount of high value farm land included in the urban reserves
identified in the RPS Plan, Ashland supports the Farmland Conservation
Program developed by Rogue Advocates and a coalition of farmers, farm
advocates and citizens concerned with the loss of farmland and the on going
viability of agriculture within our region.
6. Regional Housing Strategy — Diverse and affordable housing options close to
work, school and shopping are an essential element to managing growth,
supporting economic development, providing schools and public services, and
reducing the environmental and social impacts of growth. With this in mina the
Council recommends that the Board of Commissioners adopt the Chapter 5
revisions proposed by County staff in Section 2.12 which call for participating
jurisdictions to create regional housing strategies that strongly encourage a
range of housing types throughout the region within five years of
acknowledgement of the RPS Plan.
SECTIONZ This resolution takes effect upon signing by the Mayor.
/
Barbara Christensen, City Recordee/r//--
SIGNED and APPROVED this day of 2011.
JbliA Stromberg, Mayor
Revieyrgd as to form:
-- J
David Lohman, City Attorney