Rezoning request

The city of Medford is clearing the way for putting residential lot to commercial use along the Hwy 13 corridor.

Members of the Medford Planning Commission recommended approving a rezoning request for Lon Engen at 1117 S 8th St (Hwy 13). The home that had been located on the site had been destroyed in a structure fire several years ago and has since been demolished, leaving only the garage.

Engen intends to use the lot for automotive sales as well as displaying equipment to be rented.

At a public hearing held on Monday, neighbor Bradley Jentzsch raised concerns about people using a portion of his driveway to move the often heavy equipment and the damage it could cause to the driveway. He also questioned who installed a culvert that had been located between Engen’s property and his driveway.

“We have had problems since the lot changed hands,” he said, noting that there isn’t an easement allowing use of the driveway. He also questioned if the city would require the new lot to be paved or a stormwater retention pond installed.

Engen responded that he has told the people with equipment on the lot to not use the neighbor’s driveway.

City planner Bob Christensen explained that it would take the owners building a structure on the parcel to trigger any changes requiring pavement or stormwater plans.

“As far as being able to limit the new owner to use the driveway to get in, that is an argument between two adjoining property owners,” Christensen said, noting that it was not something that would involve the city.

See CITY on page 11 Jentzsch said he was concerned with the potential for increased traffic and noted the equipment can weigh 20,000 pounds or more and that especially if it is hauled during break-up it could damage the driveway.

“I told people not to use the driveway,” Engen said.

As far as the new culvert pipe installed between the parcels, city coordinator Joe Harris was called during the meeting and explained that the city crew replaced it while looking for what was believed to be a water main break. There had previously been a metal culvert there that was decayed and the place the city dug looking for a possible main break was in the middle of the culvert.

“When we wreck something when we dig, we replace it,” Harris said, explaining that the city crew had replaced what had been an existing culvert.

He said that as far as the city was concerned the property owners could take the culvert out. Jentzsch suggested doing that and leaving it as a ditch area to prevent people from accessing his driveway at that spot. Engen said he agreed with the plan.

Mayor Mike Wellner said the city would leave it up to the neighboring property owners to work it out, adding that the city tries to stay out of disputes as much as they can.

Commission member Dave Zimmerman said he supported the rezoning request noting that in general, Hwy 13 is a commercial corridor and that changing it from a residential to commercial lot made sense.

Commission members agreed and unanimously made the recommendation. It will go to the full city council on October 15 for final approval.

A second public hearing that had been scheduled regarding allowing a duplex to be built on what is currently a commercial lot off Impala Drive was postponed until October 21 after an incorrect description of the project had been sent out to nearby property owners.