210-unit apartment complex proposed off Highway 99 at northwest Ashland city limit

Update:

The first reading of an ordinance related to the proposed Grand Terrace apartment complex at 1511 Highway 99 has been continued to the Nov. 4 City Council meeting. It will not be heard at the Sept. 16 council meeting, according to Brandon Goldman, director of community development for the city of Ashland. The item was postponed at the applicant’s request as he awaits Jackson County processing of a final recording of an approved boundary line adjustment, Goldman said in an email.

Original article:

By Craig Breon for Ashland.news

The long and winding road to Grand Terrace — a 210-unit apartment complex proposed for the northwest end of Ashland — leads to another Ashland City Council hearing Tuesday, Sept. 16. 

Twice before the Ashland City Council considered the Grand Terrace proposal and approved it, enthusiastically, only to see those approvals unraveled by legal actions taken by Rogue Advocates, a nonprofit conservation organization promoting natural resource protection and what they see as good land use planning throughout Jackson and Josephine counties. 

With proposed changes to the project, Rogue Advocates has now dropped their opposition to Grand Terrace, calling approval “inevitable” on their website.

Rogue Advocates’ prior opposition focused on traffic, parking, wildfire risk, sustainability and affordability. The organization believes their actions led to a better project overall, stating on their website, “strong community advocacy can shape development for the better.”

The council views Grand Terrace as a potent asset in Ashland’s attempts to build more housing, especially affordable housing. Of the 210 units, 24 would meet the city’s requirements for affordability (reserved for those making 80% or less of the area’s mean family income). The remaining units would be rented or sold at market rate, but would still be affordable compared to single-family housing, which dominates the Ashland market.

Twice, however, legal mistakes have been made in previous approvals of the project, leading to two Rogue Advocate appeals of the approvals to the Land Use Appeals Board (LUBA), a three-member state board responsible for adjudicating the validity of local government land use decisions throughout Oregon. 

Both times the project approvals were struck down by LUBA and sent back to the city for amendment and reconsideration, leaving both the council and city staff chagrined. After LUBA’s second action, developer Robert Kendrick abruptly withdrew his application at a City Council hearing on Oct. 3, 2023, sending a shock wave through the council and city staff. Following project revisions, Kendrick reapplied in 2024.

At its May 13, 2025, hearing, the Ashland Planning Commission unanimously approved Grand Terrace, sending it on to the council. One of the last troubling issues discussed was the inclusion of only 176 parking spaces for the 210 units. A state program known as Climate Friendly and Equitable Communities mandated the removal of minimum parking requirements for most residential developments statewide. It remains to be seen whether some Grand Terrace residents will rely on buses and other non-car alternatives, as developer Kendrick asserts.

Proposed changes to Grand Terrace, from its last iteration, include: a reduction in the number of units from 230 to 210; an increase in the size of some of the affordable units, removing studios and making all units one-bedroom, as well as integrating those units throughout the 10 buildings; increased use of fire-resistant building materials; and the addition of solar power.

The City Council meeting including the hearing on Grand Terrace starts at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 16, in the council chamber at 1175 E Main Street. Public comment can be made at the meeting or by prior correspondence.

Proceedings are cablecast live on Channel 9 (or 180), streamed online at rvtv.sou.edu (RVTV Prime), and posted online the day after the meeting.

Email Jackson County resident, consultant and former environmental law instructor Craig Breon at ckbtravel@earthlink.net.

Related stories:

City Council to discuss wildfire plan, housing project and emergency shelter upgrades on Tuesday (Aug. 17, 2025)

Ashland City Council to discuss enhanced law enforcement area, Grand Terrace development (Jan. 31, 2025)

Grand Terrace applicant expands on reasons for project withdrawal (Oct. 16, 2023)

Developer announces withdrawal of application for Grand Terrace development (Oct. 5, 2023)

Viewpoint: A closer look at the Grand Terrace proposal (Aug. 21, 2023)

Ashland Planning Commission approves Grand Terrace development for the third time (Aug. 16, 2023)