Month: October 2023

UpperRogueRegionalPark_Concepts_19Oct2022

In the Fall of 2022, Jackson County Parks, in cooperation with the Oregon State Marine Board (OSMB), held an open house to solicit community input on three conceptual designs.  The goal was to get a feel for what users of the facility liked and did not like in these conceptual designs.  This approach is used widely, as it allows users to visually look at designs and how a variety of concepts will, or will not affect a site and its uses.  It also allows facility designers and managers an insight into what can be done differently to meet boater needs.  Feedback received at the meeting, as well as through our online public comment period provided critical input and assisted Jackson County and the OSMB to develop three alternative designs, which we refer to as “Round 2 concepts.”  As promised at the 2022 meeting, we are bringing back these Round 2 concepts to you for more feedback.  The three concepts are attached to this email and shown on sheets 5-7 of the package, listed as South Concept 1-3.  They can also be found at:  https://www.jacksoncountyor.gov/departments/parks/day_use/upper_rogue_regional_park.php

You will notice in the drawings that the development, or construction footprint is considerably smaller than in the Round 1 conceptual alternatives.  This change preserves a greater amount of the park for current uses, allows for minimal impacts to the river bank, as we heard that residents enjoy the natural riverbank, as it is today for recreational purposes.  The concepts also minimize impact to the lawn area of the park, allowing for events and picnicking to continue, which many said was an important aspect of desired future conditions.  In the end, the footprint in all three designs is slightly larger than the current facility, which is needed to meet the need of boaters.  As we all know, truck and trailers are longer than they were decades ago when the facility was built and we have to meet new design criteria, such as accessibility requirements outlined in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).  Also impacting the design is the requirements for stormwater treatment, which requires facilities to treat stormwater runoff from paved surfaces, prior to it flowing to the Rogue River, as well as general site conditions and restraints (wetlands, hydrological conditions, cultural resources, etc).  As you will see from the drawings, it was our goal to acknowledge some concerns that were shared to minimize impacts to the park, while also threading the needle to meet the needs of boaters and modern day design requirements.  We additionally want to design a ramp that will survive floods based off of a recent hydrological analysis that has been completed.

You will notice that the drawings incorporate the use of the parking area on the east side of Rogue River Drive, which will be improved.  Once we received clarification from the City of Shady Cove that they are no longer interested in partnering on the use of the parking lot for business parking, it allowed for incorporation of the lot into the project, minimizing the need for much additional parking in the park itself.  The Round 2 concepts were shared with the City of Shady Cove Mayor, Councilor Knuckles, and the City Manager.   These representatives expressed gratitude for the acknowledgment of the concerns and the revisions to the concepts to reflect the concerns.  In the end, all three city representatives said they individually supported South Concept 3 in the attached drawings.

Next Steps- We are asking for you to review the attached drawings and either send us your comments via email to , or if your schedule allows, attend another open house where you can share your thoughts and opinions with OSMB and Jackson County Park staff.  We will be holding this meeting on Monday, November 13 from 5:30 – 7:00 PM at our Jackson County Parks Auditorium located at 7520 Table Rock Road, Central Point.  This facility is large enough to meet the needs of the meetings, while being centrally located in the county to ensure access for as many county residents as possible.  I do want to acknowledge that there are community discussions being had on boating use of the Upper Rogue River.  This meeting will be focused on working towards developing a quality boating facility at the Upper Rogue Regional Park, not general use of the river.

We appreciate your dedication to the park and your assistance in helping us develop a facility that meets boater and general recreation needs.

Sincerely,

Steve Lambert

Director

Roads and Parks Department

200 Antelope Rd., White City, OR 97503