On August 20, 2020, the City of Medford adopted the Chilsonrise Neighborhood Plan for the MD-3c urbanization planning area in northeast Medford between Owen Drive and Coker Butte Drive. The Planning area contained approximately 88.73 acres and includes a mix of standard residential, medium density residential, high density residential and commercial lands uses.
The Chilsonrise Neighborhood is constrained by several physical and environmental conditions that were addressed in the design of the plan, including:
- Rogue River Irrigation District’s Hopkins Canal meanders through the southwest corner of the area.
- A creek cuts across the plan area running from east to west, separating the southern ~34 ½ acres of the neighborhood from the northern ~54 acres. This plan refers to the creek as Garrett Creek as it empties into the Garrett Creek drainage on the west side.
- There are potential wetlands in the low-lying areas of the site near the creek and adjacent to irrigation features.
- There is a rock outcrop and shallow depth to bedrock in the northwest corner of Tax Lot 1000.
All the above constraints affect the potential urban form of the Chilsonrise Neighborhood. These features cross through the middle of the neighborhood planning area. The plan seeks to design around these features and retain them as natural area open space in the plan. The Garrett Creek Greenway also presents opportunities for targeted wetland mitigation in MD-3a and perhaps as a site for additional mitigation from development elsewhere in the City. Portions of the area may also be well-suited for storm drainage detention to be integrated with other hydric open space uses for a more natural open space experience. The Garrett Creek Greenway will become a natural area amenity to the neighborhood. The proposed higher-order street arrangement advances this concept by minimizing crossings of the Garrett Creek Greenway.
The Plan represents an exciting new growth area for the City of Medford for mix of land uses while designing around key natural features of the area.
The project has continued to move forward. Hayden Homes obtained approval for the Ponderosa Place Subdivision which is the portion of the project north of Garrett Creek and includes a mix of single-family lots and townhouse lots.
