Roseburg’s City Council voted unanimously this week to approve changes to its Urban Growth Boundary, in an effort to create more housing in the area.
The city wants to cut two difficult-to-develop properties from its growth boundary, and replace them with flat land in the Charter Oaks neighborhood. City staff say this would allow for the construction of hundreds of new homes.
At a City Council meeting Monday, Roseburg Mayor Larry Rich spoke in support of the plan. He said the city's lack of housing has kept much-needed medical professionals and teachers from moving there.
“We are losing good hires that come here, and they can’t find a place to stay," said Rich. "We are in a spot where we need to be able to expand and grow."
However, some current residents of Charter Oaks have criticized the swap. They’re concerned about loss of agricultural land and rural beauty, as well as increased traffic in the area.
Councilor David Mohr voted for the land-swap, but said he was sympathetic to those concerns. He said the swap might have an impact on some residents' way-of-life.
"I think change is often hard," said Mohr. "And sometimes, it's unwelcome."
City staff have proposed several road improvement projects in the area. An impact analysis found that these changes would adequately meet a potential increase in traffic resulting from Charter Oaks' development.
So far, city officials said they've received 31 letters supporting the boundary swap, and six letters expressing concerns.
The proposal will now go to the Douglas County Planning Commission for their recommendation. Ultimately, the Douglas County Board of Commissioners will decide whether or not to approve the change.
