Jackson County is advancing a $5.9 million plan to overhaul the 22.4-mile Bear Creek Greenway, aiming to enhance safety, reduce wildfire risks, and restore the popular trail system after years of challenges tied to homelessness, crime, and vegetation overgrowth.
The proposal, detailed in a February 25 Medford City Council study session, would establish a taxing district requiring voter approval from Ashland, Talent, Phoenix, Medford, and Central Point. If passed, property owners would pay an average of $66.25 annually (20 cents per $1,000 assessed value) to fund a $2.1 million yearly budget for patrols, fire mitigation, and maintenance, plus repay a loan for initial cleanup and firebreak installation.
The effort builds on post-Almeda Fire recovery initiatives, including vegetation management and ecological restoration outlined in the Bear Creek Natural Resource Plan.
A 2024 survey of 3,000 residents identified crime and maintenance as top concerns for the areas along the greenway. The county’s proposed district would deploy park rangers, increase law enforcement,clear invasive plant species and reduce fire-prone vegetation along the corridor.