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A topic that months ago brought standing-room only crowds to Roseburg Planning Commission meetings wound down Monday with a quick decision witnessed by only a few audience members.
After about a half-hour of discussion, the Planning Commission unanimously voted to recommend expanding the city’s Urban Growth Boundary by 1,358 acres. Its recommendation will go to the City Council, which will have the final say on the matter.
The recommended expansion “makes sense,” said Commissioner John McDonald. “It’s rational. It’s accommodating of many requests of the public (and of the commission).”
The decision caps months of public testimony on expanding the Urban Growth Boundary, which includes the city and surrounding land into which the city plans to grow into in coming years.
City staff and three committees have recommended enlarging the boundary as they estimate the current UGB will run out of room for new homes within the next 20 years.
Many residents, particularly in the Charter Oaks area west of Roseburg, have asked not be added to the proposed boundary. Some feared it would change their rural lifestyles. Some said they questioned the statistics used to justify the expansion. Several developers have asked to be included in the proposed boundary, so they can develop their land.
On Monday, the commission recommended including property north and south of Diamond Lake Boulevard. This includes property that real estate agent Georgia Stiles and developer George Gibby had asked to have added to the boundary.
The commission also recommended granting Robert and Ann Dannenhoffer’s request to exclude from the UGB 30 acres of property they own south of Diamond Lake Boulevard.
But for the most part, the commission denied about 200 other property owners’ requests to be excluded from the UGB.
Commissioner Patrick Parson said “200 individuals is a very large chunk of property. It’s very substantial.”
After the meeting, city senior planner Marion Thompson said staff recommended granting the Dannenhoffer’s wish as much of their property is on a hillside, it is on the outer edge of the current UGB and it is designated for farm and forest use, a type of (natural) resource use.
According to state law, resource-designated land should be the last land added to the Urban Growth Boundary, Thompson said.
Thompson was asked in an interview after the meeting why staff recommended granting the Dannenhoffer’s request but not similar requests from many other property owners who testified many times they did not want to be included in the Urban Growth Boundary.
She said that is because much of the land owned by those property owners is already designated for residential use.
During the Monday hearing, the commission also decided not to grant a new request from Don Bailey to exclude 461 acres he owns west of the city and south of Melrose Road from the UGB.
He asked to exclude his land as it is a longtime sheep and cattle farm and is designated for farm use.
In response to a commission question, Community Development Director Fred Alley said Bailey could continue to farm the land until he requests a zone change or the land changes hands.
• You can reach reporter Kathy Korengel at 957-4218 or by e-mail at kkorengel@nrtoday.com.
After about a half-hour of discussion, the Planning Commission unanimously voted to recommend expanding the city’s Urban Growth Boundary by 1,358 acres. Its recommendation will go to the City Council, which will have the final say on the matter.
The recommended expansion “makes sense,” said Commissioner John McDonald. “It’s rational. It’s accommodating of many requests of the public (and of the commission).”
The decision caps months of public testimony on expanding the Urban Growth Boundary, which includes the city and surrounding land into which the city plans to grow into in coming years.
City staff and three committees have recommended enlarging the boundary as they estimate the current UGB will run out of room for new homes within the next 20 years.
Many residents, particularly in the Charter Oaks area west of Roseburg, have asked not be added to the proposed boundary. Some feared it would change their rural lifestyles. Some said they questioned the statistics used to justify the expansion. Several developers have asked to be included in the proposed boundary, so they can develop their land.
On Monday, the commission recommended including property north and south of Diamond Lake Boulevard. This includes property that real estate agent Georgia Stiles and developer George Gibby had asked to have added to the boundary.
The commission also recommended granting Robert and Ann Dannenhoffer’s request to exclude from the UGB 30 acres of property they own south of Diamond Lake Boulevard.
But for the most part, the commission denied about 200 other property owners’ requests to be excluded from the UGB.
Commissioner Patrick Parson said “200 individuals is a very large chunk of property. It’s very substantial.”
After the meeting, city senior planner Marion Thompson said staff recommended granting the Dannenhoffer’s wish as much of their property is on a hillside, it is on the outer edge of the current UGB and it is designated for farm and forest use, a type of (natural) resource use.
According to state law, resource-designated land should be the last land added to the Urban Growth Boundary, Thompson said.
Thompson was asked in an interview after the meeting why staff recommended granting the Dannenhoffer’s request but not similar requests from many other property owners who testified many times they did not want to be included in the Urban Growth Boundary.
She said that is because much of the land owned by those property owners is already designated for residential use.
During the Monday hearing, the commission also decided not to grant a new request from Don Bailey to exclude 461 acres he owns west of the city and south of Melrose Road from the UGB.
He asked to exclude his land as it is a longtime sheep and cattle farm and is designated for farm use.
In response to a commission question, Community Development Director Fred Alley said Bailey could continue to farm the land until he requests a zone change or the land changes hands.
• You can reach reporter Kathy Korengel at 957-4218 or by e-mail at kkorengel@nrtoday.com.
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