The Future of Southtown

The portion of Corvallis that lies south of the confluence of Mary's River and the Willamette, disparagingly referred to as "Southtown," has a less-than-favorable reputation. It has traditionally been the cheapest part of town in which to live, and in a few neighborhoods, such as the trailer park behind Papa's Pizza, the notoriety is deserved. The situation has improved somewhat over the last decade, with the expansion of the First Alternative Co-op, the addition of Intaba's and a couple of new housing developments that have brought new blood into the region.

Arguments over development in Corvallis are certainly nothing new, but there is a new controversy brewing over development in Southtown. The owners of John and Phil's Toyota/Scion/Subaru want to move their car dealership to a large industrial area in Southtown. Their current lot is sandwiched into a narrow strip between 5th Street and Highway 99 and there is no room for expansion. You can download the Corvallis Planning Commission report here (PDF), but be warned it is more than 200 pages.

This development proposal makes absolute sense. The land in question is zoned industrial. The lot is neighbored by the wrecking yard and open fields on two sides. But Ted Daum, an environmental consultant and resident of the new Willamette Landing housing development nearby, is vehemently protesting the plan, stating that South Corvallis doesn't need auto dealerships, it needs a grocery store. Daum claims that "It's not smart growth."

First of all, why would this be considered an either/or proposition? The planning commission has already identified the former auction yard as the site best suited for a supermarket, a plan that would not be thwarted if the auto dealership plan was completed. Besides, the expanded First Alternative Co-op is a fantastic grocery store, so the residents of Southtown are no longer doomed to purchase overpriced convenience foods at Circle K and 7-11 as they were 15 or 20 years ago. In addition, the short drive over the bridge into downtown Corvallis brings you right to Safeway's doorstep. It's not like the denizens of Southtown are starving as they trek across the plains in search of food.

Secondly, if Daum is so concerned about "smart growth," why would he move into Willamette Landing? One of the several housing developments in town created by Legend Homes, it is yet another example of large, overpriced, cheaply-constructed homes on small 1/10th acre lots, crammed into a small area. For $300,000 or so, you can have one of these ugly clone houses for yourself, except that the average Corvallis resident couldn't afford to actually purchase one.

There are certain areas of Corvallis where development does not make sense. Downtown Corvallis is mostly full, with the exception of some areas along the riverfront and some continuing beautification projects. Ninth Street still has a few vacant lots where commercial development opportunities exist, but these should be preserved for retail development, such as the expansion of the business center near Office Max and the lot behind the K-Mart/Safeway shopping center. Southtown is one area where the city should encourage development. The area is lacking in job opportunities and there isn't much traffic to the area. The planning commission will be voting on this issue the evening of Wednesday, March 15th. There will be no public participation at this meeting, but they are soliciting feedback until the time of the meeting. Make your voice heard by dropping an email to Kevin Young.