Moving to Ashland, OR (Medford: for sale, hair salon, rentals)

[Gyongy]

We are abiout ready to move to Ashland, OR and would love as much information about the town as possible. My primary concern is the air quality around there. We looked at Medford but from the daily AQI on line it is obvious that the air there is not the best it could be. Is the same true for Ashland?

We would like to find a place anywhere along the S Mountain, but worry that it may be too close to SOU and the student rowdiness associated with college life. Any suggestions about that?

I would like to know if anyone knows of a first class hair dresser, good doctors (GP or internist), grocery stores, dry cleaners etc. Any and all information is appreciated.

I have heard that there is a new comers club one can join, any info on that, please.

Thanks for your help.

Gyongy

[casey1996]

Originally Posted by Gyongy

We are abiout ready to move to Ashland, OR and would love as much information about the town as possible. My primary concern is the air quality around there. We looked at Medford but from the daily AQI on line it is obvious that the air there is not the best it could be. Is the same true for Ashland?

We would like to find a place anywhere along the S Mountain, but worry that it may be too close to SOU and the student rowdiness associated with college life. Any suggestions about that?

I would like to know if anyone knows of a first class hair dresser, good doctors (GP or internist), grocery stores, dry cleaners etc. Any and all information is appreciated.

I have heard that there is a new comers club one can join, any info on that, please.

Thanks for your help.

Gyongy

I've lived in Ashland for 9 months. Great town, but you are correct about the air quality. The problem is during the winter months there is frequently a temperature inversion in the Rogue Valley (so Medford is just as bad, if not worse, because it's lower elevation than Ashland). The warm air at the higher altitude traps the cold air on the valley floor. So, the pollutants at the lower levels can't escape. It can look like a beautiful day, because many of the particles are invisible. There are periodic advisories for people with breathing issues to limit their time outside. I frankly wouldn't be aware of it, unless I heard something on the news.

As for living on S Mountain -- I live above the university (not immediately above it), but off of upper Ashland St. The only thing I hear is the university clock tolling every hour -- which is kind of neat. Most of the students live below the university, so more apt to hear loud parties, etc. down there.

As for doctors, cleaners, grocery stores, etc. We had the same questions when we moved here. Everybody has a different opinion as to the best whatever. There are tons of hair salons in this town, around 32. I can't believe they all survive. Also, lots of grocery stores -- Ashland Coop, which is probably the most popular, but not cheap. Market of Choice, which is also high end, very nice. Safeway, Albertsons, Shop N Kart, which is like those bag-your-own grocery places, very popular, because it is a bit cheaper. Lots to choose from for a small town.

There is a very active newcomers' group which meets once a month. They also do a luncheon once a month. There is TONS to do in this town, many organizations. This is a big volunteer town, with people volunteering with the Shakespeare festival, various non-profits, the hospitals. So, it's an easy way to meet people.

I'm still trying to decide on a doctor. First we had to apply for new health insurance here, because our health insurance isn't offered in Oregon. I don't know your situation, but private insurance is tough to get here, unless you have no preexisting conditions. We squeaked by, now are trying to decide on a doctor.

Good luck with your move. It really is a great place.

[ExNooYawk]

What Casey said.

Casey, have you checkout Dr. Schilling? She's board certified and in Ashland. We didn't want to have to schlep to Medford to find a doctor.

There is one dry-cleaner in town which never seems to be busy. I hope they don't close.

[Steve97415]

Originally Posted by Gyongy

We would like to find a place anywhere along the S Mountain, but worry that it may be too close to SOU and the student rowdiness associated with college life. Any suggestions about that?

I think casey's answer is probably good. I do see a lot of cars parked all the way up S. Mountain, though, so I suspect there are some student rentals up there. Ashland doesn't have the reputation for student rowdiness that Chico and some other college towns do, but I'm sure there's some. I would do thorough deed research before buying a place in that part of town. Some very poor land use partitions were made up in that area years back. There are some landlocked parcels between S. Mountain and Beach St. with no street frontage. Some of the frontage properties have an access easement that goes right through their parcels. I know of one house currently for sale on Beach that has that issue. The lot is a quarter of an acre, but you wouldn't be able to fence around it because other vehicles need to able to drive through your yard! Generally, property "above the boulevard" is in the most desirable part of town and costs more. Also, since it is on the north face of a slope, you will lose sunlight earlier in winter than if you lived down closer to the valley floor. But it is close to hiking and mountain biking trails which for some people is very convenient. It is also more removed from the tourist crush, which makes it more peaceful in summer.

The Rogue Valley has had air pollution from wild fires even before Applegate, so it isn't all anthropogenic. It's also intermittent. There are many days, especially in spring, when the air is pristine. If you know that you are sensitive to particulates, though, it would pay to visit for an extended period before you move there. The air inversion periods can be quite hard on people with asthma or other respiratory sensitivities. It is the flip side of an otherwise positive characteristic of the valley, IMO: stagnant air comes from low wind velocity.

Ashland Community Food Store is the most patronized store in town. Ashland may be one of the few cities in the U.S. where people rely on a natural food store for their staples. Most Ashlanders will go into Medford and shop at Winco and Fred Meyer from time to time. In fact, Ashland is in many ways a satellite community of Medford and you'll will become quite familiar with (and dependent on) Medford if you live in Ashland.

[casey1996]

Originally Posted by ExNooYawk

What Casey said.

Casey, have you checkout Dr. Schilling? She's board certified and in Ashland. We didn't want to have to schlep to Medford to find a doctor.

There is one dry-cleaner in town which never seems to be busy. I hope they don't close.

Actually, Wendy Schilling is one of the names I was given. Thanks for the info. What dry cleaner?

[Lisa Force]

Hi - My husband and I just moved to Ashland a couple of weeks ago. Could someone provide the contact information for the 'active newcomers club.' I'm very excited to hear that it exists and would like to attend the next meeting/luncheon.

Also, any other suggestions about how to get involved in the community would be helpful. We are particularly interested in book clubs, volunteering for animal organizations and meeting other SOU Boosters.

Thanks! Lisa

[casey1996]

Lisa, I just answered this in another post about the Newcomer's Club. It's liz.murphy@raymondjames.com, 488-5407. If you attend one of the meetings, there are usually people from various organizations who visit, and talk about volunteer opportunities in the area. The possibilities are endless. Lots of information and brochures at these meetings. They, also, email a newsletter every month, so get on their email list. Good luck.