CSA Planning, Ltd. - Land & Development Planning

CSA PLANNING LTD NEWS

	CSA and Economic Development: The Jackson County Board of Commissioners appointed Jay Harland, Principal with CSA Planning Ltd., to the Economic Development Advisory Committee. Jay Harland was a principal planner for Northgate Center, where Trader Joe's, REI and PETCO are now under construction. Also appointed were Stephen Gambee, CEO of Rogue Waste Systems , Randall Jones, General Manager of Veranda Park and Mahar Homes, Monte Mendenhall, Regional Manager at Pacificorp, William Thorndike, President at Medford Fabrication, and Steve Vincent, Avista Oregon Regional Business Manager. The Board approved the new members December 28, 2011 by Order 276-11. Read a Northgate article in The Mail Tribune.
	Sustainable Valley: CSA Planning Principal Jay Harland has joined the board of Sustainable Valley Technology Group (SVTG). SVTG launched the business incubator, a network of business mentors, access to venture capital, investors and support staff that will allow local entrepreneurs to get established and provide family-wage jobs in Southern Oregon. Founded as a 501c3 nonprofit organization in July 2010, Sustainable Valley educates community leaders about the challenges and opportunities of sustainable technology and business development. Read more: People in Business December 17, 2011, Mail Tribune Business incubator could aid area's job situation January 23, 2011, Mail Tribune Local startup nearly off the ground May 10, 2011, Mail Tribune
	Football Fever: CSA Planning staff took a break from the office on a beautiful November day to throw the football. CSA Planning President Craig Stone, CSA Planning Principal Jay Harland and GIS Analyst Mike Savage tossed the pig skin with Mike Montero of Montero and Associates. The CSA office is located at the base of RoxyAnn Peak off of McAndrews Road in Medford, Oregon. Call 541-779-0569 to talk with a principal about your land use questions.
	Team Madison Wins Summer Series: CSA Planning Principal Jay Harland won the Rogue Yacht Club’s Summer Series trophy at Howard Prairie Lake. It was a tightly-packed fleet with strong performances on the water. Six boats scored at least one bullet and only 14 points separated the top 7 boats. To add to the tough competition, weather conditions were hot with a side of extra fluky. Team Madison held on for the series victory. Jay Harland and his wife Elysia have been racing the Ultimate 20 sailboat for the past three summers. See more photos on the Rogue Yacht Club website.
	Back to the Future: Rogue Valley Clean Cities Coalition sponsored an electric car show and forum August 17at Rogue Federal Credit Union, Medford. Speakers included Justin Denley talking about his family trip to the Oregon Coast in the Nissan Leaf electric car, Charlie Baggett of RFCU describing alternative vehicle financing, Jim Riley of Lithia Nissan of Medford giving details about The Leaf, Derek DeBoer of Town & Country in Ashland talking about the Chevrolet Volt and Adam Hanks of the City of Ashland giving an update on electric charging stations in Southern Oregon. Some 100 people attended. Melissa Stiles of CSA Planning Ltd coordinated the event.
	CSA Planning and social media: Now you can keep up with CSA Planning news by following us on Twitter or sending our link on Twitter. Click follow to learn more about Southern Oregon's largest and most experienced land use planning firm. Follow @csaplanning
	June 9 Open House: Rogue Valley Transportation District, CSA Planning and REMI Northwest will sponsor an open house about the district boundary study June 9 at the Medford library. We will display maps, expansion alternatives and economic analysis. The event is free and open to the public and will be held at the Medford Library Branch, 205 South Central Avenue, Medford. Free parking is available in the Central Avenue public lot across from the main library entrance. Learn more on the transportation page.
	Stellar Senior Housing Experts, a free service helping seniors and their families find appropriate housing, has expanded to meet the growing demand in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Founder Corey Nelson has brought on Lisa Quintana. They meet personally with seniors, assess their housing needs, schedule tours and visit facilities with them. They ask questions and gather information to help seniors and their families make the best decisions about housing. Reach Stellar Senior Housing Experts by telephone 505-369-8291 or email. Corey Nelson is the daughter of CSA President Craig Stone and CFO Debbie Stone. Read an article in the New Mexico Business Journal.
	Architecture In Bloom: The Paradox Winery Residence designed by Bruce Richey of Ashland won the People's Choice Awards during the Art in Bloom festival May 7 and 8. More than 200 people toured the exhibit and 180 voted for their favorite local buildings and landscapes designed by local architects and landscape architects. The downtown Medford exhibit was sponsored by the Southern Oregon Chapter of the AIA and coordinated by CSA Planning’s Bev Thruston, AIA.
	Public Involvement Tools: CSA Planning Ltd. demonstrated software tools at the 2011 Planning Conference May 7 in Ashland. The Much Ado About Planning event was sponsored by the American Planning Association Oregon Chapter. CSA Planning demonstrated DropBox, free file sharing software, and Poll Everywhere, free, cell-phone polling software, and talked about Metroquest of Toronto, Canada, experts in interactive workshops and websites.Download the presentations: \| Poll Everywhere (PDF) \| \| Metroquest (PDF) \| Link to the websites: \| Poll Everywhere \| \| Metroquest \| \| DropBox \|
	Federal Coordination:: CSA Planning has teamed up with Cable Huston to create a coordination policy document for Jackson County. The document will provide a protocol for local government participation in planning for federal projects. About 50 percent of the land in Jackson County is owned by the BLM, USFS, US Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Reclamation, National Parks Service and other federal agencies. CSA Planning Principal Jay Harland is project manager while Robin Seifried of Cable Huston in Portland serves as legal counsel. The team is working the Natural Resources Advisory Committee and Jackson County Board of Commissioners. (CSA Planning photo by Melissa Stiles taken at Crater Lake National Park February 2011.)
	RVTD Boundary Study: CSA Planning and REMI Northwest provided for Rogue Valley Transportation District a boundary study funded by Oregon Department of Transportation. Project Manager Jay Harland analyzed lands within and outside the 158-square-mile district boundary and summarized his findings in 10 technical memos. CSA Cartographer Mike Savage produced a 17-map Atlas. CSA facilitated 10 meetings from August 2010 through March 2011 with committee members representing all walks of life, from cities, the county, bus riders, social agencies, business advocates to the region's largest employers. The project resulted in a final document outlining future boundary and funding choices for RVTD. Learn more on the transportation page.
	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 land use opportunities, challenges and impacts. Additionally, designer 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.
	The Economy and Land Use Planning: Is it possible for Southern Oregon to diversify and improve its economy while following statewide planning goals? A 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 a private sector contributor. 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, forecast future land needs and plan and zone enough land to meet those needs. To learn more, call or email CSA Planning, 541-779-0569 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, Oregon landscape architect and designer, is also a painter who recreates beautiful landscapes from around the world. His paintings and sculptures were displayed at the Rogue Valley Manor Skyline. 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 send an email to Bob Foster.
	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. CSA Planning photo of 9,495-foot Mt. McLoughlin taking during a January 2009 hike up RoxyAnn Peak.
	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, Tuscan-style condominium building at a prime Medford location.
	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, 2009 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. celebrated a 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 was 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 \|