Medford City Council Adopts First Comprehensive Downtown Plan in Two Decades

Downtown Medford, Oregon- The Medford City Council has unanimously approved an ordinance to amend the City’s Comprehensive Plan, officially adopting the Downtown Plan into its Neighborhood Element — the city’s first major planning effort focused on the downtown core in more than 20 years.

The vote, taken Oct. 15, marks a milestone for Medford’s long-term development strategy. The Downtown Plan lays out a strategic framework to expand housing options, strengthen existing businesses, attract new investment, improve transportation choices, and cultivate a vibrant, inclusive city center that reflects Medford’s distinctive identity.

City officials said the plan reflects years of collaboration among the City Council, Public Advisory Committee, city staff, and community members. “This plan represents a collective vision shaped through extensive collaboration,” the City said in a statement, emphasizing that public engagement was a central component of the process.

Funded primarily through a grant from the Transportation and Growth Management program — a joint initiative of the Oregon Department of Transportation and the Department of Land Conservation and Development — the plan’s development began in spring 2024 and concluded in summer 2025. Seven phases of work addressed topics including visioning, land use, parking, and transportation. Community input was gathered through events, surveys, partner interviews, and advisory meetings.

The plan centers on six “Big Moves,” or transformational actions designed to guide downtown revitalization: integrating Bear Creek into downtown, activating the Evergreen Corridor, improving downtown gateways, creating energy around the Holly Theatre, establishing a community food hub, and activating the alley network.

Implementation will occur in stages, with some short-term “quick wins” and others requiring longer-term planning and investment. City leaders said the Downtown Plan will serve as a roadmap for revitalization that supports both economic opportunity and quality of life in the heart of Medford.

You can read the full Downtown Plan here.