Homeless shelter grant approved by City Council
The Grants Pass City Council approved a resolution Wednesday night to create a low-barrier homeless shelter at 210 Redwood Highway. The resolution approved a memorandum of understanding to award and execute a grant agreement from the City of Grants Pass to Elk Island Trading Group to create a managed shelter with capacity to house up to 150 homeless people in renovated Conex containers. The grant is up to $1.2 million and will be distributed on a reimbursement basis. Elk Island has complied with all of the City's requirements and its repayment provisions should Elk Island fail to comply with all parts of the Agreement. The resolution passed by a vote of 5-3, with council members Marshall, Schloegl and Krohn dissenting. The council previously granted an appeal of the Urban Area Planning Commission's decision to deny changes to the approved site plan for Bowman's Choice Auto at 899 Rogue River Highway. The council believed that the changes, although inconsistent with city code, were minor and did not create any adverse situations for the city. Councilors approved an ordinance creating a reimbursement district for the Harbeck Meadows Subdivision. The developer will install sewer, storm sewer, water main and 679 feet of roadway on Southwest Emery Way from Allen Creek Road west. Anyone who applies for a building permit along the road will receive compensation from the developer. A second ordinance was also approved for a public reimbursement district for the Allen Creek Road Regional Stormwater Pond. The pond will cover an area of 10.61 acres and once building permits are issued, their share of the cost of the pond will be determined. …Read more
Request for approval of the land use appeal hearing was not supported, resulting in no action being taken
The Josephine County Board of Commissioners found itself in a stalemate after an appeal failed at Wednesday's land use hearing. The hearing was a continuation of Oct. 13 and involved a request to appeal a decision to allow a boat building business in a residential district. Commissioner Chris Barnett recused himself from the hearing due to his association with one of the parties involved. The appeal's plaintiff, Andie McCarty, alleged that there were problems with the business at 176 Devon Drive, including drainage issues, noise inconsistent with the residential cul-de-sac and the accumulation of aluminum shavings. Appeal opponent and property owner Douglas Williams said he chose the right avenues to legally establish his business and claimed he was harassed by some of his neighbors. Finally, Douglas thanked the board for their time and Andie said she wanted the company to be successful, but within a more reasonable framework. Commissioner Andreas Blech believed the biggest problem was noise and asked if the two parties could come to an easement. Andie didn't think an easement would solve the problem. Douglas felt that most of the noise would be mitigated if he had electricity rather than using a generator. …Read more
Theme of the JoCo trade fair 2026 announced: Home of the Brave: 250 Years of Heroes
The Josephine County Fair Board unanimously selected the theme for the 2026 Josephine County Fair. In recognition of our nation's historic 250th birthday, the theme for 2026 is
“Home of the Brave: 250 Years of Heroes.” The decision was made during the Fair Board's regular monthly business meeting on Tuesday. As part of the celebration, the Fair Board is developing a Wall of Heroes where community members will be invited to display photos of current and former family members who have served in any branch of the military. There will also be a dedicated section on the wall honoring first responders. The 2026 Josephine County Fair will take place Wednesday, July 29th through Sunday, August 2nd. Further details about the Wall of Heroes, entertainment and special activities will be announced at a later date. …Read more