Local News

The Josephine County Board of Commissioners this morning adopted an ordinance that paves the way for a residential development in the North Valley area.

Following a public hearing on the second reading of an ordinance pertaining to a property adjacent to Interstate 5 near South Schoolhouse Creek Road, the Board voted 2-0 to approve it. Board Chair John West recused himself from the decision due to a potential conflict of interest.

The county's Comprehensive Plan was amended from Forest to Residential and the Zoning Map was changed from Woodlot Resource to Rural Residential with a five-acre minimum lot size. The property owner is KND Development, LLC.

Josephine County Planner James Black testified that it took close to three years to approve the ordinance following two appeals to the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals.

In Requests and Comments from Citizens, the Commissioners heard continued complaints about defunding the 4-H Extension Service District, questions about Public Health funding in the next budget cycle, concerns about the recent E. coli outbreak that claimed the life of a young Grants Pass girl and the identification of a new mosquito in Jackson County, and praise for declaring September 17th-23rd as "US Constitution Week." Commissioner Andreas Blech read the proclamation.

One citizen announced that a special commemoration of Patriot Day to honor those who died on September 11, 2001, will be held today at 1 p.m. in front of the Grants Pass Courthouse.