CSA Planning, Ltd. - Land & Development Planning

CSA PLANNING LTD NEWS

	Charles Point Neighborhood Meeting: People who live near the Charles Point Planned Unit Development are invited to attend a meeting at 6:30 pm on Friday, September 17 at the Charles Point office, 171 Lowry Lane, #10, Medford. The purpose of the meeting is to answer questions about the Charles Point PUD land use application with the City of Medford. The application proposes a modification that would result in Building 45 being located in Phase 2 rather than Phase 10. This site had previously been proposed and authorized for a commercial building with eight second floor apartments. It is proposed instead to be constructed as an 18-unit residential building, the same as Buildings 3 and 6 which are now complete. The City of Medford approved the Charles Point preliminary PUD plan in 2004 and final PUD plan in 2006. Neighbors with questions before the meeting may email or call Raul or Melissa at CSA Planning Ltd., 541-779-0569. * View the Charles Point Community \| Website \| * View Charles Point final plan as previously approved \| PDF Document \| * View neighborhood letter \| PDF Document \| * View map of meeting location \| Google Maps Link \|
	Public Involvement:: CSA Planning and Rogue Valley Transportation District sponsored the first of 10 advisory committee meetings August 18. Some 20 people participated in the discussion about the transportation district boundary assessment. The meeting participants represented all walks of life, including cities, the county, citizens, social agencies, business advocates and employers. CSA presented maps of the proposed study areas and summarized the first of 10 technical memos. View the CSA Planning map of the urban study area here. View the CSA Planning map of the rural study area here.
	Howard Prairie Racing: CSA Principal Jay Harland's Ultimate 20 racing boat placed second in the 2010 Regatta at Howard Prairie last month. Team Madison stayed on the heels of the first-place father/son team racing a Santana 20. Mr. Harland, a trustee with the Rogue Yacht Club, sails with his wife Elysia. The last club race of the season was August 28. The races provide opportunity to watch sailing from the dock or a motor boat. Click here for directions to Howard Prairie Lake.
	RVTD and CSA: CSA Planning and REMI Northwest are pleased to partner with Rogue Valley Transportation District on a boundary study, a TGM project funded by Oregon Department of Transportation. The CSA Planning team led by Principal and Project Manager Jay Harland will analyze lands within and outside the 158-square-mile district boundary established in 1975. The result will be a boundary study featuring an atlas of colorful and detailed maps. CSA will facilitate advisory committee meetings over the next eight months to collect comments about the technical memos. Meetings will be held August 18, October 20, December 15, February 16 and March 16, from 6 to 7:30 pm at RVTD, 3200 Crater Lake Avenue, Medford.
	Oregon Design Conference: Jay Harland, principal at CSA Planning Ltd., presented a workshop about design impacts of land use regulations at the Oregon Design Conference May 6 and 7 at Salishan Spa and Golf Resort. Mr. Harland and Portland economist Jerry Johnson talked to architects about design responses to land use opportunities, challenges and impacts. Additionally, architect and planner Bev Thruston of CSA Planning served as a representative at the AIA Oregon board meeting May 6 in Gleneden Beach, as well as a delegate to represent the Southern Oregon AIA Chapter. Learn more about the Oregon Design Conference or more about AIA Southern Oregon.
	The Economy and Land Use Planning: Is it possible for Southern Oregon to diversify and improve its economy while following statewide planning goals? A new blog sponsored by the State of Oregon encourages planners to discuss ways to implement Goal 9, the economic development component of Oregon’s Statewide Planning Goals and Guidelines. Jay Harland is one of the contributors from the private sector. This project will result in an updated Goal 9 guidebook that will support cities’ and counties’ efforts to maintain a current inventory of commercial and industrial lands and project future needs for such lands and plan and zone enough land to meet those needs. To learn more about Mr. Harland’s work with cities and Goal 9, call CSA Planning, 541-779-0569, or send an email jay@csaplanning.net. Find a Goal 9 Fact Sheet here. (PDF)
	Medical Eye Center is now operating in its new facility, 1333 Barnett Road. The two-story, Italian-style edifice was designed and built by RA Murphy Construction for surgeons Paul Jorrizzo and Paul Imperia. CSA Planning’s role was supporting a zone change that would make the project possible. The Interstate 5 interchange realignment and upgrades to Highland Avenue greatly reduced residential setbacks on Barnett Road. CSA Planning provided findings of fact, conclusions of law and public hearing advocacy to support a commercial rezoning for the property.
	Robert Foster Art Work: Robert H. Foster, one of Oregon's top landscape architect and designers, is also a painter who recreates beautiful landscapes from around the world. His paintings and sculptures were recently displayed at the Rogue Valley Manor Skyline, 1200 Mira Mara Avenue. The exhibit featured a 6-foot painting of Marseilles, the oldest city in France, as well as a painting of the Amazon River, one of his earliest works. But there were scenes closer to home such as Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach, as well as bronze sculptures, busts and masks. For more information about purchasing his art or high-quality, 10 x 14 Giclee prints of his paintings, send an email to Bob Foster.
	Howard Prairie Regatta: Team Madison competed in a weekend regatta at Howard Prairie Lake southeast of Ashland in the Cascade Mountains. The Ultimate 20 racing boat is operated by a crew of CSA Planners and family members. The CSA sailors competed against nine boats in five races over the weekend, finishing third overall. The Rogue Yacht Club, which was started in 1959, hosts the annual regatta at Howard Prairie.
	Land Use Planning In Medford: CSA Planning Ltd, 541-779-0569, is located at the foot of RoxyAnn Peak in Medford, Oregon. Stop by to talk to a staff planner at 4497 Brownridge, Suite 101, off of East McAndrews or call 541-779-0569. CSA Planning has been providing expert planning and consulting services for the public and private sectors in Oregon since 1980. Our services include land use planning and entitlements, site planning and development, transportation planning, development code preparation, economic analysis, GIS mapping, project managements and public hearing advocacy.
	A Medford builder dreamed of turning a small lot on a vibrant residential corner into a high-quality development. However, city density standards dictated a three-story building or tiny, less-financially feasible apartments. “We had to find a creative solution for site planning,” said Beverly Thruston, CSA senior planner. “The challenge was the corner location with collector roads on each side and the unattainable density level. We worked with the city to identify applicable policies that allow for lowering the density under these conditions so the builder could build saleable units.” The result is an elegant, six-unit, Tuscan-style condominium building at a prime Medford location. The condos feature two patio decks from the living room and master suite, natural stone floors, knotty alder cabinets, granite countertops, a gas fireplace, high ceiling living rooms and a kitchen island/breakfast bar. “We found a creative solution for building high-quality units that are economically viable,” Ms. Thruston said. Contact the real estate agent http://www.michaelrbauer.com// \| See more photos \|
	CSA provides land use planning services in Southern Oregon. We obtain permits and entitlements for the family who wants to build a new home. We help the property owner who wants to improve cash flow by dividing and selling a portion of her property. We help the developer find the best use of his land. We help people navigate through the lengthy and complicated planning processes at the city, county or state. We provide research, writing, cartography, public hearing advocacy and successful outcomes. For the past 28 years, CSA Planning has provided urban planning and consulting services for 2,000 projects, many of them complex, multi-faceted and contested. We have a reputation for integrity, professionalism, attention to detail and a high level of confidentiality. We are the go-to firm for difficult and complex planning with a staff that is pleasant to work with. CSA Planning photo of 9,495-foot Mt. McLoughlin taking during a January hike up RoxyAnn Peak.
	iPhone - Toy or Tool: We raised eyebrows when CSA Associate Planner and Cartographer Michael Savage brought his new iPhone to work. Toy or tool, we wondered. But our skepticism ended after he tracked our staff walk around the neighborhood and emailed photos and details about our distance, pace, location and elevation change. “Both GPS and GIS are powerful site design tools, especially in determining the layout of roads or determining roughly the property boundaries,” Mr. Savage said. “It won’t replace a professional survey. But it will provide a useful and cost effective tool in determining locations of existing or proposed structures or configurations of property.” \| Read the Article \|
	Montana Adventure: Land Use Planner Michael Savage recently returned from a pack trip into Montana’s Bob Marshall Wilderness Area. The hunting party rode mules and horses several miles to a base camp at about the 5,000-foot elevation. For a week they tracked elk herds, often climbing to the top of the 8,000-foot peaks. It was short-sleeve weather during the day but at night, the temperature dropped into the 20s. “One night we heard bull elk bugling all around us. It was amazing,” Mike said. They came home empty handed but filled with stories of seeing grizzly bear tracks, being chased down the hillside by a bull elk in the dark and being run off by a moose who didn’t want to share his meadow.
	New Chamber Board Chairman: CSA Planning President Craig Stone was installed September 11 as the new board chairman for the Chamber of Medford/Jackson County. With 1,500 members, Medford’s chamber is the largest in Oregon. Mr. Stone has been a chamber member for 20 years and board member for 16. He was chairman of the land-use and legislative action committees. As board chairman, he hopes to promote community and economic growth by building a stronger work force and providing for more affordable housing. "Efforts that would even more tightly control the supply of land for housing must be overcome if our community is to deliver affordable housing for the workers upon which all businesses are dependent," Mr. Stone wrote in September’s Business Review. \| Read The Article \| \| View More Photos \|
	Grand Opening: Owner Craig Stone of CSA Planning, Ltd. celebrates his new location and name change alongside partners Raul Woerner and Jay Harland, staff and Chamber Ambassadors. Situated at the base of Roxy Anne Peak, the two-story, 6,870 square foot building was constructed by Dave Patterson. In addition to CSA Planning, office suites are occupied by Montero and Associates, Remi Northwest, HBH Engineering, John L. Scott Real Estate and Eco Blue Wetlands Consultant. CSA moved from its former location on Cardley Avenue in August 2007. Photos by Max Brown. \| View More Photos \|
	CSA Planning, Ltd. was originally founded as Craig A. Stone & Associates, Ltd. in 1980 and operated under that name until 2007. Raul Woerner and Jay Harland joined the firm as partners in 2004 and 2005 and changed the name to CSA Planning, Ltd. Throughout its 28 year history, CSA has undertaken more than 1,500 projects of virtually all types and sizes, either as planners and project managers or simply to acquire land use permits. CSA now exists as the largest exclusive land planning firm in Oregon and the largest between San Francisco and Seattle and offers a full complement of support consultants from the best firms in Oregon that provide expertise in all areas of land use permitting and analysis. \| Read More \|