The cities of Ashland, Medford, and Talent in partnership with the Rogue Valley Council of Governments (RVCOG), are hosting a public meeting to present potential Climate Friendly Area locations in all three communities.
The event will take place on Thursday, April 13 from 6:00 to 7:30 PM at the Talent Community Center (104 E. Main Street, Talent).
This meeting will consist of a presentation on the proposed areas from RVCOG representatives and a public input forum to gather community feedback on the potential sites.
Online surveys will be available on the cities’ project websites on April 14th to provide another opportunity for comments.
- Ashland: https://www.ashland.or.us/Page.asp?NavID=18296
- Medford: https://www.medfordoregon.gov/Government/Departments/Planning/PlanningProjects
- Talent: https://www.cityoftalent.org/news.asp
To help provide residents more housing and transportation choices, and meet Oregon’s adopted climate goals, cities must reduce barriers for local builders who want to build traditional, more walkable development types. Those “climate friendly areas” are intended to be places where people can meet most of their daily needs without having to drive by having housing located near a mix of jobs, businesses, and services. The state adopted a Climate Friendly and Equitable Communities program on July 21, 2022, which directs fifteen communities to identify potential climate-friendly areas.
The first phase of the process is to study and determine potential locations of climate-friendly areas by the end of 2023. The second phase is to adopt development standards for these areas and amend the official zoning map as needed by the end of 2024.
The Climate Friendly Areas process requires centering voices of underserved populations and working towards equitable outcomes. While some may see Climate Friendly Area designation as a benefit, others may fear gentrification-caused displacement. State standards require specific analysis of this issue and adoption of anti-displacement measures.
Kids’ activities and refreshments will also be provided.
Source: City of Medford
