Planning Projects

The City is asking for the public’s feedback on potential ward boundary adjustments.

Every ten years, the Medford City Council examines the population of City Council wards, based on the results from the U.S. Census. Data from the 2020 Census has been released and the City has created potential ward boundary adjustments to balance populations across wards and reflect the population change.

This process determines which neighborhoods and areas of the City are grouped together into a ward, for the purposes of electing City Councilors that represent each ward. 

Updating ward boundaries is based solely on population in the City’s Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) according to the 2020 Census. The UGB contains land that is within the City’s boundary, as well as land that can be annexed into the City.

The proposed ward boundaries distribute roughly 25 percent of the total population into each of the four wards. The proposed boundaries also attempt to align with major geographic features such as I-5 and major City streets. 

Community Feedback Steps:

1. View proposed ward boundary changes by selecting the map below.
2. Complete our Medford Ward Boundary Changes Feedback Form

• Click here to view the proposed Ward Boundaries(PDF, 2MB)
• Click here to view the changes to the Ward Boundaries(PDF, 3MB)
• Click here to view the current Ward Boundaries(PDF, 2MB)

The City Council will review public feedback on the proposed ward boundary changes during a public hearing at the May 19 City Council meeting.

In 2021 $5,000 dollars were awarded to the City of Medford from AARP to pursue a traffic calming project on Pine and Maple streets in the Liberty Park Neighborhood. This project aims to improve pedestrian access, safety, and visibility through the introduction of semi-permanent roadway elements encouraging drivers to slow down. The city is working with the neighborhood to identify preferred traffic calming elements to install and test. 

Pine & Maple Streets Special Events Installation

May 7 - 10:00 AM 

April 19, 6:00 p.m. 

Final Design 

JOIN THE VIRTUAL MEETING HERE

To attend this meeting in-person at the Lausmann Annex, please RSVP with Carla Angeli-Paladino at carla.paladino@cityofmedford.org. 

At the virtual meeting held February 23, 2022, staff presented two traffic calming designs. Community members in attendance chose a third option, combining elements from both A and B - featured below. With the help of the neighborhood, these elements will be created during an Installation Work Party March 19th, prior to developing a final design at the March 22, 2022 virtual meeting. 

Liberty Park Traffic Calming - Option C

Option_C.pdf(PDF, 1MB)

Proposed Elements & Locations

To view past meeting recordings, please visit the links below:

• 1-19-22, Traffic Calming Meeting: intro 

• 3-22-22, traffic calming meeting: initial observations 

• 4-20-22, Traffic Calming Meeting: Final Design 

If you are unable to attend any of our virtual meetings, please view the recordings to learn more about the project. If you have additional comments or concerns you'd like to share, please submit a community comment here, or reach out to Principal Planner Carla Paladino directly by email (Carla.Paladino@cityofmedford.org) or phone (541-744-2395). 

Medford's downtown streets have seen activity and outdoor seating through the conversion of parking spaces in the right-of-way. This started as a temporary program in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting limitations placed on restaurants and bars for indoor seating of patrons.  Today, several businesses are using the program. 

City Council adopted an ordinance to amend the Medford Municipal Code allowing regulated parklets within the downtown Central Business District.  The ordinance took effect on October 1, 2021.

Parklet Design Standards(PDF, 651KB)

File No. Reference DCA-22-006

House Bill 2001 (HB 2001) was adopted by the Oregon Legislative Assembly in August of 2019.  The bill requires larger cities in Oregon to allow for middle housing in “areas” that allow single family homes.  Large cities with over 25,000 residents, such as Medford, are required to allow middle housing types defined as duplexes, triplexes, quadplexes, townhouses, and cottage clusters in all of the single family zones. Large cities must adopt zoning regulations to comply with HB 2001 by June 30, 2022. 

The City proposes an amendment which focuses on incorporating new regulations in the SFR-2, SFR-4, SFR-6, and SFR-10 zones. 

Below is a list and summary of the amendments proposed in each article of Medford Municipal Code Chapter 10 divided between state mandated changes and non-mandated changes.

• Article I - Definitions  

State Mandated Changes
o Updated the definitions of cottage cluster development, duplex, and townhouse
o Added definitions for middle housing, quadplex, and triplex

Non-Mandated Changes
o Added definition of rear loaded (relating to access and parking to the back of a lot)
o Revised definition of lot width (proposing a revision to how lot width is measured)
o Revised definition of multiple family dwelling from 3 attached to 5 attached units

• Article II - Procedural Requirements

State Mandated Changes
o Changed cottage clusters to Type I reviews for up to four units
o Added Middle Housing as a building permit review process 

Non-Mandated Changes
o Changed cottage clusters to Type II and Type III decisions based on size of lot (over four units)
o Made correction to Pad Lot Section to include subdivision criteria 

• Article III - Zoning Districts

State Mandated Changes
o Added the allowance of duplexes in the SFR-2 zone
o Added the allowance of all middle housing types in the SFR-4 and SFR-6 zones

Non-Mandated Changes
o Added statement about middle housing

• Article IV – Public Improvement Standards and Criteria

State Mandated Changes
None.

Non-Mandated Changes
o Added statement about public improvements and sewer capacity
o Reduced driveway throat width from 12 feet to 10 feet for single family and middle housing types

• Article V – Site Development Standards

State Mandated Changes
o Added statement clarifying that up to four middle housing units are not subject to maximum density requirements
o Changed townhouse requirements related to density, minimum lot size, and lot width
o Added land division and site development standards specific to triplexes and quadplexes
o Reduced rear yard setbacks for townhouses
o Clarified the existing multiple family design standards apply to five or more units
o Reduced the parking standard for duplexes
o Added triplex and quadplex parking standards
o Added exclusions for bicycle parking and landscape standards for up to four units (previously only exempted single family detached homes)
o Removed the corner lot requirement for cottage clusters in SFR-4
o Removed allowance for attached units in cottage cluster developments
o Revised lot area, parking, density, lot coverage, cottage size, and building height for cottage cluster developments
Non-Mandated Changes
o Added a cap on the creation of oversize lots
o Changed how window and doors are calculated in the multiple family design standards (to match middle housing calculation)
o Specified triplexes and quadplexes are subject to the allowance of padlots
o Clarified reduced setbacks do not allow for the encroachment of structures within public utility easements
o Separated land division and site development standards into two separate tables
o Added reduced lot standards for rear loaded lots
o Increased lot coverage for townhouses
o Added design standards for triplexes, quadplexes, and townhouses
o Changed off-street parking standards for multiple family units based upon number of bedrooms
o Clarified when parking can encroach into required front yard setbacks
o Added a provision that allows alleys to be counted toward vehicular backup space requirements
o Clarified parking is not allowed within the drive aisle of extended residential driveways serving more than one unit
o Clarified the total number of units in the single family zones on one lot is four, including accessory dwelling units

HB 2001 Brochure(PDF, 2MB)

Draft Amendment(PDF, 584KB) 

Assigned Planner:  Sarah Sousa (sarah.sousa@cityofmedford.org)

Public Hearing Schedule: 
    Planning Commission:  Thursday, April 28, 2022
    

File No. Reference CP-21-065

Summary of Changes: An amendment to the Southeast Plan of the Neighborhood Element of the Medford Comprehensive Plan related to removing the future requirement for a right-in/right-out only traffic median in North Phoenix Road at its intersection with Shamrock Drive.

Assigned Planner: Sarah Sousa (sarah.sousa@cityofmedford.org)

Project Review and Community Discussion: April 7, 2021 (watch the recording here) 

Public Hearing Schedule:
    Planning Commission: April 22, 2021
    City Council: May 20, 2021

2020(PDF, 816KB)

2019(PDF, 1MB)

2018(PDF, 996KB)

2017(PDF, 1MB)

2016(PDF, 672KB)

2015(PDF, 1MB)

2014(PDF, 310KB)