RURAL AND SUBURBAN LANDS - Jackson County Oregon

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Rural and Suburban Lands Element 21-14UNINCORPORATED COMMUNITIESAPPLEGATE RURAL COMMUNITY[Adopted by Ordinance #2000-6 on 4-24-00, Acknowledged by DLCD Order #001208 on 5-26-00,Effective 6-5-00. File #96-26-OA(PR)]The rural unincorporated community of Applegate is located in Jackson County approximately20 miles northwest of Medford along Highway 238. Applegate is centrally located in theApplegate River Valley, which continues into Josephine County and the unincorporatedcommunities of Wilderville and Murphy to the west. The Applegate river is a tributary of theRogue River. The population base of the Upper Applegate (including Ruch) is approximately3,870 people.The discovery of gold in the 1850's brought a flood of miners into the Applegate Valleywatershed. The Donation Land Claim Act of 1850 and the Homestead Act of 1860 encouragedeven greater numbers to settle in the area. In the mid-1850's, hostilities between thesenewcomers and the indigenous peoples of the Applegate watershed resulted in the decimationof Native American groups. Mining activities created a market for supplies which were broughtfirst on pack trains. The completion of the Crescent City to Jacksonville Wagon Road in 1858allowed freight wagons to supply the miners and made the area accessible to more people.As mining activities declined, agriculture and ranching became the economic mainstay of thearea. Grains, vegetables and fruits were grown; dairy herds, cattle and sheep grazed the area.Irrigation diversions, some of which had originated with mining operations, supported the finefamily farms of the area. People also engaged in some logging for local use. There was asawmill on Thompson Creek and another five miles west of Ruch. After World War II, there wasmore demand for lumber from the housing construction industry.In the 1950's, residents started seeing changes in their Applegate neighborhoods. The peoplewho were moving into the hills for a rural lifestyle had little interest in farming or ranching. Largerland holdings were divided into smaller homesite parcels. Hobby farms appeared, as did apattern of workers commuting to the nearby cities of Medford and Grants Pass. Land and homeproperty values rose, as the number of large, expensive homes increased. Homesites wereestablished on the upper valleys and hillsides.Today, the social and institutional setting of the Applegate watershed is remarkable for thedegree of formal collaboration and cooperation that exists around issues of environmentalconcern. The recent history of the area is one of local groups and federal agencies, namely theBureau of Land Management and the Forest Service, organizing around ecosystemmanagement, the stewardship of natural resources, and the mutual sustainability of the forests,economies, and communities of the Applegate.The community of Applegate has a rich history. It was originally named Bridge Point. Fromthere, travelers on the Jacksonville-Crescent City trail crossed the Applegate River via a woodenbridge built around 1860. A local farmer named Orlando Rose built a hall for dances andcommunity events near the crossing. The Bridge Point School District was organized in 1872and the Applegate Post Office opened in 1895. One of the first stores was owned by the Pernollfamily and built two miles west of the crossing in 1874. The Pernoll family later built a store atJackson County Comprehensive Plan
Rural and Suburban Lands Element 21-15the crossing which housed the post office. Across the road from the Pernoll’s store, in 1947, theKubli family built a store with gas pumps and automobile service. Between their store and theriver, the Kublis made a park and picnic area, now called Applegate Wayside, close to the localswimming hole. Across the river from this site, one can still see the creamery building startedby the Werth family in 1912. The Valley Pride Creamery served the many area farmers who hadfresh milk and cream to be processed. It was operated until the late 1920's; today it serves asa private residence. Other community halls were built in the area, including Grubb Hall and theHerriott Community Hall, where dances and picnics were held. In 1946, the ApplegateCommunity Church was built on a hill overlooking the Pernoll store. The church originally hadties to the Assembly of God, but is now a non-denominational church.FINDINGS, POLICIES AND IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES:APPLEGATEA1FINDING: Growth must be based on current zoning and the availability of services. Ensure thatnew land uses are compatible with the existing environment, rather than establishing new usesthat require changes in the rural character of the Core. Proposals to change existing drainagepatterns, local loads and the highways, must be evaluated with respect to their affect upon therural character of the area.POLICY:COMMUNITY GROWTH SHOULD BE CONTROLLED, MANAGEDINTENTIONAL GROWTH.IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY: A checklist will be developed to facilitate comment andapproval from the relevant county, federal and state agencies involved in issuance ofdevelopment permits of the community core area. Residential densities should be maintainedat the existing level, and new commercial uses should be kept at a rural scale with restrictionson height and square footage per development site. Specially designed Applegate Residentialand Applegate Rural Service Commercial Districts need to be adopted to guide developmentwithin the community core.APPLEGATEA2FINDING: Applegate residents expressed a need for greater communication between theCounty and residents on a variety of issues. Notice of land use decisions are made to propertyowners within a state mandated area. Residents expressed the need for more comprehensivenoticing, including non-traditional notice recipients, and public hearings on land use decisionsheld in the Applegate area.POLICY: FACILITATE CITIZEN PARTICIPATION AND COMMUNICATION BETWEENJACKSON COUNTY AND THE APPLEGATE RESIDENTS.IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES: To increase community involvement, Jackson County shall:Notify up to six community designated businesses or organizations of land use decisionson property within the Applegate core, or on property bordering the ApplegateCommunity Boundary. Organizations to be notified include the Applegator Newsletter,Jackson County Comprehensive Plan
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RURAL AND SUBURBAN LANDS - Jackson County Oregon

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