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Grants Pass council reverses planning commission, approves revised site plan for Bowman's Choice Auto
Summary
Council reversed the Urban Area Planning Commission and approved a revised site plan for Bowman's Choice Auto at 899 Rogue River Highway, concluding the director exceeded authority on two landscaping changes the applicant sought to alter.
The Grants Pass City Council on Nov. 19 reversed an Urban Area Planning Commission decision and approved a revised site plan for Bowman's Choice Auto, a car lot at 899 Rogue River Highway.
City Attorney Stephanie Nottal outlined the procedural history: a 2021 major site plan and a subsequent variance left planting and landscaping conditions; in 2025 the applicant submitted a revised plan that asked to (1) relocate a parking-lot planter and tree to encircle a sign pole and (2) reduce the landscape buffer adjacent to nearby residential properties. Nottal said the community development director approved two minor changes but denied the planter relocation and the buffer reduction because those revisions exceeded the director’s approval authority.
Community Development Director Bradley Clark told council the code requires planter islands at the ends of parking rows both to guide traffic and to provide space for trees. Clark said staff had agreed to two of the four proposed changes but could not legally approve removing the required parking-lot planter or shrinking the residential buffer. As he put it, the staff role is to "enforce what the council has approved in terms of code," and where the code lacks explicit waiver language staff limit negotiated changes.
Applicant Jonathan Graham Bowman said his property is unusual and largely functions as a sales showroom rather than a typical pedestrian-access parking lot. Bowman told council the proposed changes are modest, that the island would not be visible from Rogue River Highway because the lot sits lower than the road, and that moving the planter would improve customer flow for the car lot.
Several councilors who visited the site described the parcel as an awkward, below-grade lot with commercial uses on bordering parcels. After public comment from neighbors and business supporters, Councilor Seth moved to reverse the UAPC decision and approve the revised site plan as proposed by the appellant. The motion carried on a roll-call vote with all councilors voting yes.
The reversal applies only to the two components denied by the director and affirmed by the planning commission; the other two revisions previously approved by staff remain in effect. The council did not change other code requirements. The applicant may proceed under the approved revised site plan.
