Photograph of Grants Pass taken in 1910 looking north from hilltop near Fruitdale area.

Aerial photograph of central Grants Pass taken in 2004 looking down on the Rogue River and major traffic arteries.

Planning staff is available for consultation Monday through Friday from 10 to Noon, or by phone at (541) 474-6355.

The Community Development Department's Planning Division provides information to the general public and the development community on the City's Comprehensive Plan, land use policies and Statewide Planning goals. It implements the plans through the daily application of the Development Code, which involves the processing of a variety of land use applications ranging from subdivisions to variances. The division reviews all site plans to ensure the proposed development meets the criteria for zoning, setback, landscaping, access, and other regulations established by the City Council for safe, orderly growth.

In 1998, the City Council and the Josephine County Board of Commissioners signed an intergovernmental agreement transferring development jurisdiction of the Urban Growth Boundary to the City of Grants Pass, subjecting properties located within the Urban Growth Boundary to City adopted standards.

In addition to current planning associated with immediate development, the Planning division provides comprehensive planning services as directed by the City Council’s work plan. Some of the projects identified include the following:

Urban Growth Boundary Expansion

The city is conducting a range of technical and policy work to evaluate the sufficiency of the urban growth boundary (UGB) and comply with statewide planning goals. Preliminary work suggests the city will likely require an UGB to accommodate 20 years of growth forecasted through 2026. The key components of this analysis includes population and employment forecasts, land needs, buildable lands inventory, housing needs, fiscal impact analysis, review of public facilities and transportation policies, and public involvement. This work is anticipated to be completed in 2009 and an Urban Growth Boundary Expansion Steering Committee has been established to make recommendations to the City Council.

Annexation

Each year, the Grants Pass City Council considers whether additional properties within the Urban Growth Boundary should be annexed into City limits. The City Council is seeking to assure logical boundaries for the City are maintained over time, and to meet the requirements of the agreement between the City and County to evaluate periodic annexations.

Affordable Housing

In February of 2006, over 200 participants (both public and private sector) from Jackson, Josephine, and Curry counties gathered in Medford for the Southern Oregon Workforce Housing Summit, the region’s first event of its kind. The summit’s topic list included impacts of the lack of affordable housing from regional and local employers, examples of effective programs and strategies in improving the affordability and availability of workforce housing, as well as discussion, prioritization, and refinement of workforce strategies. The summit initiated a region wide approach to finding solutions for affordable workforce housing.

The Grants Pass/Josephine County Chamber of Commerce has also established a workforce housing committee to specifically address issues within the county and the city. Several agencies within our area currently have some services available as housing resources.

Floodplain Management 

Grants Pass has a number of low-lying areas that have been historically prone to flooding. As a part of its floodplain management program the city provides flood insurance rate map (FIRM) determinations as a community service. The City of Grants Pass maintains a file of accurately completed elevation certificates on any new construction in the floodplain. The city has a Certified Floodplain Manager available to meet with residents. This certification program lays the foundation for ensuring that qualified individuals are available to meet the challenge of breaking the damage cycle and stopping its negative drain on the nation’s human, financial, and natural resources.